This remarkable book showcases several hundred of the most exquisite examples of decorated paper and provides a fascinating introduction to its history, traditions and techniques. Rich in ornamentation, decorated papers have been in use for centuries — as wrappers and endpapers for books, as the backing for playing cards, and even as linings for chests and cases. Yet despite the many contexts in which they can be found, they often go unnoticed. Drawing on the Olga Hirsch collection at the British Library, one of the largest and most diverse collections of decorated papers in the world, this beautifully produced anthology will both delight and inspire designers, bibliophiles and anyone with a love of pattern and decoration.
P.J.M. Marks is curator of bookbindings at the British Library, where her work includes expanding the librarys online image database of bookbindings, begun in 1996. Her previous books include The British Library Guide to Bookbinding (1998), Treasures in Focus: Decorated Papers (2007) and Beautiful Bookbindings (2011). Her most recent publication is a chapter on selected European decorated bookbindings in The Arcadian Library: Bindings and Provenance (2014).
