The Painted Book
Care of your books
First we must deal with the most discussed area of Fore Edge Book Collecting and that is how you can display them.
The collector and bookseller Arthur Boutiette of Little Rock, Arkansas,who has about 60 in his collection but has handled at least a thousand in his 30-year career, advises. "If you're having a party, you can put a fore-edge in a press out for display, to show your guests but take it out afterward and let the book rest in its natural position"
Books with Fore Edge Paintings should be given the same care as any Antiquarian book, with the extra precautions for looking after the paintings. Any book will prefer the same conditions as a young child. Not to hot, not to cold, not to dry, not to damp but also you must be aware of the light. We have all seen the damaged that sunlight will do to a nice binding. Well, that same sunlight will make a watercolour painting disappear completely. This is why you must be extra careful where you display your Fore Edge Painting.
As to whether you read the book or not, have a look at our how to read a Fore Edge Painted Book Section.
If you want to purchase special display stands and presses, then contact Martin Frost, you can find his details on our Artists Section.