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View all threadsHelen Warren DeGolyer Competition for American Bookbinding 2025
COMPETITION BOOK - New Borders: The Working Life of Elizabeth
Friedlander by Pauline Paucker
Elizabeth Friedlander (1903-1984) was one of the most successful female
typographers and graphic designers of the last century. Born in Germany,
she studied design, calligraphy and typography at the Academy of Fine Arts
in Berlin. Her work as a graphic designer doing titling and layout for the
magazine, ‘Die Dame’ led to her being commissioned to design a typeface for
the Bauer Type Foundry in Frankfurt, in 1927. As a Jewish woman in Germany
during the start of WWII, she was denied the ability to continue working
and forced to move to Italy, and eventually London, six years before its
completion. Her ‘Elizabeth’ typeface was finally released by Bauer in 1938
and was the first commercially produced type ever designed by a woman.
During WWII, Friedlander was in charge of design in the British Ministry of
Information’s black propaganda unit, forging Wehrmacht stamps, ration
books, and other official documents. After the war, she stayed in Great
Britain and continued to find success as a graphic designer, most notably
for Penguin Books.
New Borders is printed by Incline Press, Oldham, United Kingdom on cream
colored Zerkall book, approximately 80lb/215gsm with deckled edges. The
binding includes tipped-in reproductions of Elizabeth Friedlander’s design
work printed at Curwen Press and the structure of the binding is akin to a
photo-album with tabs/spacers built in to accommodate the added thickness
of the samples. There are 8 signatures and 92 pages printed on an Arab
treadle press using Bembo types. It measures approximately, 12.25 inches
tall by 7.75 inches wide and 1 inch thick at the spine.
ABOUT THE COMPETITION
Bridwell Library’s triennial bookbinding competition is named for Helen
Warren DeGolyer (1926–1995), a well-known supporter of the arts and
education in Dallas, as well as a skilled devotee of design bookbinding.
Following her testamentary wishes, her brother, Joseph Warren, and her
children, Everett Lee DeGolyer and Edith DeGolyer, established in 1996 an
endowment to support a triennial bookbinding competition, exhibition, and
conference on the contemporary book arts to be held at Bridwell Library.
The competition challenges bookbinders to submit their proposals for a
specific book held by Bridwell Library, as well as a recent example of
their work. While the DeGolyer Award winner receives a commission to bind
the book according to his or her proposal, the jury also selects award
winners for excellence in fine binding and artistic design.
*AWARDS *
Helen Warren DeGolyer Award for American Bookbinding
Awarded to a binder whose combined entry (design proposal and example
binding) demonstrates the ability to create an exceptional binding for New
Borders: The Working Life of Elizabeth Friedlander by Pauline Paucker.
Award for Excellence in Fine Binding
Recognizes a completed example binding distinguished by its structure,
technique, and use of materials.
Award for Design
Recognizes a design proposal distinguished as an inventive, effective, and
appropriate representation of New Borders
Submissions are Due Feb 1st, 2025.
Competition Website:
https://www.smu.edu/libraries/bridwell/bookbinding/2025 (includes link to
scans of the competition book)
Submission Guidelines:
https://www.smu.edu/libraries/bridwell/bookbinding/2025/guidelines
Past Competitions:
https://bridwell.omeka.net/exhibits/show/5degolyer/alldegolyer
Jesse Hunt
Conservator
Bridwell Library
Southern Methodist University
(214)768-2629
--
Communications Chair for the Guild of Book Workers