OF THE FRIENDSHIP OF AMIS AND AMILE

Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 13 March 1894. ONE OF 500 COPIES on paper (and 15 on vellum). 148 x 105 mm. (6 x 4 1/4"). 2 p.l., 67 pp.
CHARMING DARK GREEN MOROCCO ARTS & CRAFTS BINDING, GILT AND ONLAID, BY "M. E. B." (stamp-signed and dated 1903 on rear turn-in), covers with complex diapered design formed by tulip leaves and curling stems, the compartments created containing tulip blossoms or gilt dot lozenge, onlaid small purple morocco dots at intersections of leaves and stems, gilt titling at center, raised bands, spine panels with gilt tulip design, gilt lettering, gilt-ruled turn-ins with tulip cornerpieces, all edges gilt. In (original?) suede-lined black morocco slipcase. With white-vine borders of twining grape clusters and leaves on the first two pages; foliated three-line woodcut initials throughout. Printed in red and black on handmade paper in Chaucer type. Peterson A-23; Sparling, p. 157; Forman 151. For the binding: Tidcombe, Women Binders, p. 186; Collier, "Biographical Sketch of Mary Ezit Bulkley" in Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920. A CHOICE COPY, clean, fresh, and bright internally, in a sparkling, unworn binding.

In a lovely Arts & Crafts binding likely by a female--and, in any case, an obviously very skilled binder--this Medieval tale in small format, translated by Morris, is one of the most charming of Kelmscott items. The plot revolves around the devoted friendship of knights Amis and Amile, as demonstrated by the sacrifices they make for one another. Amis perjures himself to save Amile, and is cursed with leprosy for this sin. When Amile learns that Amis can be cured by bathing in the blood of Amile's children, he kills his offspring. Happily, the murdered children are restored to life in recognition of Amile's devotion to his friend. The characteristically attractive Kelmscott printing, adorned with the white-vine borders the press is famous for, is perfectly complemented by the lovely Arts & Crafts binding. The "M. E. B." who executed our binding was probably Mary Ezit Bulkley (1856-1947), who worked out of the Hillside Bindery, named for its location in Hillside, Missouri, near St. Louis. She had trained in Chicago in the late 1880s under Cobden-Sanderson's pupil Ellen Gates Starr (1859-1940), whose own bindings were of very high quality (see, for example, her Doves Bible, item #196 in our Catalogue 73). Our pupil clearly learned well from her teacher/pupil, as the present volume is extraordinarily charming as a reflection of the binder's considerable delicacy in design and precision in execution. Tidcombe tells us that, in addition to her work on books, Bulkley wrote articles on binding for the publications "The Book Lover" and "The Progressive Printer." In addition, she was a major player in the suffrage movement in Missouri. She was an active member of the St. Louis Equal Suffrage League, particularly as a writer and editor of the league's monthly publication, "Missouri Woman." Her pamphlet to women voters, "Aid to the Woman Voter in Missouri," was so well-regarded that it was adapted for general voter education after the passing of the 19th Amendment..