W. A. Dwiggins Collection
Index 1950-1987
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.
1950
50.01 Chew, Samuel C. [ed]. Fruit Among the Leaves. Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., New York.
Typography, binding, and slip case by Dwiggins. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Green cloth over boards, stamped in black and gold on spine. Illustration in gold on spine.
50.03 Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan. 8 vols. vols. I,II,III. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The Limited Editions Club, New York.
Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Copy no. 679 of 1,500 printed by the Walpole Printing Office. Adventures is the first three volume set in this series; there are five other volumes: Later Adventures (V. I-III, 1951) and Final Adventures (V. I-II, 1952). The eighth of nine LEC units designed by Dwiggins. Brown decorated paper over boards; black cloth spine stamped in gold. Black cameo portrait of Holmes inlaid on covers.
50.04 [Dwiggins, W.A.] The Glistening Hill. Püterschein-Hingham, Hingham, Mass.
Illustrations and binding by Dwiggins. Another collaboration between Dorothy Abbe, who printed and bound the book, and Dwiggins. Dark pink wrapper over boards with pasted silver label printed in red that wraps around the spine and front cover. Handset in Winchester, a typeface designed by Dwiggins. Wonderful pen and ink drawings in black and white and various colors. In original mailing box with mailing label addressed by Dwiggins with presentation stencil on fly leaf of the Press of the Little Red Hen.
50.07 Hersey, John. The Wall. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Typeface is Electra, designed by Dwiggins. Green cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine. Blind stamp illustration by Dwiggins on cover. Borzoi Books.
50.09 Kneale, Nigel. 1st American ed. Tomato Cain and Other Stories. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, designs, and binding by Dwiggins. Yellow-green cloth over boards. Stamped in black with lavender designs on spine and cover. Borzoi Books.
[50.20] Richter, Conrad. 1st ed. The Town. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, decorations, and binding based on designs by Dwiggins. Third in a trilogy. Red cloth over boards, stamped in dark blue and gray on spine and cover. Dwiggins also did designs for the first and second books in the Richter trilogy, The Trees (see 40.09) and The Fields (46.14 - not in collection). He wanted to develop a style for the Richter books. Borzoi Books.
1951
51.05 Ernst, Margaret S. More About Words. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, illustrations, and binding by Dwiggins. Typeface is Electra, designed by Dwiggins. Salmon cloth over boards, stamped in black and red on spine, black on cover. Delightful monoline illustrations for each word. One of the AIGA Fifty Books, 1952. Dwiggins described this book to Dorothy Abbe as "pure fun. A glass pen riot". Borzoi Books.
51.08 Keats, John. To Autumn. Püterschein-Hingham, Hingham, Mass.
Calligraphy, title page drawing, and binding by Dwiggins. Hand lettered throughout. Another collaboration with Dorothy Abbe; printed form a photoengraving by her. Sewn with yellow string into a green wrapper printed in yellow.
[51.17] Nathan, Robert. The Innocent Eve. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding based on designs by Dwiggins. Purple decorated paper over boards; ivory label pasted on spine printed in black. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Borzoi Books.
[51.18] Laurence, William L. The Hell Bomb. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography by Dwiggins. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Binding design by Dwiggins (not acknowledged). Orange cloth over boards, stamped in purple on spine and cover. Cover designs depicts Dwiggins' concerns about the hydrogen bomb, showing a bomb exploding over a city where buildings are toppling. Borzoi Books.
[51.19] Coppard, A.E. The Collected Tales of A.E. Coppard. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection - gift of Nina S. Faye]
Based on original designs by Dwiggins. Green cloth over boards; stamped in gold on spine. Dwiggins' designs are on the cover. Borzoi Books.
1952
52.08 Hewlett, Dorothy. Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding by Dwiggins. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Turquoise cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine and cover. Borzoi Books.
[52.13] Williams, T. Harry. Lincoln and his Generals. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection - gift of Nina S. Faye]
Typography and binding based on designs by Dwiggins. Red cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine. Borzoi Books.
1953
[53.17] Hastings, Macdonald. Cork in Bottle. 1st American edition. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Binding design by Dwiggins. Decorated ivory paper with orange designs over boards. Blue design on cover and spine by Dwiggins. Borzoi Books.
[53.18] Carrighan, Sally. Ice Bound Summer. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography based on designs by Dwiggins. These designs are on the front cover as a blind stamp and on the spine in gold. Green cloth over boards. Borzoi Books.
1955
55.05 Meredith, George. The Shaving of Shagpat. The Limited Editions Club, New York.
Typography, binding, decorations, and slipcase by Dwiggins. Copy no. 842 of 1,500 printed by the George Grady Press, signed by illustrator Honore Guilbeau. Marbled paper over boards, black leather spine, stamped in gold. Black slipcase, printed in gold on spine. Agner notes that "decorative elements almost identical to The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan". The ninth and last LEC edition designed by Dwiggins.
[55.11] de Terra, Helmut. Humboldt. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding design based on originals by Dwiggins. Set in Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Red cloth over boards, stamped in gold on spine. Borzoi Books.
[55.12] O For a Booke. Philadelphia Graphic Arts Forum, Philadelphia.
Copy no. 98 of 150 printed as keepsakes for the Philadelphia opening of the American Institute of Graphic Art's (AIGA) "Fifty Books of the Year 1954." With comment by Dwiggins, included with others, on the short life of trade books.
1957
[57.01] Richter, Conrad. The Lady. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, binding, and jacket based on design by Dwiggins. Green cloth stamped in maroon and purple on cover and spine. Maroon and green illustrated jacket. Borzoi Book.
1958
[58.01] "In Memory of William A. Dwiggins." Typographer vol. XIX, no. 1. Spring 1958. Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York.
The staff of Typographer dedicated this issue in tribute to Dwiggins, who, they felt, did so much to advance outstanding printing design in his lifetime. Dwiggins had passed away two years earlier, in 1956. Contributors include Paul Hollister, Paul Bennett Warren Chappell, Norman Kent, Carl Purington Rollins, and others. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins.
1959
[59.01] Bok, Curtis. Star Wormwood. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and jacket based on designs by Dwiggins. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Jacket is yellow paper printed in purple and blue, with an illustration by Dwiggins in purple on the front. Borzoi Book.
1960
[60.01] Postscripts on Dwiggins. 2 vols.: XXXV, XXXVI of the Typophile Chap Books Series.
This boxed two volume set includes essays and reflections on Dwiggins from a number of friends and professional associates, including Dorothy Abbe, Paul A. Bennett, Mabel H. Dwiggins, Alfred A. Knopf, Carl Purington Rollins, and Rudolph Ruzicka. Wonderful photographs of Dwiggins taken while he was working in his studio, carving marionettes, and at exhibitions of his work. Volume One includes a section of specimens of his work, in color, giving an excellent cross-section of his designs. In Volume Two, there is a selective check list by Dorothy Abbe and Rollo G. Silver that includes comments by Dwiggins that he inscribed in some of the books given to Abbe. Overall, a very informative, amusing, and enlightening text on Dwiggins, very useful for a Dwiggins admirer or researcher of Dwigginsiana.
1961
[61.01] Nathan, Robert. The Wilderness Stone. 1st ed. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding based on designs by Dwiggins. Typeface is Caledonia, designed by Dwiggins. Signed by author. Brown paper over boards, blind stamp illustration by Dwiggins on cover. Borzoi Book.
1966
[66.01] Richter, Conrad. The Awakening Land. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography, binding, and jacket designed by Warren Chappell. Borzoi Book.
[66.02] Richter, Conrad. A Country of Strangers. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding based on designs by Dwiggins. Green cloth over boards, stamped in blue and maroon on spine and cover. Borzoi Book.
1971
[71.01] Richter, Conrad. The Free Man. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Typography and binding designed by Dwiggins. Reprint of 1943 edition (see 43.21). Ecru cloth over boards, stamped in brown on cover and spine. Dust jacket designed by Warren Chappell. Borzoi Book.
1976
[76.01] Dwiggins, W.A. Marionette in Motion. Boston: Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston, 1976.
[Note: not a part of the PGE Collection]
Reprint of [39.03], cataloged as SPEC COLL PN1970.D95 1976, Remley Collection. Pamphlet stapled on spine. Includes an appendix of seven drawings originally used as illustrations for Dwiggins' article, "Counterbalanced Marionettes" in Puppetry, Detroit, 1935. Brief description of Dwiggins foray into marionette production.
1978
[78.01] Shimer, Florence. Twelve Poems. Püterschein-Hingham, Hingham, Mass.
Set in Linotype "Winchester", designed by Dwiggins. Printed by Dorothy Abbe at The Press of the Little Red Hen. Includes title page design by Dwiggins. Green paper folded over boards, pasted label over spine.
1979
[79.01] Abbe, Dorothy [comp]. Stenciled Ornament & Illustration. Püterschein-Hingham, Hingham, Mass.
This details Dwiggins' methods of book decoration and other uses of stencil. Includes a note by Dwiggins, written a few years before his death. Abbe wrote the supplementary technical details and annotates the different types of stencil and pochoir created by Dwiggins. Also includes many wonderful stencil designs (in black and white only), each noted and described at the end of the book. Excellent photographs of the stencil process and equipment. The book provides real insight into Dwiggins' creative process. Black paper over boards, white cloth wrapped over spine, printed in black with ornaments stenciled on cover and spine. The text is set in "Winchester Roman"- an experimental typeface designed by Dwiggins. One of 120 copies designed and printed by Dorothy Abbe.
1980
[80.01] A Tribute to William Addison Dwiggins, 1880-1956, on the Hundredth Anniversary of his Birth. privately printed for the Friends of Hermann Püterschein at the Inkwell Press, New York.
Collection of essay about Dwiggins, also includes a letter from Dwiggins to Knopf in "Color for Bookbindings". Includes essays by Dorothy Abbe, Warren Chappell, Dwight Agner, Paul Shaw, and others. Latter half of the book contains many specimens, title pages, decorations, and dust jackets that Dwiggins designed. Unfortunately, they are not annotated or described. 500 copies of the book were printed. Typeface is Electra, designed by Dwiggins. Buckram over boards, printed in black with a wonderful Dwiggins illustration on cover.
1982
[82.01] Agner, Dwight. Father Catich's Visit with Bill Dwiggins. The Press of the Night Owl, Athens, Georgia. [3 copies]
Copy numbers 150, 174, and 232 of 300 printed on Frankfurt Cream paper. Text is handset in Joanna-a typeface designed by Eric Gill. Blue paper covers. Includes excerpts of correspondence between C.H. Griffith of Mergenthaler Linotype and Dwiggins concerning Dwiggins' acquaintance with Father Catich, an authority on early lettering techniques. Dwiggins had studied Roman lettering techniques (see MSS by WAD [47.04], "The Shapes of Roman Letters" [1919]).
1987
[87.01] Abbe, Dorothy. William Addison Dwiggins: an Essay by Dorothy Abbe. Pacific Center for the Book Arts, San Francisco, California. [2 copies]
Essay in tribute to Dwiggins. Abbe reviews his life, from his advertising days to his book designs for Knopf. She provides many insights into his creativity, outlook, and personality. As Dwiggins once said: "It was a grand adventure. I am content." Typeface is Electra, designed by Dwiggins.
