W. A. Dwiggins Collection
Index 1940-1949
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.
1940
40.01 Alfred A. Knopf: Quarter Century. [Privately printed, New York].
Typography, binding, and slipcase by Dwiggins. Spine and cover labels in ivory, printed type and illustrations in blue. Green buckram over boards. Series of essays praising Alfred A. Knopf, a tribute to a quarter of a century of publishing and to raising the standards of trade book publishing.
40.05 Dwiggins, W.A. WAD to RR: A Letter About Designing Type. Harvard College Library, Cambridge.
Calligraphy, illustrations, binding, slipcase, and authored by Dwiggins. Cover and slipcase labels in ivory, printed in red and black, positioned in upper left-hand corner. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1942. Included are a prospectus, three page letter by WAD on lettering, and a review clipping. This brochure is a hand-written letter from Dwiggins to Rudulph Ruzicka, a distinguished American designer and book illustrator, on the subject of type design. Dwiggins wrote to Dorothy Abbe about this book: "Singular book - all about making type, and yet there isn't a bit of type used in making it".
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection]: Second copy cataloged as SPEC COLL Z250.A3D85 folio Third copy cataloged as SPEC COLL Z250.A3D85 1940b folio
40.06 Lindsay, Howard and Crouse, Russel. Life with Father Made into a Play. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and cover by Dwiggins. Purple cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine, which includes illustrations, hand lettering, and type. Borzoi Books.
40.09 Richter, Conrad. The Trees. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and cover by Dwiggins. Binding was adapted from Dwiggins' design from Conrad Richter's The Sea of Grass. Blue cloth over boards with hand-lettering in red and illustrations in purple stamped on cover and spine. Borzoi Books.
[40.12] Nathan, Robert. A Winter Tale: Sonnets and Poems. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding are based on designs by Dwiggins. Navy blue cloth over boards with illustrations, type, and hand-lettering stamped in gold on cover and spine. Borzoi Books.
[40.13] Ruzicka, Rudolph. Fairfield; new linotype face designed by Ruzicka. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Mergenthaler Linotype Co., 1940.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection] Essay by Dwiggins on the work of Ruzicka, including the introduction of Ruzicka's new typeface, Fairfield. Borzoi Books. Cataloged as SPEC COLL Z250.R96
1941
41.02 Benson, Stella. The Far-Away Bride. The Press of the Readers Club, New York. [2 copies]
Typography, binding, title page, and dust jacket by Dwiggins. Orange cloth over boards, stamped in gray on spine and cover. Typeface is Electra, designed by Dwiggins. Dwiggins designed this book for members of The Readers Club.
41.07 Dwiggins, W.A. A Technique for Dealing with Artists. Press of the Woolly Whale, New York. [2 copies]
Typography, illustrations, decorations, binding, and authored by Dwiggins. Two copies sewn without covers. Printed in black and maroon, saddle sewn, with self cover. Set in Dwiggins' Electra type in special cursive italic. Dwiggins undertakes to "provide the clue" for how merchants-manufacturers can work with artists by better understanding their mental processes. 954 copies printed.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection]: Third copy cataloged as SPEC COLL N71.D9
41.17 Phillips, John. The Bomb That Wouldn't Go and Other Fables from Moronia. Bruce Humphries, Inc., Boston.
Typography, illustrations, binding, and dust jacket by Dwiggins. Pink decorated paper over boards; yellow cloth spine stamped in black with author's hyphenated name in typical Dwiggins' liberal fashion. Dwiggins' Caledonia typeface used. Playful series of twenty-one fables satirizing the role of machines in society at that time. Dwiggins caught the foolishness of these tales in humorous illustrations. Dwiggins was fascinated by machines, optimistic about their use until World War II, when his views were overshadowed by the use of machines in this war.
41.18 Plutarch. 8 volumes boxed. The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans. The Limited Editions Club, New York.
Typography, decorations, and binding by Dwiggins. Copy no. 1,448 of 1,599 signed by WAD. Blue cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine. Sixth of nine LEC Books designed by Dwiggins. Beautiful multi-colored illustrations on double title page spreads in all volumes. Heading printed in black with two colors, different for each volume. Side notes designed by WAD. Dwiggins wrote to Dorothy Abbe that the "2 color heads should have been more brilliant".
[41.26] Percy, William Alexander. Lanterns on the Levee. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Title page and binding based on designs by Dwiggins. Caledonia typeface used, also designed by WAD. Navy blue cloth over boards, spine stamped in gold with distinctive lettering and stencils by WAD. Borzoi Books.
1942
42.08 Nathan, Robert. The Sea-Gull Cry. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. [2 copies]
Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Agner notes that there is "interesting…pictorial stamping on cover, and type ornament 'picture' in title page". Chartreuse cloth over boards, stamped in blue on spine and cover. Borzoi Books. Set in Dwiggins' Electra type.
[Note: second copy not a part of the PGE Collection]
1943
43.08 Hunter, Dard. Papermaking: The History and Technique of an Ancient Craft. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Set in Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Green cloth over boards, stamped in blue on spine and cover. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1944. Borzoi Books. Still in print today (without Dwiggins' designs); quintessential text on papermaking.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection] Second edition, revised and enlarged, printed from new plates, 1947. Borzoi Books. Spec Coll Ref TS 1090.H816 1947
43.16 Nathan, Robert. But Gently Day. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Green cloth over boards, stamped in dark blue on spine and cover. Borzoi Books. Set in Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins.
43.21 Richter, Conrad. The Free Man. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection] Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Beige cloth over boards, stamped in brown on spine and cover. Borzoi Books. In General Collection: PZ3.R147Fr.
1944
44.08 Donath, Stanley. The Lord is a Man of War. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection - Gift of Nina S. Faye] Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Magenta cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine. Wonderful blind stamped illustration on cover. Borzoi Books. Type set in Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins.
44.13 Harcourt-Smith, Simon. Cardinal of Spain: The Life and Strange Career of Alberoni. 1st American ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, dust jacket, and binding by Dwiggins. Rust cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine and cover. Dust jacket explains paper shortages during WWII and its impact on publishing Knopf books.
44.14 Hersey, John. Bell for Adano. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, dust jacket, and binding by Dwiggins. Set in Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Yellow cloth over boards, stamped in red on spine and cover. There is a distinctive Dwiggins design of a bell on spine done in stencil. Borzoi Books.
44.16 Hinkson, Pamela. 1st American ed. Golden Rose. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection - Gift of Nina S. Faye] Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Green cloth over boards stamped in gold on cover and spine. Borzoi Books.
44.19 Literature in American Education. Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection - Gift of Nina S. Faye] Design and drawings by Dwiggins. Brochure in a yellow wrapper. Framed illustrations in black and white.
44.23 Sypherd, Wilbur Owen. The Book of Books. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, decorations, illustrations, binding, and dust jacket by Dwiggins. Blue cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine and cover, with lovely illustration of flower on cover. Set in Caledonia, a type designed by Dwiggins. Beautiful three-color title pages in black, red, and blue; book done in two column format with pictorial initial letters. Maps also designed by Dwiggins. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1945. Borzoi Books. A wonderful example of typographical layout. Dwiggins stated that the work went "pretty fast - one a day - on this job" (meaning the illustrations).
1945
45.06 Dwiggins, W.A. Millennium 1. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, illustrations, binding, dust jacket, and authored by Dwiggins. Set in Electra, a type designed by Dwiggins. Light gray-blue cloth over boards, stamped in brown on spine and cover. Borzoi Books, first printing, one of 1,750 copies. Illustrations, printed in blue, grouped at the front of the book, as noted by Agner. This is a play about man pitted against machine, which Dwiggins also created four marionettes depicting various characters (although he did not show the play with them). Alfred Knopf published this books to please Dwiggins, for his special efforts make during WWII.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection] Second copy cataloged as SPEC COLL PS3507.W5M5
[45.27] Mansfield, Katherine. The Short Stories of Katherine Mansfield. Alfred A Knopf, New York.
Decorations, bindings, and overall design by Dwiggins. Light blue cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine. Borzoi Books. Dust jacket in fragile condition, shows Dwiggins illustrations and decorations in gold on ecru background.
[45.28] Allen, John Edward. Bull Dogs and Morning Gloves. Mergenthaler Linotype Co., Brooklyn.
Decorations designed by Dwiggins for Linotype from the Caravan Series. These are eight designs in various colors of abstract florets. Shown at the beginning of the verses, enlarged and printed from line engravings. Decorated cover page in light orange with red decorations.
[45.29] Dwiggins, W.A. The Structure of a Book. Typophile Monograph XV. Text originally written in 1927 See [27.06].
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection] Decorations, typography and authored by Dwiggins. Set in Caledonia, Electra, and Metro, all designed by Dwiggins. Reprint of essay by Dwiggins, published in 1927 as an introduction to Fifty Books…, 1926 (see [27.06]) with minor revisions by the Typophiles. Title page decoration in gold and rust; green wrapper stapled to pages. Wonderful essay from a master of book design, not at all dated. Cataloged as SPEC COLL Z116.A2D954
1946
46.04 Booth, Edward Townsend. God Made the Country. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, decorations, and binding by Dwiggins. Light brown cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine and cover. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Agner notes that the "pen and ink chapter decorations resemble woodcuts". The illustrations, or vignettes, are delightful. Borzoi Books.
46.07 Hergesheimer, Joseph. Java Head. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, decorations, binding, and dust jacket by Dwiggins. Red-orange cloth over boards with decorations, hand-lettering, and typeface stamped in gold on spine and cover. Dust jacket is in pale green, with illustration done in dark blue on cover. Agner notes "excellent two-color ornaments adapted from Jean Pillement", shown on a full page for each chapter. Borzoi Books. This was a special job for Alfred Knopf. Dwiggins called the jacket a "ginger jar". One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1947.
46.08 Laxness, Halldor. Independent People: An Epic. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. [2 copies]
Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Dark blue cloth over boards, decorations and typeface stamped in gold on spine and cover. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Borzoi Books.
[Note: second copy not a part of the PGE Collection - gift of Nina S. Faye]
46.09 Mathers, Powys [trans]. Love Songs of Asia. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, decorations, and binding by Dwiggins. Grey-green cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine and cover. Lovely illustration on cover. Typeface is Electra, designed by Dwiggins. Dwiggins designed the ornaments with "a new feeling", although he was not happy with the manufacture of the book and the effect on them. Borzoi Books.
1947
47.04 Dwiggins, W.A. Mss. by WAD. The Typophiles, New York. Typophile Chapbooks no. XVII. [2 copies]
Typography, illustrations, decorations, binding, and authored by Dwiggins. Copy in PGE collection has a white jacket with hand lettering by WAD:MSS by WAD No. 17. Second copy does not have cover, but does have a Dwiggins bookplate. Described on title page as "being a collection of the writings of Dwiggins on various subjects….Some critical, some philosophical, some whimsical". Good source form essays and excerpts by Dwiggins if original writings cannot be located. Blue cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine and cover.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection]: Second copy cataloged as SPEC COLL Z1005.D85
47.08 The History of Susanna. Archway Press, New York.
Calligraphy, ornaments, illustrations, binding, and slipcase by Dwiggins. Turquoise frame of decorations surrounds each hand-lettered page, illustrations, and other decorations. Illustrations are in pen and ink. Gray cloth over boards, stamped in green on spine and cover.
47.10 The Side of the Angels. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection]: Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Linotype Baskerville. Printed and bound by the Plimpton Press. Green cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine and cover. Borzoi Books.
47.13 Nathan, Robert. 1st ed. Mr. Whittle and the Morning Star. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Gray cloth over boards, stamped in blue on spine and cover. Title broken by WAD in his typical style: Mr Whit - Tle and the Morn - ing Star. Borzoi Books.
1948
48.03 [Dwiggins, W.A.]. The War Against Waak. Püterschein-Hingham, Hingham, Mass.
Illustrations, binding, and authored by Dwiggins. 194 copies printed and bound by Dorothy Abbe. Typography designed by Abbe. Might be the first published work of the Püterschein-Hingham Press, which began a ten-year association between the WAD and Abbe. Includes a prospectus. Twelve designs by WAD - five pen and ink and seven silk-screened directly from Dwiggins colored stencils. This short story is in typical Dwiggins irreverent style with a more serious undertone - a plea for peace which "should be sent to Stalin".
48.04 Gibbons, Robert. The Patchwork Time. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection] Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Typeface is Electra, designed by Dwiggins. Gray cloth over boards, stamped in dark rose on spine and cover. Very distinct stenciled Dwiggins decorations on spine. Borzoi Books.
48.09 Monsarrat, Nicholas. Depends What You Mean Love. 1st American ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Green cloth over boards, stamped in blue on spine and cover. Decoration by Dwiggins also on spine. Borzoi Books.
48.12 Swift, Jonathan. Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World of Lemuel Gulliver. The Peter Pauper Press, Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Typography, illustrations, decorations, binding, and slipcase by Dwiggins. Typeface is Electra, designed by Dwiggins. Decorated gray paper pasted over boards. Blue cloth stamped in gold on spine. Large decorated initials within text in magenta and full-page pen and ink drawings tinted in green. There are also magenta decorations throughout text. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1949.
[48.13] Benton, Walter. Never a Greater Need. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, title page, and binding based on designs by Dwiggins. Title page printed in blue and black, with stenciled illustration in blue, surrounded by black pen and ink drawings. Pink cloth over boards, stamped in blue. Borzoi Books.
[48.14] Cather, Willa. The Old Beauty and Others. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. [2 copies]
Typography, binding, and dust jacket based on designs by Dwiggins. Dust jacket design is the same design used for Not Under Forty (see 36.01. Typeface is Electra, designed by Dwiggins. Borzoi Books.
[48.15] Dwiggins, W.A. Layout in Advertising. rev. ed. Harper & Brothers, New York. [3 copies]
Revised edition of earlier work (see 28.02), which reflects changes in technology, not his principles. Binding is black cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine. Both copies in PGE collection have dust jackets; decoration on jacket and spine are based on original designs by Dwiggins.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection]: Third copy cataloged as SPEC COLL HF5825.D87
1949
49.04 Eckhardt, Hans von. Ivan the Terrible. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, decorations, and binding by Dwiggins. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Red cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine and cover, including stenciled decorations by Dwiggins. Borzoi Books.
49.06 Knopf, Alfred. Some Random Recollections. (Typophiles Chapbook XXII). The Typophiles, New York. [2 copies]
Typography, decorations, and binding by Dwiggins. Typeface is Arcadia, designed by Dwiggins; first book set in this type. Wonderful designs of Borzoi dog at the end, many by WAD. Two of 1,250 copies printed and bound by Plimpton Press. This is a transcription of an informal talk at The Grolier Club on October 21, 1948, about Knopf's publishing experiences. Included is a discussion of his relationship over the years with Dwiggins. Of the two copies, one copy contains the originals mailing envelope. Red cloth over boards, type stamped in gold on spine and cover.
[49.15] Winslow, Ann Goodwin. It Was Like This. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Binding design by Dwiggins. Green decorated paper over boards; illustration in purple on cover; type in purple on spine. Borzoi Books.
[49.16] Cather, Willa. On Writing. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, decorations, and binding based on designs by Dwiggins. Green cloth over boards, stamped in black on spine and cover. Typeface is Electra, designed by Dwiggins. Borzoi Books.
