Friday’s Snapshot from the Library

I work in Special Collections; an environment where we try and stem the tide of aging.  We work tirelessly preserving books some as old as 400 years;  going to great lengths to ensure they don’t deteriorate more than is necessary. Not me personally! We are mostly successful even when the item goes beyond repair we are now in a position to scan them so they can at least be observed as an artifact or read as a book. So while the the reader is not able to touch the book he can a make some informed judgments about it and its social surroundings.

While researching an artist who illustrated a 20th century book early this week; I discovered that all her works of art were not so easily preserved.

Helen Binyon (1904-1979) was the daughter of Lawrence. She was an artist and studied with Paul Nash and Eric Ravilious illustrating books for the Oxford University Press.  

I came across a little poetry book written by Laurence Binyon, illustrated by his daughter and published by the Golden Cockerel Press.

While I am interested Heleln Binyon’s wood engravings I was more interested in her as a marionettist.  She taught Puppetry and published the journal Puppetry Today (1966) and Professional Puppetry in England  (1973)   

Unfortunately this type of art is not so easily preserved and leaves me feeling if only I could go back in time and catch a puppet show!

Images from Brief Candles by Laurence Binyon with six engrvings by Helen Binyon published by the Cockerel Press 1938