Ornaments

Half Morocco. Marbled Boards. . Very Good. Oblong, 18.5 by 26.5 cm. 40 chromolithographic color plates of designs. The designs are in line with Christopher Dresser, and there can be no question that they date to the aesthetic period. There are ornamental bands, kaleidoscope-ish centerpieces, Celtic and Gothic influenced diapers, etc. Geometric patterns suffuse the entirety, and we would add, there are no literal figurative elements in any of the designs. Some design elements might be inspired by flowers or vines, but the result is an abstraction that bears only the vaguest connection to the actual specimen. There is a considerable amount of gilt used in these plates. As there is no title page, nor any information about the printer furnished on any of the plates, we are unable to come up with the source of the plates. Plainly, the collection was published together, as the plates are numbered 1 to 40. We do not believe that there ever was a title page -- there is no evidence of an excision -- and "Ornaments" is embossed on the spine, which almost certainly dates to the issue of the collection of plates. The collection is obviously scarce, even if one can find similar designs of this or that plate in another ornament treatise of the period. The joints are heavily rubbed. Typical edgewear to the binding otherwise. The plates are lightly age toned.