The First Part of King Henry IV

Bound by Katy Starr-Baum

The First Part of King Henry IV
by William Shakespeare
Illustrated by Mary Grabhorn
Printed in San Francisco by Grabhorn Press
November 1961
270mm x 372mm x 19mm

Full Bookcalf binding with inset stone veneer in recessed areas of the cover, inlays of brushed aluminum and painted paper, and onlays of buffalo and watersnake. Graphite top edge with sprinkled palladium. Handsewn silk endbands. Handpainted flyleaves and edge-to-edge paper doublures designed to echo the cover design.

Grabhorn Press created this edition with multicolored woodblock illustrations by Mary Grabhorn which I find fascinating for their liberal use of "feminine" colors and bold lines. I wanted to create a design that would reflect some of those elements and would make use of the large format of the book. After spending time looking at maps and pictures of the Monmouth castle where King Henry V was born, I was inspired to incorporate stone veneer into the design. Sanded aluminum adds a suggestion of armor. The design can most obviously be seen as a crown, but there is a deeper meaning for the circular shape in that it represents familial cycles: the traits and behaviors that are passed down from one generation to the next and the transformation of Prince Hal into King Henry.

You can see more of Katy's work on her web site at Wallflower Bindery.