Last of our holiday posts: found under the tree, an out-of-series copy of this pamphlet, printed to mark the 77th birthday of bookbinder Arno Werner. His influence on the aesthetic of binding in American fine press publishing over the second half of the last century (and still into this one) cannot be overstated. As this little anecdote records, he began his apprenticeship in Germany in the 'teens. Once in America, he went on to assume the role of meister to, among many others, Gray Parrot and Sarah Creighton. Presses for which Arno executed both edition and special bindings read like a who's who of American fine presses: one could do worse than to simply build a collection that includes just one title from each of the presses he worked for. His grandson Peter continues the family business to this day.
This little pamphlet is not so grand. It's a small 8vo, single signature, beautifully and crisply printed by Carol Blinn and Harold McGrath. What a kool kristmas it's been.
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