ANTHYLLIS

Dresden and Leipzig: E. Pierson, 1893. 178 x 118 mm. (7 x 4 3/4"). 2 p.l., 266 pp.
FINE EARLY 20TH CENTURY TAN PIGSKIN TOOLED IN BLIND BY OTTO DORFNER (signed "Dorfner" in pencil on rear flyleaf), covers with central lozenge and triangular cornerpieces filled with blind lattice-work, and outlined by intersecting lines, raised bands, olive brown morocco label, turn-ins with geometric blind tooling, brown patterned endpapers, all edges dyed brown. In a later plain paper dust jacket and patterned paper slipcase. With attractive floral and historiated headpieces throughout. Virtually pristine--even the dust wrapper and slipcase.

This beautifully preserved binding, apparently from the binder's own estate, was executed by an artisan with the highest reputation within the German book world. The volume contains a collection of works by little-known poet Leo Guzek, comprised of original verse (mostly Romantic landscape sketches), along with translations from famous French, English, and Polish poets, including Byron, Milton, and Adam Mickiewicz. Otto Dorfner (1885-1955) taught at the School of Applied Arts in Weimar and at the Bauhaus workshop before founding his own school to teach binding. He was awarded a number of international prizes, and is particularly noted for his work with the Cranach Press. While this binding is unsigned, it is characteristic of the quality of Dorfner's craftsmanship: it was executed with the finest materials and shows highly skilled, precise tooling. The design is just as notable: the detailed latticework, enclosed within geometric frames, bears a marked resemblance to the radios of the first half of the 20th century. According to Christian Hesse Auctions, which sold this volume, it comes from Dorfner’s own estate, and it is easy to see why he might have held on to it--and kept it in its present impeccable condition..