Full-grain binding
Dark blue marocco binding, between two centre bands a wide, nine-ribbed light brown leather band runs horizontally over the covers to the inside pages, vertical and horizontal linear surface division, emphasised by a historical volute stamp; title distributed over two binding fields; gilt head edge, hand-stitched capital, standing and inner edge gilding; mirror and flyleaf light brown silk; leather-bound slipcase covered with dark green Ingres laid paper.
About the content:
Anatole France: Les désirs de Jean Servien
With 19 lithographs by Fernand Siméon Ex. No. 158 of 1'000
La société d'édition ‘Le Livre’, Paris 1924 The French writer Anatole France (1844-1924) was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1921. This first true novel by Anatole France tells the adventures of Jean Servien from his birth to his death. He was the son of a Parisian bookbinder and lost his mother when he was still an infant.
About the artist: Kurt Dinkelacker grew up in Winterthur. He served an apprenticeship as a bookbinder and later managed his parents’ bookbinding company in Winterthur. After marrying – his wife was from Romandy –, he moved to Lausanne in 1967, where he worked as technical director at Mayer & Sutter SA. Presumably in the 1970s, he became self-employed and ran a bookbinding studio with a few employees and apprentices. The well-versed expert regularly translated texts for the trade journal Bindetechnik. In addition to that, he was active in introductory courses for assistants and examinations for the master’s certificate in the arts and crafts, and as a part-time specialist teacher.
Rumours circulated that he was an “impossible” employer, as well as himself an “obsessed” worker.
Therefore, it is not surprising that he is said to oftentimes sleep on a mattress in the workshop. He also died there.
