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Grolier Club Publications

The first publication was aptly chosen; it was a reprint of" A Decree of Starre Chamber, concerning printing, made the eleventh day of July last past. 1637." By declaring it unlawful, without special authorization, to make, buy, or keep types or presses, or to practice the trade of a printer, publisher, or bookseller, the men who were misruling England sought to render printing too full of risk to be profitable, and they hoped thus to prevent the expression of the discontent with which the people were boiling. As it is neatly put in Mr. De Vinne's vigorous and lucid preface to this reprint: "Annoyed by a little hissing of steam, they closed all the valves and outlets, but did not draw or deaden the fires which made the steam. They sat down in peace, gratified with their work, just before the explosion which destroyed them and their privileges."

This decree was issued in 1637; four years later the Court of Star Chamber was abolished; and in 1649 King Charles was beheaded. The reprinted decree is an admirable piece of bookmaking. The type is an old style great primer, with Dutch capitals for the italic letter. The paper is Dutch also, as becomes the first publication of the organized bibliophiles of the city which was once New Amsterdam. The cover is of Japanese paper, folded in the style made popular in Paris by M. Jouaust, and having imprinted on it in gold a facsimile of a book cover designed by Roger Payne.

The second publication is less interesting because the reason of its choice is not apparent. It is a reprint of Edward Fitzgerald's" Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam." It is not unlike the "Decree of Starre-Chamber" in make-up, differing chiefly in that it is on Japanese paper and adorned with head-bands printed in colors from Persian designs. The cover, also from an Oriental model, was also printed in colors. Beautiful as this book is, it is less satisfactory than its predecessor, because there was no imperative need for it. Although Oriental art in verse and decoration is profoundly suggestive, the issuing of yet another new edition of the "Rubaiyat," however worthy it may be of the noblest setting might seem rather the task of a British Burlington Fine Arts Club than of an American Grolier Club. The French Society of the Friends of Books confines its labors to the reproduction and adornment of French books, and there is no apparent wisdom in the departure of the American Grolier Club from a like rule to reprint chiefly those books of American authors which lend themselves best to appropriate decoration.