Beverly of Graustark, by George Barr McCutcheon, published by Grosset & Dunlap, September 1904, with illustrations by Harrison Fisher. (The copyright is Dodd, Mead, 1904). The illustration on the front - this is one of Fisher's eariliest assignments -- is pasted into a blind-stamped panel and is signed Harrison Fisher. This is a sort of sequel to McCutcheon's hugely successful romantic melodrama, Graustark, The story of a love behind a throne, published in 1901.
There is a whole series of George Barr McCutcheon novels with illustrated
covers published by Grosset & Dunlap. Grosset & Dunlap, as well
as the other well known New York reprint publisher, AL Burt, tend to be
rather despised by book collectors generally, in much the same way and for
the same reasons as Book Club editions are today: they are rarely, if ever,
true first editions; print runs tended to be large, so that scarcity often
isn't a factor; and in many cases the materials and production are of lesser
quality. (There are notable exceptions, like AL Burt's 1918 Son of Tarzan,
which goes for $30,000 - $40,000: check the web price before you throw it
out!) It is worth noting here, though, that both these publishers produced
some very worthy illustrated covers in this roughly 1900 - 1925 period.
It isn't inconceivable that they might one day stumble into respectability.
Days Off, and other digressions, by Henry Van Dyke (1852 - 1933), pub Charles Scribner's Sons, February 1908 (first printing was October, 1907). Dark blue cloth blocked in gold, white, teal and violet. The William Morris look is very strong here. This is one of a collected works series by Scribner's and, as such, has all the hallmarks of a book "made for posterity", including the top-edge-gilt text block. It's interesting to compare it with the Kentucky Cardinal cover of almost a decade earlier though: clearly, even in such a solemnly "genteel" book, some of the frivolity of art nouveau has crept in. There are eight illustrations by Frank E Schoonover, who illustrated books, dustjackets and case bindings for Harper & Brothers in the teens and early twenties.
As for the cover artist on this book, there is no direct attribution
in the text, but the front bears the inconspicuous initials, MA, for Margaret Armstrong
(1867 - 1944), who was prolific in designing similar covers for Scribner's
(as well as Dodd, Putnam and Harper) from the 1890s through the early years
of the 20th century and has been held largely responsible for the "genteel"
look of many such made-for-posterity books in this period. Perhaps because
she inscribed her characteristic monogram on her designs, she is almost
alone among cover artists in having escaped anonymity during this golden
age of cover design. This talented woman also achieved some fame as a mystery
writer, publishing three whodunits in her waning years.
Soldiers of Fortune, by
Richard Harding Davis
(1864 - 1916), pub Grosset & Dunlap, NY, 1910. White lettering is blocked
onto a red grosgrain cloth hardcover. As in Beverly of Graustark (above),
the illustration has been "onlaid" onto a framed panel of the
cover. The illustrator is Charles
Dana Gibson (1867 - 1944) - the same Gibson whose "Gibson Girls",
so epitomized women's fashion and new-found independence (of spirit, if
not of corset-bound torso) in the 1890 - WWI era. Gibson was a prolific
and very influential illustrator of magazines (Life, Harpers, Scribners,
Collier's Weekly, Century, etc).
Mildred's Married Life, by Martha Finley (Martha Farquharson), pub AL Burt, copyright 18?? (Illegible) Dodd, Mead and 1910 by Charles B Finley. Printed in black, green and pink on a light green cloth cover. Apologies for the quality of this one. It is a very attractive, if perhaps a little too symmetrical, decoration. Both the font and the decorative foliage frame have a touch of the medieval monk about them, but the flowers are very Edwardian. No attribution to the artist of this little piece.
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