Most Remarkable: A Natural History

A Natural History of the Most Remarkable Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, Serpents, Reptiles and Insects by Mrs. Mary Trimmer. Abridged and improved. Particularly designed for youth in the United States, and suited to the use of schools.
Boston: Hillard, Gray & Co., 1827

collection of the University of Chicago

Spine of striped bass parchment processed by the binder. Boards covered in red buffalo-grained goatskin, sewn with matching colored thread. Titling: 23 kt gold-stamped onlays of grey goatskin. Additional foil gilding on caps. Binding based on Jen Lindsay’s “fundamental” or “simplified-simplified” binding structure: boards glued onto the flange of a separate spine piece that the cords (made by the binder) have been laced through. Ruscombe Mill endpapers.

5.75 x 4 x .75”
15 x 10 x 2 cm

Bound 2020

I channeled much of my COVID restlessness into fish shopping; processing fish parchment; searching for small, fish-themed antiquarian books; and exploring modest, conservation-friendly structures to wed these activities. I wanted to have fun with the grandiose title of this book. Most remarkable!