King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard, Unique Jeweled Binding by Jamie Kamph

Binding Details:  King Solomon’s Mines is a stunning unique binding by Jamie Kamph bound in full tan Harmatan goatskin with onlays of green, grey, and red to represent African landscape and weapons (namely executioner’s ax and throwing knives) used by nineteenth century tribesman. There is a blind-tooled leaf border with the tribal tools outlined in gold gilt. Gold footprints lead to the mountain mines. The covers are set with 32 diamonds, 14 emeralds, and one sapphire. There are a total of 4.27 karats of gem quality stones used on the binding. The book is housed in a treasure chest box that is constructed of marbled endpapers over boards with leather trim and lid. Titling appears in gold gilt on both sides of the treasure chest which also features gold-tooled leather tools each inlaid with 3 diamonds. To finish off the design, bronze lid and side handles make it easy to remove the binding from the chest. Jamie Kamph’s Stonehouse Bindery gold gilted stamp appears on the bottom edge of the inside back cover.

In her artist statement, Jamie Kamph commenting on her design concept for King Solomon’s Mines wrote, “This is the book my mother used to read to me and my sisters summer evenings on the porch of a spooky Victorian house on a lake in New Hampshire. We never tired of it. So I was delighted to have the opportunity to design and execute a binding that would express the mystery, attraction, fear, and romance of this particular tale. I wanted the book cover to draw the reader in as effectively as the story does, with a promise of treasure and a trail of danger.”

Included with the book is a signed artist statement by Jamie Kamph that contains information about the book and binding as well are her drawing that formed the basis for her binding.

Book Details:  This is the true First Edition, First Printing of H. Rider Haggard’s classic novel “King Solomon’s Mines” published by Cassell & Company, London in 1885. The book contains all of the first edition, first printing points with p.10 - "Bamamgwato" on page 10; 3rd line up - "let twins to live" on page 122; p.307 footnote, second to last line - "wrod." on page 307, and advertisements dated 5 G. 8.85.

Dr. Amy Rogers in her review of the book wrote, “King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard is one of the greatest action-adventure novels ever written. If you enjoy thrillers of any kind, you must read this book. No excuses. The story is timeless, an epic quest and adventure that suggests to me a very abbreviated Lord of the Rings. Rider Haggard’s prose is tight and evocative, his characters rich, and the suspense unbearable.  The reader is absolutely certain something bad is about to happen but can’t wait to find out what it is–and how our heroes will get out of it. King Solomon’s Mines is the archetypal action-adventure story. Fans of Indiana Jones will clearly recognize the lasting impact this game-changing book had on the thriller genre.”

About the Artist:  Jamie Kamph is an author, educator, book conservator, and artist widely recognized as one of most knowledgeable and accomplished bookbinders in the world. She began her career working with Hope G. Weil before opening her own studio, The Stonehouse Bindery, in 1973. Her writings on bookbinding have been widely published in magazines and she is the author of “A Collectors Guide to Bookbinding, published by in 1982 by the Bird and Bull Press and “Tricks of the Trade: Confessions of a Bookbinder”, published by the Oak Knoll Press in 2015. Her design bindings are housed in private collections and institutions worldwide including Princeton University, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Pierpont Morgan Library, the New York Public Library, and the Bridwell Library at the University of Texas. Many of her other bindings have been widely exhibited in such places as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Grolier Club, Yale University, and the Aspen Art Institute. In 2003, she was awarded the Helen Ward DeGolyer Award for American Bookbinding. 

Condition Report:  Both the book and treasure chest are in FINE condition.

Photographs of the binding, treasure chest, and Jamie Kamph’s artist statement appear in the photo section of the listing.