ARMSTRONG & PYLE — ART OF THE BOOK

Van Dyke, Henry (1852–1933)

The Blue Flower [Margaret Armstrong Binding] [First Edition, First Printing]

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1902. First Edition, First Printing. Decorated Cloth Hardcover.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC SIGNIFICANCE: MARGARET ARMSTRONG AND THE AMERICAN DECORATED BOOK
Margaret Armstrong was among the most accomplished designers of American publishers' bindings during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Her designs transformed commercially produced cloth bindings into recognizable works of graphic design, frequently employing stylized botanical forms, strong geometry, gilt, and carefully coordinated color stamping.

A DISTINGUISHED GROUP OF ILLUSTRATORS. The eight plates bring together work by J. R. Weguelin, F. V. DuMond, Arthur Heming, Howard Pyle, and C. K. Linson. Pyle's presence gives the volume additional interest within the history of Golden Age American illustration, while the combination of multiple illustrators with Armstrong's binding places the book at the intersection of literary publishing, illustration, and turn-of-the-century book design.

THE BLUE FLOWER AS A UNIFYING IDEA. Although presented as nine separate tales, the collection is held together by Van Dyke's recurring concern with aspiration, faith, sacrifice, and the pursuit of ideals. Among the stories is The Other Wise Man, one of Van Dyke's best-known works, while The First Christmas-Tree similarly reflects the religious and moral storytelling for which he became widely known.

GENRES: Short Stories, Literary Fiction, Illustrated Books, Decorated Publishers' Bindings, American Literature, Religious Fiction, Christmas Literature, Golden Age Illustration
SUBJECTS: Margaret Armstrong, Henry Van Dyke, Howard Pyle, American Book Design, Publishers' Bindings, Decorative Cloth Bindings, Golden Age Illustration, Arts and Crafts Book Design, The Other Wise Man, Christmas Stories.

Item #22536

Price: $60.00