MVR 220
This 16th-century Islamic binding was originally crafted from black goatskin that was embossed, gilded, painted, and covered with delicate gold filigree. Said to have been first commissioned by one of the Safavid princes of Shiraz, it came to be in the possession of Suleiman the Magnificent, the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Suleiman, a distinguished poet and gifted goldsmith, was also a great patron of the arts who orchestrated the development of one of the most glittering periods in artistic history.
In its original form this book cover was decorated with rows of golden lockets, hand-painted with flowers and rosettes, and overlaid with filigree. Artists of Persia’s Safavid dynasty (1501–1722) ensured that its bookbinding and décor represented a pinnacle of cultural achievement.
This design is also available as part of our Accordion Box collection.
Shiraz - Midi
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 144 pages • 5" x 7"
Lined 978-1-4397-2539-9
Shiraz Ultra
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 144 pages • 7" x 9"
Lined 978-1-4397-2538-2
Shiraz - Mini
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 176 pages • 100 x 140
Lined 978-1-4397-2540-5
MVR 220
The Spirit of Hawaiian Florals.
There is no more distinctive and iconic a garment than the Hawaiian shirt. This quintessential fashion statement pays homage to one of the world’s most extraordinary landscapes and to the spiritual and philosophical mores of Island culture.
Hawaiian “tiki-style” textiles have evolved from the traditional kapa fabrics made from tree fibres to the popular Aloha shirt we see today. These exuberant flower and foliage prints have always reflected the natural beauty of the Hawaiian Islands infused with the vibrant expression of the aloha spirit. More than just a traditional Hawaiian greeting, aloha is a way of life. “Alo” means “sharing in the present” and “oha” refers to “joyous affection.”
Hawaiian garments went upscale in the 1940s when Alfred Shaheen pioneered tropical prints to high fashion. His designs incorporated images from the islands’ lush natural world and suggested a postwar optimism and modernity. Contemporary designs, including those gracing our covers, continue to capture the essence of aloha. Paperblanks® series is inspired by today’s Hawaiian prints and the spirit of joyful harmony that they evoke.
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 176 pages • 3.75" x 5.5"
Lined | 978-1-4397-2691-4
MVR 220
Naturalistic Expressions.
If flowers and foliage can be said to speak, it is surely through the voice of botanical illustrators. Our Painted Botanicals journals feature images of orchids, wisteria, lilies and daisies, rendered by some of the finest illustrators in the history of the field.
For centuries, horticulturalists and illustrators have worked with scientists to document plants species, most often in watercolours. Renowned among these artists were Sir Joseph Paxton (1803–1865) and H.G. Moon (1857–1905). Paxton, who published a famed periodical containing the original Brazilian Orchid and Blooming Wisteria images, was a celebrated horticulturalist. His published collections were greatly prized for their remarkable hand colouring. Moon, the artist behind our Gloriosa Lily and Woodland Daisies covers, was famous for his naturalistic arrangements and his ability to create lifelike paintings.
As we experience a renaissance in botanical illustration, contemporary practitioners will certainly look to these masters for how best to be a voice for botanicals.
Botanical - Blooming Wisteria Mini Unlined
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 176 pages • 95 x 140
Unlined 978-1-4397-3576-3
Botanical - Brazilian Orchid Mini Unlined
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 176 pages • 95 x 140
Unlined 978-1-4397-3573-2
Botanical - Woodland Daisies Mini
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 176 pages • 95 x 140
Lined 978-1-4397-3575-6
Botanical – Gloriosa Lily
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 176 pages • 95 x 140
Lined 978-1-4397-3574-9
MVR 220
Ah, the rose. The flower most storied and maligned. Our rose garden covers are inspired by miniature lacquer paintings that adorned fine books in 16th-century Persia. The originals were celebrations of the luxury and refinement of Persian life and culture.
Our revival of these ancient covers depicts roses primed on a gold base, surrounded by smaller flowers such as might have been found in the botanical gardens of the Persian court. In a more regal presentation such as “Glowing Rose,” the rose takes her rightful place as the focal point. She is surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting: poppies, carnations, dogwood and tulips, and her nobility and pride draw the eye. In contrast, “Wild Rose” is a modest and stylised depiction of her beauty, subtly enhanced by the play of light and shadow.
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 176 pages • 4" x 5.5"
Unlined | 978-1-4397-3262-5
MVR 220
Laurel Burch was a self-taught artist and “flower child” who sold handmade jewellery on the streets of San Francisco in the 1960s. Later on, she continued to rely on her intuition and passion, speaking from the heart with an unmistakable style that was the manifestation of her love of life and strong imaginative nature.
From her fertile imagination, she created brilliantly coloured, vibrant and moving themes with paint and paper, exquisitely embellished with gold and silver.
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 176 pages • 3.75" x 5.5"
Lined 978-1-4397-2235-0
MVR 250
Celestial Radiance.
If you are celestially minded or a lover of dark light, these ethereal journals are sure to inspire and enchant. With their central star shape, Nox, Astra and Solis exert an emotional pull akin to the North Star for night time wayfarers. For those inclined to contemplate the cosmos, look no further than our Nova Stella series.
Our Nova Stella covers come from the 1789 binding of Missale Sacri Ordinis Praedicatorum, printed during the Settecento period by Octavio Puccinelli publishers. During this time bookbinding became at once simpler and yet more complex. The sewing was done on recessed cords to give the spines a smooth appearance and so, while the structure of books was uncomplicated, decoration became increasingly elaborate.
The free space around the central object is as important as the ornamentation that surrounds it, just as deep space is part of what makes stars so inspiring. Here we see brocade with flowers and heart shapes, gilt-edged, broad string iron lines, single punch gilding and a cross with flowers and initials.
Let this journal guide your imagination into a universe of possibilities.
Nova Stella - Solis Mini
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 240 pages • 3.75" x 5.5"
Lined 978-1-4397-3569-5
Nova Stella - Solis Midi
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 240 pages • 5" x 7"
Lined 978-1-4397-3567-1
Nova Stella - Solis Ultra
Includes | Memento Pouch • Ribbon Marker
Attributes | 144 pages • 7" x 9"
Lined 978-1-4397-3565-7
