golden treasure

Today at work we were cataloguing a collection of lovely books donated to the library. There are several first editions, some children's books, art and design titles and beautifully printed works like these Golden Cockerel fiction titles. I found it hard to resist having a good long look and couldn't help taking a few pics with my phone - but they are terrible quality - sorry. I did love them though. The faded paper jackets were lovely shades of blues, greens and buffs. I am especially fond of art and design from the mid-twentieth century.

Lady from Yesterday by Christopher Whitfield, illustrated with wood engravings by Lettice Sandford, Golden Cockerel Press 1939

On a practical note, you might find this post on copyright useful - it may prove to be the definitive guide and I will certainly be bookmarking it for future reference. Do follow up the link to find out what happened to Lauren Nassef if you haven't read about it already - it is really astonishing.

Goat Green by T.F. Powys, illustrated by Gwenda Morgan, Golden Cockerel Press 1937

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

6 comments:

Jackie said...

I read that post about the stolen art and while I see that was blatant copying, sometimes I worry about absorbing things from others and reproducing them myself without realising. There are only so many shapes, fabrics, colours that can be used and I often restrain myself from using certain colours or shapes because I suddenly think they are 'someone elses', but maybe thats a bit obsessive, not to mention frustrating.
Those woodcuts are beautiful. Aren't you lucky to work among such treasures?

Frances said...

Hello Sue,

Those pictures via your phone are so fine. They remind me of what an artist's mind does. Sees something, thinks about it, thinks and considers whether to transfer that seen image to a created image.

Pauses. Acts. Or perhaps pauses for a long time before acting.

I am sure that you are aware of the publisher Persephone Books. I am currently finding many of the first editions of the books that PB republishes ... in the stacks of my library. The paper in these editions is definitely vintage, and most no longer have their original covers. Ah. No matter. The words are the same.

Best wishes to you. I am still thinking about what you wrote about finding a path.

xo

Gretel said...

Ooh, scrummy books...I know exactly what Jackie means, and like her, I try to be a scrupulous as possible with my designs - however, I try not to worry about it too much, as I would never, ever directly copy anything, even out of copyright (pride!) For instance, I've got sketchbooks full of little birds and houses, which look very similar to many things around the craft sites nowadays - and yet I know they are 'mine' as they were done back in the early 1990's!

I have a large collection of vintage toymaking books and opening them is rather like looking at the toy section of Etsy...but the copyright case you referred to was just so bizarre (and now so famous) that you wonder how on earth she thought she could get away with it, especially in this day and age.

silverpebble said...

I'm horrified by the blatantly stolen drawings on that link. How appalling and thought-provoking.

These books and images are just beautiful. The struttung cockerel is so full of life.

Gilly said...

I've heard terrible things about blogworks being blatently copied.

Thank you for that very useful reference.

A time to dance said...

lovely lovely pictures, I really despair at human nature sometimes sue...happy weekend sweetie love H