Catalogue of the Collection of Jewels and Precious Works of Art, the Property of J. Pierpont Morgan 1910

This is a beautiful book, a catalogue of jewels and precious artworks owned by J. Pierpont Morgan and put together by George Charles Williamson. It’s a solid object, made of leather, gold, and precious stones, and it feels almost architectural, like a building, but one you can open, enter, and get lost in! Imagine Williamson, hunched over his desk, carefully selecting the right materials. The cool, dark green of the leather cover, the way it contrasts with the pale-green panel in the middle, that little gleam of gold around the edges. And then, bam! Right in the center, that little gold sculpture, with a purple stone in the middle for a flash of colour. You can almost feel Williamson thinking, "Yes, that’s it! That’s the perfect touch!" It feels like he was having a conversation with a long line of artists and bookbinders and goldsmiths, learning from them, responding to them, and adding his voice to the mix. That’s how art works, it’s about exchange, learning, and building on what came before.