Publisher's Binding- Japonisme

Sarah Wyman Whitman

Bound in olive green twill weave ungrained cloth with distinctive characteristics of Whitman's design elements: gilt vertical line stamping to spine which is extended to front and rear covers; gilt square corner pieces, also placed on rear cover; the title and decoration placed to the center right of the front cover; and her unique lettering style. This design was also used on "Out of the East," another Hearn title. Attributed to Sarah Wyman Whitman. Top edge gilt. Notable is the spine darkening, sometimes referred to as cloth discoloration. This is a condition frequently found on Whitman bindings, leading one to speculate whether the dyes she required for certain cloth colors were particularly susceptible to fading, sunning, or darkening.