GAVIN DOVEY, designer bookbinder. MARET, Russell. BLAKE, William. ~ Happy Abstract. A letter from William Blake to Thomas Butts, dated 11 September 1801.
One of 130 copies printed by Russell Maret, of which 100 were provided to Open Set in 2020 for binding. 22.8 x 17.2 cms, bound by Gavin Dovey at his Paper Dragon bindery, in full ivory calf, with grey mother of pearl circular inlays and printed over in snake-skin like acrylics in grey and palladian, doublures printed reproducing a print by William Blake in grey, black and yellow with pink and grey circular onlays and added gold and palladian highlights. Housed in a chemise-etuis in the French style with mother of pearl onlays and with the chemise and slipcase sides covered in stone-leaf.
A remarkably fine binding by Gavin Dovey who, after training the UK, set up shop in the US in 2004 and now works as a book artist out of his New York State bindery known as Paper Dragon Books. He is renowned as one of the most accomplished binders of our time being technically brilliant as well as having a true artist’s approach to binding design.
This binding is one of his strongest with the remarkable doublures reflecting a print by William Blake, quite a tour de force. the book itself is printed by one of the greatest printers in America.