The Art of the Book

Endpaper design by Reginald L Knowles for JM Dent's Everyman's Library series.

A few of the many illustration samples to be found in The Art of the Book, an overview of book design published in 1914. The editor was Charles Holme, also the editor of leading art magazine The Studio from whose contents and resources books such as this were easily compiled. The Internet Archive has a nice collection of Holme's books, and this particular volume includes work from Hungary and Sweden, two countries which are often overlooked in creative surveys. I've selected illustrations here but the book contains many examples of binding design and page layouts.

Initial letters and ornaments by Friedrich Wilhelm Kleukens.

Several pages are devoted to the work of Franz von Bayros, an illustrator whose meticulous draughtsmanship was unseen for years owing to the pornographic nature of much of his work.

Half-title page from Gustav V's Bible designed by Olle Hjortzberg.

Another great design by Will Bradley from The Campbell Book.

Elsewhere on { feuilleton }

• The illustrator's archive