RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES by (Guild of Women Binders) Bain, R. Nisbet - 1893

The Guild of Women-Binders was founded by Frank Karslake (who also founded The Hampstead Bindery) in 1898. It operated until 1904 as a loosely-knit federation of women binders from such groups as the Edinburgh Social Union, the Kirkby Lonsdale Handicraft Class, the Chiswick Art Workers' Guild, and Miss Bassett's Leighton Buzzard Handicraft Class for crippled girls, among others. Some of the more outstanding women binders represented by the Guild included Miss Constance Karslake, Miss Edith de Rheims, Florence de Rheims, Miss Helen Schofield, Mrs. Frances Knight, Mrs. Macdonald, Miss Lilian Overton, and Miss Edwards. The Guild, together with its counterpart, The Hampstead Bindery, published The Bookbindings of To-morrow in 1902, and held both exhibitions and sales of their bindings at Sotheby's.  This copy of the second edition of Nisbet's, Russian Fairy Tales, illustrated by C. M Gere, is bound in full Niger morocco, hand embossed with a design of oak branches and acorns, bordered with triple gilt rules.  The design is repeated on the six-paneled spine.  Gauffered green stained edges with gilt ornaments.  Marbled endleaves.  Laid-in is an advertising sheet, explaining the "Niger Binding".   This binding is signed twice, once with the Guild binder's ticket and stamp on the verso of the front free endpaper and additionally a leather label showing Chiswick Art Guild on the lower inside cover.  An exceptional example of the Guild's scarce embossed bindings. A fine copy.