James Scott and William Scott, Bookbinders

Scolar Press in association with the National Library of Scotland, London, first edition, 1980. Cloth, 8vo, 27 cm,. xxvi, 414 pp, colour frontispiece, numerous black-and-white ills. From the blurb: "The output of the Edinburgh binders James and William Scott stands out in the work of eighteenth-century Scottish bookbinders. Though few William Scott bindings are known today, a substantial number of James's bindings have survived: his work was characterised by its clean break from the Scottish geometrical style of binding ornamentation towards a style aimed at the kind of people who would be patrons of Chippendale or Adam and might be expected to want to own bookbindings which would fittingly adorn their houses. Thus the history of eighteenth-century bookbinding can be seen to relate to wider concerns of aesthetics and design in the visual arts. Mr Loudon's book, the first detailed examination of the Scotts, gives detailed descriptions of all known Scott bindings and includes full-page reproductions of all but a few. It also examines in detail (and reproduces) the tools and rolls employed. Very Good in a slightly yellowed dustwrapper.