The Painted Book
Fore Edge Painting
This website is dedicated to the unusual art of fore-edge painting.
These rare and desirable books have a watercolour picture of a scene painted on the very edges of the pages of the book. When executed properly, this means that the fore edge painting can only be seen when the pages are gently fanned. When the book is closed the painting is hidden beneath the gilded or marbled edges.
Discovering a fore-edge painting is always a pleasant surprise. So when you are next in a second-hand book shop and see someone discreetly [and very carefully] fanning the pages a battered eighteenth century volume, they are trying to see if there’s a hidden bargain to be had.
Unlike the mainstream book collecting which values First editions, Fore Edge Paintings are judged as works of art and mostly on the quality of the artwork. Each one is unique. Prices can therefore vary to a great extent but in general tend to fall into three price bands and remember these are the starting prices.
For a competent fore edge painting, done by a modern artist, [yes they are still been produced by a handful of skilled artists, see are artists section] you can now expect to pay from around $500 US/£250GBP upwards.
For a revivalist piece from the Arts & Craft period [see our history section] they tend to start slightly higher at around $700 US/ £350GBP upwards.
Finally there are those rare examples from early 19th century and if you are lucky you might find one for sale starting around $1000 US/ £500 GBP. At this present time there is an edition of The Angler; A Poem, in Ten Canto. published in 1820 (second edition) being offered for US$ 4500.00 / £2250 on Abebooks.com
Then again if you know what you are looking for, and surprisingly even many book sellers do not, you could pick one up for $5 dollars at you local book fair or yard clearance.
How many books that contain this type of secret image are out there?
No one knows!
THe Painted Book
The Painted Book -
What is a Fore Edge Painting or Concealed / Hidden edge decoration?
One of the more charming byways of antiquarian book collecting is provided by the pursuit of fore-edge, or 'invisible', paintings. This curious art form cultivated by the British, began in the middle of the 17th century but by the end of the 19th century, was becoming increasingly less common and although occasionally still being done today by a few talented artists, examples are comparatively rare with demand out stripping supply.
If you are holding a book in your hand, then the fore-edge is the long edge you can turn the pages, flick through, or fan out. Fore-edge painting refers to any painted decoration of this fore edge. The artist slightly fans out this edge, it is secured or held in a vice, and decorates it with a painted view, or portrait or historical scene.
In earlier examples, the painting was applied, and then the fore edge was gilded (gold leaf is applied). In later examples, a book with an already gilded fore-edge, (usually a fine leather binding) has the painting applied after it is bound. In both cases, when the book is returned to its closed state, the painting is concealed by the gilding; fan out the edges, and the painting reappears. Each book is individually painted and one of a kind, in which lies their charm and rarity.
Painstaking to execute, fore-edge paintings are concealed decorations created by fanning a book’s pages during the binding process, then painting an image downwards on to the slightly overlapping page edges.
A Fore Edge Painting is accomplished by fanning the text block of a book and painting an image, usually in watercolour, on the stepped surface. If the closed edge of the book is then also decorated, gilded or marbled, the painting will vanish when the book is closed. If the pages are fanned then the painting re-appears.
The technique of creating these works of art, lies in being able to fan out the pages of the book and hold them in a vice. The painting is then executed and allowed to dry. Then the book is removed from the vice and re-inserted in the closed position. The closed book is gilded or marbled along its fore edges. Now the painting is magically hidden until the pages are fanned again.
To create a true or two way double after creating the first painting, the book is inserted in the vice with the pages fanned the other way and the second painting is added.
If you want more specific details of how to create a Fore Painting you need to find a copy of "The Craftsman's Guide to Edge Decoration" by John Mitchell. There are full details of the book in our Book Section
