4th of April marks the start of the 64th annual ABAA New York International Antiquarian Book Fair, and one stand will definitely attract the crowds, as rare books dealer Lux Mentis has a very special treasure on display.
A signed first-edition copy of Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s has been rebound in goatskin to feature one thousand white diamonds – totaling nearly 30 carats – and one showstopping two-carat emerald-cut sapphire in the shade of the iconic Tiffany blue. The book will eventually be valued at $1.5 million; a magnificent piece showcasing spectacular craftsmanship created to mark the centenary of the writer’s birth, a literary treasure.
Award-winning master bookbinder Kate Holland worked with a team of British craftspeople on the project, that was masterminded by Paul Suntup of US bookbinders Dragon Rebound, which specializes in rebinding first editions and rare books.
The book sits on a custom plinth by glass artist Jade Pinnell, inside a birdcage by Dominic Parish, referencing the birdcage in the story, which symbolizes the reluctance to be confined or restricted of the lead character Holly Golightly — famously played in Blake Edwards’ 1961 Breakfast at Tiffany’s film by Audrey Hepburn. The whole, including a portfolio of images by photographer David Attie, are housed in a custom trunk also by Parish, a British cabinetmaker and craftsman who has produced work for royal families and private collections. The trunk references Golightly’s peripatetic lifestyle.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: Courtesy of DRAGON REBOUND and Courtesy of David Attie Estate
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!
