Capturing the flavour of finely wrought Renaissance-style leather bindings, Paperblanks Midnight Steel Address Book pays homage to the craft of delicate gold tooling, originally introduced to Europe via the flourishing trade routes to the East. The timeless beauty of an antique leather binding is brought into the present on the cover of this deep blue book.
New York City is home to an endless number of famed landmarks and tourist attractions, including the eye-catching skyscrapers that punctuate the city skyline. Described in an original brochure as the “mise en scene for the romantic drama of American business,” one such tower is the Chanin Building. This midtown Manhattan landmark was built by developer Irwin S. Chanin in the late 1920s and its magnificent lobby is a major draw for architecture aficionados. Ornately adorned with bronze grilles representing some of the finest Art Deco in the city, the lobby was modernly styled around a “City of Opportunity” concept. One of these ventilator grilles, with loops, spirals and geometric lines symbolizing human thought and emotion, is reproduced here. The Chanin Building’s exuberant craftsmanship led it to be designated a city landmark in 1978 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Its uniquely New York City take on the Art Deco style is just one of many reasons to pay attention to the architectural achievements lining the city’s streets.
For the celestially minded and lovers of dark light, we present Nova Stella. This book cover, with its central star shape, exerts an emotional pull like the North Star for nighttime wayfarers. Our Nova Stella cover comes from the 1789 binding of Missale Sacri Ordinis Praedicatorum, printed during the Settecento period by Octavio Puccinelli publishers. During this time bookbinding became at once simpler and yet more complex. The sewing was done on recessed cords to give the spines a smooth appearance and so, while the structure of books was uncomplicated, decoration became increasingly elaborate. The free space around the central object is as important as the ornamentation that surrounds it, just as deep space is part of what makes stars so inspiring. Here we see brocade with floral and heart shapes, gilt-edged broad string iron lines, single punch gilding and a cross with flowers and initials.
Luxuriate in the brass and regal blue tones of this Blue Luxe cover design. The original book, crafted in the heart of Amsterdam in 1715, was bound in goatskin with elaborate gold tooling. Contained inside the volume was the Oratio Dominica (Lord’s Prayer) in almost 150 languages and dialects, compiled by English courtier John Chamberlayne, creating a document of global appeal. The intricate details of this design reflect the tapestry of cultures in its original pages. The translations spanned from Europe and Asia to Arabia, Persia, Syria and Turkey. Chamberlayne, who was a writer and translator, spoke 16 languages himself. Let the many cultures that once lived within this 18th-century binding inspire you against Blue Luxe’s opulent backdrop.
Taking their slightly sullen cues from previous artistic movements, the New Romantics of the 1980s brought their hairstyles and attitudes to new prominence. Our Urban Glam guest book celebrates the drama that made the New Romantic movement some of the most ironic good times popular culture has ever had.
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