Lot 175: JACOBS, LOUIS

(BINDER).
THE CATHEDRAL PRAYER BOOK. LONDON: NOVELLO AND COMPANY, NO DATE [C.1905]

Hymns Ancient and Modern. London: William Clowes and Sons, no date [c.1905]

2 works in one volume, 8vo (186 x 127mm.), contemporary green morocco by louis jacobs, double-fillet gilt border, two interlacing gilt panels, lettered in gilt round edges "domine dilexi decorem domus tuae et locum habitationis tuae gloriae" (Psalm 25 upper cover), "adorate dominum in atrio sancto eius sanctimonia in magnificentio et sanctificatione eius" (lower cover), entwined gilt initials "JBP" summounted by the Pease crest on the upper cover only, spine in six compartments gilt, illuminated vellum doublures and flyleaves with large initials in colours on gold grounds, within borders of coloured floral stems and acanthus leaves among gold ivy leaves on hairline stems, each vellum leaf signed by binder, edges gilt, pages spotted, binding very slightly rubbed at extremities, gilt edges scratched

PROVENANCE

John William Beaumont Pease

NOTE

Louis Jacobs is perhaps best known as a teacher of female binders, including Edith Diehl and L. Averill Cole, in Brussels. She also pioneered techniques of painting on vellum.

The attractive binding houses a puzzle. Both books are commonplace and would not usually merit such lavish adornment. In addition, they are not even the same size: the hymn book measuring 178 x 115mm., making a rather awkward binding up. It would appear that these two books must have had great sentimental value for Pease.