Compositions.
Krause, Dorothy.
[Marshfield Hills, MA: 2010]. Unique artist's book, made from hand-written knitting instruction book, belonging to Mrs. Mary E. Gibson of Gloucester, MA, so inscribed in pencil on the cover by her and dated 1907. Page size: 6-1/2 x 8-1/4 inches; 74pp. Bound by Mary McCarthy: original "Compositions" book disbound, original paper covers mounted on black over boards and resewn on three black cloth exposed tabs, housed in custom-made black cloth over boards box, with digitally printed slightly reduced in size copy of original label on front of box printed in blue and tan, box fastened with 10-inch wood crochet hook through six tan fabric loops, bottom of box lifts, tan linen pulls at each corner, to reveal seven vintage implements used in needle work in original black leather pouches. An intriguing and handsome homage to "women's work" created by an artist who has used an "altered book" format, resulting in a strong feminist statement as well as a beautiful book object. The opening page is blank, that is, no knitting instructions noted by Mrs. Gibson. However, the artist has fittingly collaged a W.R.C. purple silk Delegate badge, Concord 1901 onto this first page. The Women's Relief Corps was established to aid the Grand Army of the Republic, formed in 1866, to assist all veterans of the Civil War. The W.R.C., among other things, established homes for women nurses, helping women who volunteered their services to the U.S. during times of war, as well as creating articles of clothing, bandages, etc. for the Union soldier's homes. Also collaged over the knitting instructions are images of Harriet Beecher Stowe, Virginia Woolf, vintage envelopes, designs, the head of the Statue of Liberty surrounded by printed images of various vintage advertising rulers, women suffragists, nineteenth century hand-written ledger book page of accounts, angels, Boye's image of "Votes for Women" as well as Queen Victoria and a 1908 newspaper article featuring Carrie Chapman Catt's arguments for woman suffrage. The article, by Margaret B. Downing, closes with a paragraph on the broadening of women's sphere so that women "could earn an honest living." (Item ID: 10345)
$3,500.00
