[Fine Binding | John Grabau] The Deserted Village

Goldsmith, Oliver. The Deserted Village. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1888. Illustrated with 6 etchings by M.M. Taylor. Bound in full brown crushed morocco by John F. Grabau in 1925, front cover featuring a large inlaid blue frame, infilled with gilt vines, leaves, and small inlaid orange, red, and brown "fruits". Frame is surrounded by multiple gilt rules, with four layers of gilt gouges crossing over each other in both directions at center, accented with small green inlays. Rear cover design is nearly identical, but with less elaborate floral tooling inside the blue frame. Five raised bands to spine, with title, author, and illustrator to second, third, and fourth compartments. Inlays in blue and green with gilt gouges and leaves to remaining compartments. Gilt-ruled turn-ins with gouged design and leaves at corners. Grey endpapers, all edges gilt. Housed in a 1/4 morocco & buckram slipcase with a matching chemise, lined in felt. Some rubbing to slipcase, otherwise a gorgeous example. Ex libris blind stamp of the New England Conservatory of Music on title page and p. 47 (deaccessioned in 2021).

Grabau was a protégé of Louis H. Kinder and worked with the Roycrofters from 1902-1905. He left to found the short-lived Derome Bindery in Buffalo, and shortly thereafter, Grabau and D.J. Bunce founded The Garret Bindery, also in Buffalo. For the majority of his career, however, he bound under his own name.