A different take on the “altered book” — these use old books as the basis for jewelry. Be sure to have a look at all of Betty Pepper’s Book Keeping series.
Category: General
Alphabet Rug
 There’s not much of description (or a price) for this alphabet rug by Alan Fletcher, other than it’s subtitled “paper cutout alphabet rug,” but it’s awfully cheery and playful. See what there is to say about it here.
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On Collecting
In 1999 my mother-in-law gave me several old perfume bottles, mostly figurines. All from the early 20th century, they are wonderful to look at. As I found out more about them, I got hooked and added to the collection. In a few years I had a shelf-full and decided that was enough. That’s one of mine to the right — a crowntop kewpie doll perfume bottle from the 1930s. Sadly last month she got knocked off her shelf and broke. My husband glued her back together but should I replace her?
Then the other day I saw this obituary in the NY Times. It’s about a book collector and says in part:
Helmut N. Friedlaender, a book-loving lawyer and financial adviser whose quietly assembled collection of early printed books and illuminated manuscripts caused a stir in bibliophilic circles when it went to auction, died on Tuesday in Yarmouth, Me. He was 95 and lived in Manhattan… At a two-day sale in April 2001, Christie’s auctioned off most of Mr. Friedlaender’s important collection, which he had assembled over the previous 30 years…. Once the collection was dispersed, he started on a new one, said Felix Oyens, a friend… This time around, Mr. Friedlaender went after Baedeker travel books, nowhere nearly as rare or expensive as even the least of his early books…. Mr. Oyens offered a theory about this curious detour: “I think the Baedekers simply gave him an excuse to walk into a bookshop.”
All the collectors I know keep on collecting, sometimes replacing one collectable with another when they are done with one habit, just like Mr. Friedlaender. I never gave much thought to why I decided to stop collecting perfume bottles — but I have kept collecting. I replaced bottles with my small and still growing collection of artist’s books.
But what to do with my kewpie doll? My collection is modest, with nice but not stellar examples. On the “do it” side of the argument: My bottles make me happy and sit in a prominent place in my office. They are so much easier to display than books — what’s interesting about them is all up front (most of my bottles are empty, so the scent that should be hidden under the stopper isn’t). On the “don’t do it” side: She’ll be pricey (for me) and hard to replace. And how much is my collection just a pleasure to look at, or a more serious endeavor? I’ve already taken a look at my bottles to re-evaluate what I have, in a way I haven’t looked at them in quite some time.
The article about Mr. Friedlaender got me to look at my artist’s book collection with a new eye too, and before I replace my kewpie, the current habit needs tending. Another book as my Christmas present to myself would be just the thing!
Bone China Shelf
Letters in Hand
Judith Hollowood sent me a postcard with this great sculpture on the front — it’s called Headwaters by Larry Kirkland. It sits in front of the English/Philosophy complex on the Lubbock campus of Texas Tech University. (There’s another good picture here on flickr.) Texas Tech & Lubbock have amassed quite a public art collection.
Pyramid Atlantic Book Fair
I’m awfully ambivalent about selling my books and artwork at craft and book fairs. On the plus side, I replenish my bank account and meet people who love books and reading as much as I do. On the negative side, the days can be really long and my jaw hurts at the end from smiling so much. But I’ve done enough fairs now over the years that the preparation is routine, and I’ve figured out how to pack effectively for fairs that require me to fly to get there.
Last week-end I had a table at a 2-day book arts fair across the country from my home, in Silver Spring Maryland. I wasn’t expecting many sales, what with the screaming headlines in the papers saying this holiday season is going to be the worst ever. But my Mom, sister and brother-in-law live near by, so I thought of this as a family visit rather than a “business trip.” I kept my expenses down by staying with Mom and using my sister’s car. And my sister, who owns a bakery and went to cooking college, made yummy dinners and provided Mom & me with pastry for breakfast and cookies for lunch.
After eating so well, maybe I was predisposed to have a good time at this particular fair. I sold more than I expected. I met several people who have written articles for Ampersand, the quarterly book arts journal I edit. When things were slow, my table mate was fun to talk to. As they looked at my books, many people commented that my work is happy and colorful and well displayed. And what fun to watch the smiles break out as people flip through my flip books!
Back home now, the next few weeks will be hectic as I get ready for 2 more holiday fairs here at home in San Francisco — Bazaar Bizarre in Golden Gate Park, Sunday November 30, 10am-5pm, and at the San Francisco Center for the Book on Friday December 12 (6-8pm) and Saturday December 13 (12 noon-5pm).