managing director of London booksellers Henry Sotheran & Company, who in 1902 struck on the idea of embedding miniature paintings in the covers of richly-tooled bindings. He engaged the famous Rivière bindery to execute his idea in accordance with his own designs. Rivière brought into its employ Miss C.B. Currie with instructions to faithfully imitate Richard Cosway’s detailed watercolor style of miniature painting. These delicate and beautiful miniatures, mostly portraits, often on ivory, were set into the covers or doublures of fine bindings and protected with thin panes of glass. Cosway bindings executed by other than the original collaborators (Stonehouse, Sotheran, Rivière, and Currie) are designated as “Cosway-style” bindings—still splendid productions. While not signed by her, since the binding was done by Rivière, these portraits may well have been executed by Currie; they are all after paintings featured within the book (see pp. 148-160). With errata slips. Engraved bookplate of American art collector and philanthropist Helen Clay Frick, depicting her father, coke and steel magnate Henry Clay Frick, reading in the Living Hall of his New York residence, designed and engraved by Timothy Cole, 1929, incorporating a quote by Henry: “Those who do not read are going back instead of progressing.” Light edge-wear to slipcase; book fine. A splendid volume, with a distinguished provenance.
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