Unknown Switzerland c. 1889

This book, “Unknown Switzerland,” was written by Victor Tissot, and published in New York. Notice how it is printed on machine-made paper, bound in cloth, with a tipped-in photographic print, a modern object made with industrial processes. The ubiquity of books like this was predicated on the growth of capitalism, as well as a growing middle class with leisure time. The cover and binding speak to the mechanization of book production. Before the 19th century, books were hand-printed and bound, often with leather and bespoke touches. By contrast, this book is materially modest, made possible by paper mills, industrial printing, and mechanized binding. The photograph inside also speaks to the modern appetite for reproducible images, consumed en masse. While the content of the book, about Switzerland, might seem distant from these concerns, it is important to remember that all objects are embedded in a matrix of material and social conditions.