#dard hunter

Book cover

Books On Books Collection – Gerard Unger

A Counter-proposal (1967) Een tegenvoorstel/A counter-proposal/Une contreproposition/Ein gegenvorschlag (1967)Gerard UngerPamphlet. 250 x 250 mm, 4 pages. Acquired from Antiquariaat Frans Melk, 27 April 2021.Photos: Books On Books Collection. A few months after Pieter Brattinga issued Wim Crouwel‘s New Alphabet (below left), he followed up with this single-fold riposte from Gerard Unger,…

Books On Books Collection – Taller Leñateros

Incantations (2005)

Incantations (2005) Mayan Women Fathermothers of the Book: Ámbar Past with Xun Okotz and Xpetra Ernándes Casebound, glued. H250 x W250 x D50 mm, 194 pages. Acquired from Taller Leñateros, Chiapas, Mexico, 23 July 2020.

Acquisition of this anthology of magical songs and ritual paintings of Tsotsil women from the Highlands of Chiapas came primarily from an interest in its…

A Papermaking Pilgrimage to Japan, Korea and China.

Dard Hunter.

New York: Pynson Printers, 1936.

Woodcut depicting the gampi plant. Paper mulberry and mitsumata are also illustrated in woodcuts; additionally, the book has 65 photogravure images.

Helpful Hints for Business Helpers by Fra Elbertus AKA Elbert Hubbard – ca. 1909

This remarkable leaflet measures 4.5” x 6”. It was printed some time before 1909 in East Aurora, New York by The Roycrofters, a highly influential community of artists, craftsmen and designers working in the Arts and Crafts style. The leaflet was intended as a list of guidelines for proper etiquette and protocol for employees in the work place.

The layout was designed by American master printer and papermaker Dard Hunter – his initials 'DH' appear near the bottom right corner of the leaflet cover – during his time working for the Roycrofters between 1904 and 1910 designing books, leather goods, stained glass and metal goods.

Fra Elbertus, better known as Elbert Hubbard, was an American artist, philosopher, writer, publisher, and founder of the Roycrofters. Inspired by the work of William Morris and the Pre-Raphaelites, the Roycrofters were a reformist group concerned with reacquainting post-industrial Americans with the virtues of manual labor, as well as producing products that showcased the hallmarks of pre-industrialized craftsmanship.

Interesting note: An obituary written by Hubbard in 1915 is the source of the phrase, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

The leaflet itself is eight pages of thoughtful layout, beautiful typeface, cheeky writing and advice that is as sound today as it was over a hundred years ago. The condition is good; the cover is split at each end along the binding, but otherwise the paper is in very good condition with no tearing or discolouration. The back of the leaflet contains an ad for Hubbard's most well-known publications Little Journeys, a series of biographies of prominent men.