- *** Sparkletopia *** - A Lesson in Wood Engraving at Portobello

A Lesson in Wood Engraving at Portobello

Last week in London, darling Susannah took me to Portobello Market, as my one shopping request was not cashmere from Notting Hill or Jo Malone perfume, but "...old papers, pictures, books, etc." These are my favorite treasures on any excursion - bits and pieces from antique stores, flea markets and my own wanderings.

Portobello Market is indeed such a treasure hunter's Mother Ship, with stall after stall of vendors selling teacups, silver spoons, hundred year old engravings, gorgeous vintage alligator purses, printer's blocks and yes, old papers, pictures and books. My first long visit was with Paul, who is showing me one of his books in the photo above. He was a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm, giving me a brief but powerful glimpse into the world of wood engravings from the early part of the 20th century. I am a sucker for anyone who is passionate about a subject, and I ended up purchasing a slightly worn down 1937 copy of "Down the River" because of its incredible engravings by Agnes Miller Parker. At one point while showing me this book Paul said, "Someone might come along and rip this page out to frame it, but one mustn't do such things..."

Just in case you're reading this, dear Paul, I wouldn't dare do such a thing. Although I have been known to tear apart old books, this one will remain intact in my library.

In addition to Parker's incredibly detailed work, I fell in love with the work of Eric Gill, an engraver and typeface designer. Paul had a wonderfully fat book of Gill's work, but I couldn't bear the thought of hauling it back to the states in my suitcase, but luckily it has been pretty easy to find his work online and learn more about his life.