Modern bookbindings: Their design and decoration

"Modern Bookbindings: Their Design and Decoration" by S. T. Prideaux is an exploration of how bookbinding evolved in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The book looks at the renewed interest in creating beautiful and well-made books, driven by movements in art and craftmanship. It concentrates on English and French styles, identifying important people and new ideas in the field. The author starts by explaining how artists like William Morris helped bring back artistic craftwork. The story gives a history of bookbinding in England and France, pointing out changes in style and methods since the 1500s, like the impact of hobbyists who breathed new life into the craft. It goes over the roles of different experts in improving the decoration of books, setting the stage to find out the important individuals and exciting innovations that are now characteristics of modern bookbinding where art and function meet.