The Book of Origins: Sacred Legend, Unique Exhibition Binding by Scott Kellar

Binding Details:  The Book of Origins is a unique fine binding designed and executed by Scott Kellar in 2003. The binding is a laced into boards style binding covered in full blue Harmatan goatskin with leather onlays and blind tooling. There are handsewn amber silk endbands, and tan Fabriano endsheets.  The edges are colored blue and burnished.  Laid into the book is the tooling tissue Scott Kellar used for the binding. The book is housed in a custom made cloth covered clamshell box with a leather label containing the title and authors name in gilt.

The binding was selected for inclusion in Le Livre des Origines/The Book of Origins exhibition which opened at Bibliothèque Gabrielle-Roy, Quebec City, in September of 2005 and traveled to the Grande Bibliothèque of Montreal and the National Museum of Natural History, Paris, France.

Scott Kellar’s binding of The Book of Origins was also featured The Book of Origins: A Survey of American Fine Binding which was exhibited at the Rare Books and Special Collections Library at Syracuse University and The University of Utah as well as The Design Bindings of Scott Kellar Exhibit held in Chicago in 2005.

A copy of both catalogues will accompany the book along with Scott Kellar’s signed artist statement for “The Book of Origins”.

The book measures 8.5” x 6” x 1”

Book Details: Published by Bibliotheque Nationale du Quebec in 2004 with a limitation of 137 copies this being number 53, The Book of Origins: Sacred Legend of the Huron People tells the creation story of the Huron people in French and in English, through expressive typography and original lithographs. The Huron creation myth was collected in 1940s by ethnologist Marius Barbeau and the text was authored by André Ricard. The text includes the French side by side with an English translation. The graphic design is by Jean Michaud and Stéphane Vallée and the book features five color lithographs by Carmelle Martineau.

Artist Statement: The Huron People used stories and characters to piece together their understanding of their past and ultimate origins. My blue cover references the heavens and water out of which the stories spring and relate to one another.

The book is very elemental and symbolic. A theme that seems to permeate the stories is an attempt to see order and causality in the created world. I have taken earth-tone shapes and arranged them in a pattern overlaying the blue void.

About the Artist: A master of traditional fine bookbinding, Scott Kellar has been working intimately with books for over 40 years. Introduced to bookbinding as a hobby in 1972, his commitment to the craft was immediate. While pursuing a career in book conservation, Scott’s love of books expanded into the realm of design binding, where the art of the binder becomes integral to the book, adding yet another layer of imagery and interpretation to the work of the author. As a result, his artistic works have been featured in book art exhibition venues local, national and international. Awards won include the ‘Coup De Coeur’ award at the Biennale Mondiale de la Reliure D’Art, The Society of Bookbinders Award for Forwarding and the Fine Binding J. Hewit & Sons Ltd. Award. His studio in located in Chicago where he also teaches to share both his skills and vision.

Condition Report: The binding and clamshell box are in FINE condition.

Photographs of the binding, the clamshell box, and the catalogues mentioned in the listing appear in the photo section of the listing.