The Works of Chekhov

The Works of Chekhov

Anton Chekhov, book's author

New York: Walter J. Black, Inc.

1929

Megan Lepak researched and wrote the event description in 2018.

For a description of the book, please click on the image of the event label/description or scroll to the bottom of the page for the section entitled "Text" for a transcription of the attached document.

Literature

SPECIAL PG3458 .A1 K583 1929b

English, book's contents
English, event description

To see this book on November 15, 2018 in the “Event Photographs” Collection, please go here [Photograph of Books] 05454 and here [Photograph of Books] IMG_0583.

Transcription of event description:

THE WORKS OF ANTON CHEKHOV | ANTON CHEKHOV | NEW YORK: WALTER J. BLACK INC. | 1929

This lovely volume is similar to Poe’s “The Raven” and “The Bells” in that it is a cover of just a piece of leather. Unlike Poe’s book, this one is decorated with a tree-calf pattern on limp ooze leather. Limp ooze is when the leather is allowed to wrap-around the textblock rather than being stiff edges to hold the textblock suspended above the shelf. Imitating labels on the spines of books in the earlier centuries, a red label is painted on the spine for the gilt title. Further gilt work is found up and down the spine in geometric shapes. The damage to the edges of this volume is caused by wear and age. Originally the cover would not have had bent marks on the top (headcap) and bottom (tailcap).

The truly appealing thing about this binding is its simplicity. The smoothness of the leather is appealing to the touch, while the design is simple enough to not overwhelm the eye. Foxing throughout the textblock is indicative of the fact that someone has read this volume.

Book / Unpublished Print Document