#rbms17

Fore-edge with Flourish

Even though we’re missing out on the Rare Books & Manuscripts Section annual conference this week, we are consoling ourselves with this beautiful discovery.

All edges on this collection of 16th century Protestant tracts have been decorated in gold, red, and black. We suspect this embellishment was not contemporary, but we have not attempted to determine the book’s fancy owner. It looks like the coats of arms would provide some clues, so if you recognize them let us know and we’ll update our records!

An RBMS Feathursday

RBMS is the Rare Book and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), and it was on a #Feathursday during the 2017 RBMS Conference in Iowa City in late June that I took a break from the scheduled activities and visited the Solstice Book Fair. As I walked through the displays of artist’s books, fine press prints, and ephemera, I came across this bright Goldfinch peering from behind the cover of a book. I met Liz, the artist, and we had a very nice chat. I knew that Passerine was going to come home with me when I saw it, but meeting Liz made the book that much more special. I hope you enjoy this brief glimpse of her fine print work and have a happy Feathursday. 

These reduction linocuts are from the artist book Passerine created by Elizabeth Munger in 2008 in Iowa City, Iowa.

-- Alison