Family Heirloom
A Hooper Family History is a collection of three short privately-published books that date from 1828 to 1939. The original books were carefully scanned, then printed on archival pages, side-sewn, and cased into a hardcover binding. The three stories are separated by a sheet of Japanese kozo paper. Cover: Recessed panel "frames" a facsimile image from one of the books; title is foil-stamped. Edition of five.
Jewelbox à la Japonaise
This box is simply elegant on the outside, with a button for lifting the lid. Outside dimensions are 7”w x 9”l x 4”h.
Shown here: Box covered in crinkly Kodai paper from Japan.
Construction: Tray (très perfect for pearls) rests atop built-in compartments. Tray is fully covered in Moriki, a complementary uncrinkly paper; cotton ribbon loops attached to the tray allow easy removal and resetting. Compartments are lined in Japanese Momi, a crinkly paper.
Owen’s First Book
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Screw-post binder (10" x 12") with Japanese cloth cover and recessed panel for calligraphed name card. Multi-coloured pages: pale blue and deep blue are hand-lettered in white; cream and white pages are hand-lettered in blue. Many pages provide spaces for recording Owen's statistics and memorable moments. Calligraphy by annebenjamin.com.
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Boxox
Keepsake box covered with Ivory Fabriano Ingres (6”w x 8”l x 2”h). The detachable lid is addressed to newlyweds Karen and Bob, and the row of LOVE stamps is hand-cancelled with the couple’s wedding seal (also part of their gift). The box contains 10 Francobolli cards inscribed “Thanxoxox,” and matching envelopes embellished with a LOVE stamp-as-seal, inscribed S.W.A.K.
EXCESSORY EXTRAORDINAIRE
This luxurious box leads a double life, first handsomely bearing note cards and envelopes, and then handily presenting personalized pencils and paper clips.
Button Boxes
Soutache, a ribbon boutique (and passementerie purveyor) in Chicago, commissioned a pair of ribbon-trimmed boxes with a little “lid lifter.” But(ton) of course. Boxes are fully lined with matching fabric.
Boite Postale
Custom boxes for T.T. Patton (a stylish retailer in Barrington, outside Chicago) are covered with enlargements of vintage correspondence. A typed label announces the contents of this set: 10 envelopes and note cards. The lid is embellished with a quartet of Letters Mingle Souls stamps (from 1974), cancelled with a Bureau de Poste mark.
Tribute Book for Patty
Commissioned for a long-time executive with McDonald’s on the occasion of her retirement to honor her years of service. The client provided a continuous digital output - taller than Patty herself! - which I scored and folded into an accordion-format and then affixed to covers, in this case heavy bookboard wrapped in linen. A recessed square on the cover frames a tipped-on McDonald’s logo. Overall dimensions: 6” x 8”.
Photos Courtesy of Joe DeNatale
S.R. Crown Hall
Presented to the Crown family to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the dedication of S.R. Crown Hall, and to celebrate the Hall's completed renovation. (For a virtual tour of this Ludwig Mies van der Rohe landmark on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology, visit www.coudal.com/mies.php)
Right: Warm gray linen wrap-around cover. The front is debossed with a large line drawing of S.R. Crown Hall. Overall dimensions are 10” x 13”.
Left: Three 1/2“ screw-posts are hidden by a covered tab. The binder holds approximately 30 pages with drilled holes and opens completely flat for viewing. Architectural drawings make the perfect endpapers.
Red Trees
An edition of 18 with 2 unbound copies. French-folded handsewn pages in a flat-spine cased-in binding, covered in natural linen. Drop-spine box covered in matching linen, lined with “red tree material.” You can read more about Lee Tracy's Red Trees installation at www.leetracy.com.
Photos Courtesy of Lee Tracy Studio