W. A. Dwiggins Collection

Index 1902-1939

This bibliography/inventory makes use of the numbering system devised by Dwight Agner in The Books of WAD so that numbers appearing next to the items below correspond to those in Agner. The Agner bibliography includes work through 1956. Those numbers which are bracketed are not found in Agner, but use the same system by simply adding a new number to the two digit year.

02.01 Ostrander, Fannie E. The Gift of the Magic Staff: Paul's Adventures in Two Wonderlands. Fleming H. Revell Co., Chicago.

This is the first illustrated book by "Will" Dwiggins, when he was living in Chicago, possibly still in art school. He also illustrated the binding. An important part of the collection, this book has been described as "the keystone of any Dwiggins collection and very hard to find".

1914

14.01 Nicholson, Meredith. The Poet. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.

Dwiggins illustrated the title page, chapter pages, and running heads in brown pen and ink drawings. Floral decorations frame the running heads.

1919

19.02 Society of Calligraphers. Extracts from an Investigation into the Physical Properties of Books as They Are At Present Published. The Society of Calligraphers, Boston. [2 copies]

Pamphlet designed and authored by Dwiggins with the "help" of Hermann Püterschein, Dwiggins alter-ego, and his cousin L.B. Sigfried as an expression of his interest in the format of books and concern for the poor methods of printing trade books. Published by the imaginary Society of Calligraphers, the stinging Investigation was a hoax that nevertheless did shake up those in the publishing field following its wide distribution. As a result, though it took years, there was a vast improvement in American trade book publishing by the 1930s. One copy is an original with a brown wrapper hand-sewn into the pages and the second is a 1968 imprint from the Meriden Gravure Company.

1926

26.03 MacLeish, Archibald. Nobodaddy: A Play. Dunster House, Cambridge, Mass.

One of three books designed by Dwiggins in 1926. He designed the title page, cover, small type and type page. This book was named as one of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1927.

[26.05] Nusbaum, Deric. Deric in Mesa Verde. G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York.

Dwiggins designed head and tail-pieces, as well as other ornaments. Not acknowledged in the book.

1927

[27.06] American Institute of Graphic Arts. ...Fifty Books, exhibited by the Institute, 1926. New York: Day, 1927.

[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection] Dwiggins wrote the introduction, "Notes on the Structure of a Book", cataloged as SPEC COLL Z121.A51F2 folio (in general special collections).

1928

28.01 Cabell, James Branch. Ballades from the Hidden Way. Crosby Gaige, New York.

Typography, decorations, and binding by Dwiggins. Copy no. 21 of 831 printed on Vidalon paper by William Edwin Rudge. There is red floral framing on each two-page spread; Dwiggins later commented he would not have done this again.

28.02 Dwiggins, W.A. Layout in Advertising. Harper & Brothers, New York.

Typography, illustrations, binding, and jacket done by Dwiggins. There are numerous half and full-page marginal illustrations, which includes many fine examples of Dwiggins work. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1929. This book was revised in 1948, which is also in the collection (see [48.15], two copies).

28.03 [Dwiggins, W.A.] Püterschein, Hermann, pseud. Paraphs. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography, ornaments, binding and slipcase by Dwiggins. Published and authored by Dwiggins under the pseudonym "Hermann Püterschein", this was the first stenciled book by Dwiggins, a technique he would use so often in book design and that so highly characterized his work. This book was named on of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1929. Copy no. 371 of 540 printed on Aurelian laid paper by the Plimpton Press, signed by Püterschein.

[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection]: Second copy cataloged as SPEC COLL PN6141.P84

28.12 Waldman, Milton. America Conquers Death. William Edwin Rudge, New York. [2 copies]

Typography and decorations by Dwiggins, including a four color title page in green, blue, and red with a black stenciled ornament. Copies of this book are scarce. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1929.

28.13 Walton, Izaak. The Complete Angler, or the Contemplative Man's Recreation. C.E. Goodspeed & Co., Boston.

Decorations and binding by Dwiggins. 600 copies printed by D.B. Updike, The Merrymount Press, Boston, April, 1928. Head-piece illustrations or what Dwiggins called vignettes, are stipple style with color tints.

1929

29.02 Dwiggins, W.A. 22 Printers' Marks and Seals Designed or Redrawn. William Edwin Rudge, New York. [2 copies]

Typography, illustrations, and binding by Dwiggins. Illustrations are in black and red; hand lettering throughout. Wonderful examples of WAD designs. Copy numbers 99 and 292 of 350 printed by Rudge. Both copies signed by Dwiggins.

29.07 Stevenson, Robert Louis. Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Random House, New York.

Typography, illustrations, binding, and slip case by Dwiggins. Illustrations printed on colored paper, as well as full page illustrations with red borders. Hand lettering display on title page, spine, and slip cover. Copy no. 393 of 1,200 printed on Strathmore charcoal paper by Pynson Printers, signed by Dwiggins. Included is a facsimile of an original leaf from the manuscript, handwritten by author. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1930. WAD said to Dorothy Abbe about this book that he "succeeded in making the kind of book I imagined".

1930

30.01 Daudet, Alphonse. Tartarin of Tarascon. 2 vols. The Limited Editions Club, New York.

Typography, illustrations, binding, and slipcase by Dwiggins. This is the ninth LEC book, and the first of nine LEC books designed by Dwiggins. Dwiggins called the text, as translated by Le Clercq, "a gorgeous job….I am very much stimulated!". Copy no. 498 of 1,500 printed on Praga handmade paper by the Georgian Press.

30.03 Dwiggins, W.A. Form Letters: Illustrator to Author. William Edwin Rudge, New York. [2 copies]

Typography, decorations and binding by Dwiggins. This book contains a series of three form letters from illustrator to author which endeavor, with Dwiggins' subtle wit, to describe "the proper function of illustration and the relation between pictures and text". Copy no. 168 and an unnumbered copy of 250 printed on Worthy Dacian paper by Rudge, both signed by Dwiggins.

30.04 Hollister, Paul [ed]. American Alphabets. 1st ed. Harper & Brothers, New York. [2 copies]

Cover, dust-wrapper, back-bone, and the title page by Dwiggins. Includes alphabets drawn or designed by Dwiggins. One copy has dust jacket; both are first editions.

30.09 Poe, Edgar Allan. Tales. The Lakeside Press, Chicago.

Typography, decorations, illustrations, binding, and slipcase (not included with this book) by Dwiggins. He said to Dorothy Abbe that "this was the first chance I had to design a book without one eye on the market". One of the books in "The Four American Books" campaign initiated by R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company in 1925. These books were the result of an effort to improve American book production standards by demonstrating that large scale machinery could produce books that gave the impression they were printed by a hand press. One of 1,000 copies printed on A.W. Rag paper by R.R. Donnelley & Sons.

30.10 Rose, R. Selden. Wine Making for the Amateur. The Bacchus Club, New York.

Illustrations by Dwiggins. Typography by C.P. Rollins. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1931. Copy no. 93 of 515 printed by Rollins.

[30.13] Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. Press of the Woolly Whale, New York.

Dwiggins designed and drew the illustrations on the title page and five initial letters within, all printed in red. Ornaments stamped in gold on spine also designed by Dwiggins. Copy no. 200 of 200 printed for private distribution.

1931

31.03 Hausmann, Manfred. Salute to Heaven. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Binding by Dwiggins. Missing from the collection.

31.07 Wells, H.G. The Time Machine. Random House, New York. [2 copies] with a preface by the author written for this edition.

Typography, illustrations, and binding by Dwiggins. The illustration are beautiful examples of Dwiggins' stencil style, in varying colors. The double title page spread in blue, gold, and purple is especially memorable, as are the other double-page illustrations. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1932. Copy no. 1145 of 1,200 printed at the Abbey Press. The second copy is a variant edition, unnumbered, reset and printed on Hamilton Andorra. Dwiggins wrote to Dorothy Abbe about the book: "This was a grand chance to take a dive into the future".

1932

32.01 Balzac, Honore. Droll Stories. The Limited Editions Club, New York. (3 vols.)

Typography, decorations, bindings, and slipcase by Dwiggins. One of his best works. There are different color binding papers for each volume in yellow, green, and orange, respectively. The second of nine Limited Editions books designed by Dwiggins. One the AIGA Fifty Books, 1933. Copy no. 1347 of 1,500 printed on Worthy paper by the Southworth Press.

32.02 Dwiggins, W.A. Towards a Reform of the Paper Currency, Particularly in Point of its Design. The Limited Editions Club, New York.

Typography, illustrations, binding, and authored by Dwiggins. by Dwiggins. Copy no. 107 of 452 printed on Zerkall paper by Peter Bielenson at the Walpole Printing Office. This was the third of nine Limited Editions books designed by Dwiggins. This book is the quintessential expression of his esthetic philosophy of design and illustration. The illustrations are specimens of currency and stamps designed by Dwiggins from the "invented" county of Antipodes. It was an unusual LEC edition in that it was printed "at cost", as indicated by the subscription letter and prospectus included with the book.

[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection]: Second copy cataloged as SPEC COLL HG591.D8

[32.04] Contemporary Title Pages. Mergenthaler Linotype Co., Brooklyn.

Selection of 99 title pages from outstanding books composed on the Linotype, including three title pages designed by Dwiggins. These are: Treatise on the Gods, Tales, and Beau Brummell (which was one of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1931). Introductory note by Dwiggins.

[32.05] Applegate, Frank G. Native Tales of New Mexico. J.P. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia.

Decoration on spine, cover, and dust jacket by Dwiggins. He also designed the head-pieces within; not acknowledged in book.

1933

33.03 The Travels of Marco Polo. The Printing House of Leo Hart, Rochester, New York.

Typography, illustrations, binding, and slipcase by Dwiggins. Most notable is the title page in red and black, head-pieces, and marginal notes designed by Dwiggins. Beautiful double page spread multi-colored illustrations for the four books, or sections. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1934.

[33.05] Frost, Robert. The Lone Striker. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. Number 8 of the Borzoi Chap Books.

Illustrations in stipple design by Dwiggins on cover and title page. Number eight of the Borzoi Chap Books, printed at the Plimpton Press. Single poem, 8 pages, unnumbered.

1935

35.01 Benet, William Rose. A Bakers' Dozen of Emblems ... and Electra. Mergenthaler Linotype Co., Brooklyn. [4 copies]

Typography, illustrations and binding by Dwiggins. The illustrations, printed in color, each accompanied by a verse by Benet. Included are comments by WAD on the design of his new typeface, Electra. Three copies in cloth, one with red cover over boards.

[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection]: Fifth copy cataloged as SPEC COLL Z250.D91

35.03 The Colophon, New Series. vol. 1 no. 1. Pynson Printers, New York.

Typography, illustrations, ornaments, and head-pieces by Dwiggins, who was also a contributing editor to this series. Wonderful colophon written by Dwiggins: "The Colophon…finished in July, Mcmxxxv - at sunset - on a hot day…." This series of the Colophon was published in three volumes (twelve numbers) from 1935 to 1938. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1938 (Vol. II, No. 3). Dwiggins' Electra typeface was primarily used.

35.07 Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. The Heritage Press, New York.

Designed and illustrated by Dwiggins, and signed by him beneath the frontpiece. Full-page illustrations outlined with designs in various colors.

35.08 Nathan, Robert. One More Spring. Overbrook Press, Stamford, Connecticut.

Typography, illustrations, binding, cover paper, and slipcase by Dwiggins. Agner comments on the "excellent stencil illustrations". The illustrations are used on the title page, as head pieces for each of 17 chapters, and on the colophon. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1936. WAD inscribed to Dorothy Abbe: "I like it!" in a copy for her.

1936

36.01 Cather, Willa. Not Under Forty. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography, binding and jacket by Dwiggins. The "body matter" and the page numbers were set in Dwiggins' new type, Electra. Dwiggins wrote in a Designer's Note that he designed the type and layout of the book to provide a hand-written quality to the pages and to make it more readable. Beautiful dust jacket design in orange, pink, teal, and red. Borzoi Book.

36.02 Dreier, Thomas. The Power of Print-And Men. Mergenthaler Linotype Co., Brooklyn.

Typography, decorations, and binding by Dwiggins. Colophon is signed by Dwiggins. Written to commemorate the fifty years of Linotype's contribution to printing and publishing. Text is in Electra, designed by him.

36.08 Nathan, Robert. The Enchanted Voyage. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography, title page, and binding by Dwiggins. Third printing, September, 1936. Dwiggins is acknowledged as designer in colophon. Borzoi Book.

36.09 Peter Piper's Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation. Mergenthaler Linotype Co., Brooklyn.

This book was the 54th keepsake for the AIGA members. Conceived by Paul A. Bennett of the Mergenthaler Linotype Company, this books includes the product of the talents of 41 designers, illustrators,, typographers, and printers. Three AIGA medalists are represented: Dwiggins, Bruce Rogers, and Carl Purington Rollins. There is a section for each letter of the alphabet, and Dwiggins contributed the "D" section called Davy Dolldrum. Most designs in black and red. Dwiggins also designed the illustration on the binding.

36.10 Rabelais, Francois. Gargantua and Pantagruel: The Five Books. 5 v. boxed set. The Limited Editions Club, New York.

Typography, illustrations, binding, and slipcase by Dwiggins. Illustrations are in multiple colors, done using stencils. Spine labels on each of the five volumes form a continuous illustration. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1937. This set is the fifth of nine LEC units designed by Dwiggins. Copy no. 667 of 1,500 printed on Worthy paper by the Southworth-Anthoensen Press, signed by Dwiggins.

36.11 Richter, Conrad. Early Americana and Other Stories. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography, binding, and dust jacket by Dwiggins. Illustrations on dust jacket and spine done possibly in stencil. Borzoi Book.

36.14 Undsted, Sigrid. Gunnar's Daughter. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography, title page decorations and illustrations, and binding by Dwiggins. Third printing. Distinctive calligraphy by Dwiggins on title page and spine. One of the AIFA Fifty Books, 1937. Borzoi Book.

36.15 Van Doren, Carl [ed]. The Borzoi Reader. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection - Gift of Nina S. Faye]: Typography, binding, and dust jacket by Dwiggins. Agner remarks about the title page done in red and black: "very well done". The books is set in Dwiggins' Electra typeface. Dwiggins wanted to, as stated in the colophon, organize the diverse material (essays, short stories, plays, poetry, etc.) so that it would flow and "to have the pages radiate…the festival color of the occasion".

36.16 Wells, H.G. The Treasure in the Forest. Press of the Woolly Whale, New York.

Typography, illustrations, decorations, and binding by Dwiggins. One of 130 copies printed on handmade paper by the Press of the Woolly Whale. Six illustrations in the book were stencils done in multiple brilliant colors by Dwiggins, under the direction of Mwano Masassi (Dwiggins pseudonym), who also arranged the design of the type and ornaments. The colors were determined and mixed by Dr. Hermann Püterschein (another Dwiggins pseudonym). All three signed the colophon, among others. (See also File Box No. 1 for an advertisement and a letter about this book.) It was three years in the making. Each illustration is in pochoir or stencil, which required extensive hand color work, limiting the edition.

1937

37.11 Richter, Conrad. The Sea of Grass. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography, binding, and dust jacket by Dwiggins. Borzoi Book.

37.12 Undstet, Sigrid. The Faithful Wife. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography, decorations, and binding by Dwiggins. First American edition. Dwiggins, in the colophon, states that "the text must be left absolutely free and unhindered" and the art work should "lubricate the text, not come between the text and the reader". His designs are carefully chosen to do this. Borzoi Book.

37.13 WAD: The Work of W.A. Dwiggins. The American Institute of Graphic Arts, New York. [2 copies]

Ornaments and binding by Dwiggins. Booklet of the exhibition of the work of WAD shown by the AIGA in 1937, to make the talents "of a great living artist" more widely known. 259 of his work were shown. Wonderful examples of Dwiggins designs.

[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection]: Second copy cataloged as SPEC COLL Z276.A49

[37.15] Zola, Emile. Germinal. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Binding design by Dwiggins. Tan cloth over boards with red design on cover and spine. Borzoi Books.

[37.16] Linotype Decorative Material. Mergenthaler Linotype Co., Brooklyn.

Comprehensive description of Linotype decorative materials. Some designed by Dwiggins, not labeled or acknowledged.

1938

38.06 Kracauer, Siegfried. Orpheus in Paris: Offenbach and the Paris of His Time. 1st American ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Gray cloth over boards, stamped in blue and green on spine and cover with decorations in green. Borzoi Books.

38.12 Nathan, Robert. Winter in April. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Full-page illustration following dedication page, done in black. Gray cloth over boards, decorated in dark blue and white on spine and cover. Borzoi Books.

[38.17] Sillanpaa, F.E. Meek Heritage. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography and designs on title page and chapter headings by Dwiggins. First American edition. Tan cloth over boards with brown decorations on spine and cover. Borzoi Books.

1939

39.02 Dwiggins, W.A. Caledonia: A New Printing Type Designed for Mergenthaler Linotype Company by W.A. Dwiggins. Mergenthaler Linotype Co., Brooklyn. [5 copies]

Typography and designs by Dwiggins. Three copies have pink wrapper and one bound in blue paper over boards (fifth copy is missing?). "Interesting text", as noted by Agner. Introduces Dwiggins Linotype Caledonia type, perhaps his best known, still widely used today. Includes a note by Dwiggins on the development of the type and a letter by Dr. Hermann Püterschein (Dwiggins pseudonym) on the designer.

39.03 Dwiggins, W.A. Marionette in Motion. Puppetry Imprints, Detroit.

Calligraphy, illustrations, and dust jacket by Dwiggins. Handlettered throughout, with light rules box on all pages, including blanks. One of AIGA Fifty Books, 1940. Dwiggins began to construct marionettes in 1930, which became another creative outlet for him. His amazing and beautiful marionettes were characterized in plays he directed in part of his studio in Hingham. By 1939, he devised a "far more refined method of construction" as presented in this book (as noted by Abbe). His diagrams are on the left and the hand-lettered text on the right except in the addendum where illustrations are on both the left and right pages. He continued to create marionettes until 1942.

39.04 Ernst, Margaret S. and James Thurber [illustrator]. In A Word. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Beige cloth over boards, green and blue illustrations stamped on cover and spine. Agner notes that "open type page goes well with [Thurber's] light drawings". Borzoi Books.

39.06 Ingram, Rex. Mars in the House of Death. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Typography, binding, and dust jacket by Dwiggins. Red cloth over boards with stamped illustrations, type and lettering in black on cover and binding. Borzoi Books. [Glossary is missing]. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins.

39.07 Mare, Walter de la. Behold, This Dreamer! Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Binding design by Dwiggins. Gray cloth over boards; illustrations, lettering, and type stamped in red and lavender on spine and cover. Borzoi Books. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins.

[39.09] Walker, Franklin. San Francisco's Literary Frontier. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Dust jacket designed by Dwiggins (not acknowledged). Hand lettering, type, and illustrations in black and red on light tan background. Borzoi Books.

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