Page 20 - Raffles09_March2022

Special set
Any object labelled ‘limited edition’ carries an added sense of allure. In the book world, limited editions are a precious species and so the handling of such rarefied items is taken seriously. Whether it’s a Louis Vuitton calf leather-bound artist edition travel book, signed by the featured artist or one of only 500 copies of Folio Society’s Studies from Nature by Kitagawa Utamaro – never before reproduced in facsimile – the limited-edition status creates a story in itself and adds to the book’s significance as more than just words on a page. A treasured addition to any bookshelf.
Paper trail
Founded in Florence in 1856, Giulio Giannini e Figlio is one of the most historic paper and stationary shops in the world. Today, sixth-generation family members continue its storied heritage, hosting bookbinding workshops in the tiny store near the bustling Palazzo Pitti in the heart of Florence. If you’re interested in this humble pursuit, Giulio Giannini e Figlio invites visitors to create their own treasures in paper form: the perfect gift or souvenir for print devotees. It’s a true page-turning pleasure.
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giuliogiannini.com
Monastic reading
Moments of inner peace and reflection are precious when we travel, and located within the complex of the Strahov Monastery, a Premonstratensian abbey behind Prague Castle, is a sanctuary for bibliophiles. Considered one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, the Strahov Monastery Library houses just about every important title printed in central Europe by the end of the 18th century. The Philosophy Hall provides a reading den like no other, spanning two floors with 40-foot-high ceilings adorned by frescoes depicting the ‘Intellectual Progress of Mankind’ painted over six months with the help of just one assistant. The highest rows of tomes are only accessible via a concealed spiral staircase, masked with false book spines. One could spend hours here discovering hidden gems.
Among the world’s most prestigious addresses for collectors is London’s Shapero Books. Founded by expert rare book dealer Bernard Shapero, the shop initially opened as a modest stall in Grays Antique Market in Mayfair. Now housed in a friendly-faced Georgian townhouse, it gathers rarefied works on paper and antique publications, offering a portal into a bygone era, whether its 18th-century Russian literature or botanical illustrations from the Victorian period. Shapero Modern, a modern and contemporary prints department, meanwhile, hosts exhibitions in its George Street Gallery throughout the year. Stir your curiosity and discover the bookshop’s annual events programme via its website. ———
shapero.com
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Rare delights
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