Kenilworth

Title: Kenilworth

Author: Scott, Walter

Publication: New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1906.

Description: Walter Scott's Elizabethan historical romance novel, in a binding attributed to Lee Thayer of Decorative Designers (unsigned). Undated, circa 1906-1912. With notes, glossary, and index. Title page printed in red, with portrait of the author. Illustrated with 18 black-and-white plates. Bound in full navy cloth over boards, stamped in gilt, green, and blue, with a thistle and rose design. 8.25 x 5.75 inches; [3], viii-xiii, 473, [1] pages, [18] leaves of plates. Mild edgewear to the binding, headband mostly detached, and old price sticker on the front free endpaper, but a structurally sound and complete copy with a clean interior. Very Good.

Emma Redington Thayer (1874-1973), who used the pseudonym Lee Thayer, was one of the principals of Decorative Designers (DD), along with founder Henry Thayer. Henry was responsible for much of the lettering work, while Lee created decorative borders and book cover designs.

Reference: Minsky, Richard. “Bright and Matte Gold.” The Art of American Book Covers blog, 25 Mar. 2010.