George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives

Blissful Books and Bindings

Marius-Michel

Gardiner, Samuel Rawson, 1829-1902
    Oliver Cromwell / by Samuel Rawson Gardiner. Limited edition. London ; New York : Goupil & Co. ; New York : Scribner, 1899

This father and son firm of binders was made up of Jean Marius-Michel (1821-1890) and his son Henri (1846-1925). Although originally paying homage to the great binders of the past, they soon began to reflect the mood of the text in their binding designs. Active through the early 20th century, their nature-based designs were delicate or bold as the book demanded.

Bound by the father-son firm of Marius-Michel in brown levant, with a gold fillet border and frame and gilt lace-design ornaments at the corners. The spine has a matching gilt lace design and is lettered in gold. The doublure is red levant with a gold fillet border, within which is a second border bearing an elaborate floral design; the lining is brown brocade, and the end papers are marbled. Top edge is gilded. The original cream paper wrappers, lettered in red and black, are bound in; the whole contained in a marbled paper slip case.

Number 40 of 350 numbered copies on Japan paper