Bibliography of Works about Talwin Morris

"Mackintosh Market." Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society Newsletter 68 (1995): 6.

A brief report on the sale of a sidechair designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and a collection of books with bindings by both Mackintosh and Talwin Morris at Christie's, London, in 1995; and of a chair by Mackintosh at Sotheby's.

Amaya, M. Art Nouveau. New York: Schocken Books, 1985.

This book contains a single reference to Talwin Morris: "The tall, thin support was employed later almost as much as the curvilinear plant forms, and might be called a submotif of the movement, particularly in the hands of C. A. Voysey, C. R. Mackintosh, Herbert McNair, George Walton and Talwin Morris - the last four working in Glasgow" (39).

Beare, G. "Designers of Blackie's Glasgow-style Book Covers." Imaginative Book Illustration Society Newsletter 8 (1998): 5-8.

A profile of Talwin Morris and a discussion of the Glasgow-style bindings designed by him for the Glasgow publishers Blackie & Son during the years 1893-1909. This article reproduces two Morris cover designs: The Admiralty House; and The Book of the Home. Other artists who designed covers for Blackie and are discussed include A. A. Campbell, Ethel Larcombe and Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Billcliffe, R. Glasgow 1900. Glasgow: Fine Art Society, [1979].

This text explores the relationship between painters of the Glasgow School and designers of the Glasgow Style. Includes vases and plates from the Allander Pottery (1904-1909), examples of Clutha glass, and work by painters, sculptors and designers such as Crawhall, Dewar, Lavery, Macdonald (Frances and Margaret), Mackintosh, MacNair, Morris, Taylor, Walton.

Blackie, Agnes, A.C. Blackie and Son 1809-1959: A Short History of the Firm. Glasgow: Blackie & Son, [1959].

Contains a single reference to Talwin Morris. "Robert Blackie, though a septuagenarian, kept abreast of contemporary movements in art; and the appointment in 1892 of a disciple of art nouveau, Talwin Morris, as head of the art department, had tangible effect, not only on the design of book covers, but on the appearance of the office at 17 Stanhope Street. Alterations carried out by Talwin Morris included two handsome swing doors at the entrance, strongly in the idiom of art nouveau, but blending well with the Victorian neo-classicism of the building, which was once described by a journalist, in 1883, as 'showing a chaste Grecian elevation to Stanhope Street.'" (43)

Cinamon, G. "Blackie books: Talwin Morris and the Glasgow Style." Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society Newsletter 28 (1981): 3-6.

The first part of a three part article on Talwin Morris's work as art director for the Glasgow publishers Blackie & Son during the years 1893-1909. The three articles taken together provide a comprehensive examination of Morris' designs. The first article examines the rationale for Blackie & Son hiring Morris as Art Director. Cinamon also notes Morris' type designs, and lists the titles of his first eight designs. Three of Morris' designs are illustrated in black and white.

---. "Blackie books: Talwin Morris and the Glasgow Style. Part II." Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society Newsletter 29 (1981): 7-9.

The second part of a three part article on Talwin Morris's work as art director for the Glasgow publishers Blackie & Son during the years 1893-1909. The second article details the creation of Gresham Publishing, a subsidiary of Blackie & Son, and the designs that did for both publishing houses. Three of Morris' designs are illustrated in black and white.

---. "Blackie books: Talwin Morris and the Glasgow Style. Part III." Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society Newsletter 30 (1981): 3-6.

The third part of a three part article on Talwin Morris' work as Art Director for the Glasgow publishers Blackie & Son during the years 1893-1909. This article pays particular attention to the Red Letter Library. Four of Morris' designs are illustrated in black and white.

---. "The Glasgow Style book covers of Talwin Morris." The New Bookbinder 19 (1999): 3-11.

A copiously illustrated, short introduction to Morris' designs. The illustrations include 4 headpiece examples and 18 different book covers.

---. "Talwin Morris (1865-1911): A Checklist of Works Related to Publishing." The Private Library, 4th series 3.1 (1987): 32-42.

Cinamon's article provides an excellent overview of Morris' career, broken down into 7 categories: appearances in the journal The Studio; appearances in the journal Decorative Kunst; designs for the magazine Black and White; designs for Blackie & Son; designs for juvenile titles for Blackie & Son; designs for school books for Blackie & Son; and miscellaneous material. The most useful feature of this article is a chronological list of titles designed by Morris.

---. "Talwin Morris, Blackie and the Glasgow Style." The Private Library, 3rd series 10.1 (1987): 3-47.

This article provides a comprehensive, detailed examination of Talwin Morris' designs and career. Cinamon examines specific books designed by Morris, considering the stylistic elements, typography, and binding materials along with discursive references to events in Morris' life. Cinamon includes 40 illustrations of Morris' book designs, along with a sample of a headpiece he did for the magazine Black and White, another headpiece for book called A History of the Scottish People, three headpieces from the book Battles of the Nineteenth Century, and a photograph of a frame Morris designed for a watercolour by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

E.B.S. "Mr Talwin Morris's Designs for Cloth Bindings." The Studio: An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art 15 (1899): 38-44.

This article, written by a contemporary of Talwin Morris, focuses on the bindings he designed for Blackie & Son. Eight of his designs are illustrated in black and white. The author notes that while several other publishers were producing well-designed books, only Blackie & Son had "gone further and issued educational works, schoolboy literature, and popular classics, with sober and well-disposed designs on their covers" (41).

Gibbs, R. "Talwin Morris Again: Evaluation and Collaboration. Part One." Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society Newsletter 36 (1984): 9-11.

The first part of a two part article on the book covers designed by Talwin Morris as art director for Blackie & Son during the years 1893-1909. Gibbs, an art historian, aims to supplement Cinamon's work by adding to the body of examples of Morris' work.

Gibbs, R. "Talwin Morris Again: Evaluation and Collaboration. Part Two." Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society Newsletter 37 (1984): 3-6.

The second part of a two part article on the book covers designed by Talwin Morris as art director for Blackie & Son, 1893-1909. This article includes two photographic reproductions of books designed by Morris. The greater part of this article is given over to discussion of two designers who worked under Morris and continued designing for Gresham and Blackie & Son after his death: A. A. Campbell and Ethel Larcombe.

Harvie, D. "Dunglas Castle." Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society Newsletter 46 (1987): 4.

Discusses and describes a wall panel designed and painted by Talwin Morris, installed at Dunglass Castle in Bowling, Scotland.

Howarth, T. and Art Gallery of Ontario. Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Modern Movement. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1977.

This catalogue contains four references to Talwin Morris, and two pages of biographical notes, along with several references to Blackie & Son, and to Charles Rennie Mackintosh's design of some titles. This is a source of much useful information about the Glasgow Four.

Howarth, T., C. R. Mackintosh, et al. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, 1868-1928: a Memorial Exhibition Sponsored by the Art Gallery of Ontario and Arranged by Dr. Thomas Howarth ... 18 November-31 December, 1978. Toronto: Art Gallery of Ontario, 1978.

This catalogue includes a section on Illustrated Books and Magazines that mentions Talwin Morris: "such publications were of great importance to the propagation of new ideas in design generally" (48).

Lewis, John Noel Claude. Anatomy of printing: the influences of art and history on its design. London: Faber, 1970.

Lewis' text contains a brief discussion of Talwin Morris, summing up his career and describing his designs as "immaculate in their linear simplicity." (204) This book also reproduces two book cover designs, by Morris for Blackie & Son, as plates 106 and 107: an example of the Red Letter Shakespeare series cover, and an example of the Red Letter Poetry series cover.

---. The Twentieth Century Book, Its Illustration and Design. [New York]: Reinhold, 1967.

This text reproduces the cover of Talwin Morris' design for the Red Letter Shakespeare edition of Romeo and Juliet for Blackie & Son, along with the following text:
"Blackie and Sons of Glasgow were the publishers of 'The Red Letter Shakespeare'. These little books were designed by Talwin Morris (1865-1911), who came from the south to work for Blackies, as art director. His simple geometric designs were ideal for blocking in gold or colour and were architecturally strong enough to be very effective. His output was enormous. As John Russell Taylor has recently said, Talwin Morris was one of the great purveyors of art nouveau to the fast expanding book buying public." (52)

MacDonald, G. "Dunglass Castle, Bowling." Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society Newsletter 79 (2000): 4.

This article reports on the renovation of Dunglass Castle in Bowling. Morris lived in Dunglass from 1893 to 1899, and painted the wall panel described in Harvie's article above.

MacLeod, R. Charles Rennie Mackintosh: Architect and Artist. London: Collins, 1983.

This text offers a single reference to Talwin Morris: "In 1902 Walter Blackie, a publisher, was put in touch with Mackintosh by Talwin Morris, a close friend of the architect, who had been associated with him in his graphic enterprises and was now art manager for Blackie's firm" (90).

MacSporran, F. "Talwin Morris." Baseline 23 (1997): 21-28.

This article provides an excellent overview of Talwin Morris' work as a book designer for Blackie & Son, Gresham, and Cassell. Some of the most interesting material involves MacSporran's examination of Morris' stylistic motifs. The article provides 23 illustrations of Morris' book cover designs.

McKean, J., C. R. Mackintosh, et al. Charles Rennie Mackintosh: Architect, Artist, Icon. Stillwater, MN: Voyageur Press, 2000.

This text includes three references to Talwin Morris, concerning his relationship with Mackintosh. (50, 96, 103). McKean writes that Morris arrived in Glasgow in 1893, at the age of 28 where he works with his friend Mackintosh (50). He also notes that though Morris was associated with the Glasgow Style, unlike the other members of the group, he did not attend the School of Art in Glasgow (96). The third reference is a reproduction of the tombstone Mackintosh designed for Morris in 1911 (103).

Morris, T. and William Morris Gallery and Brangwyn Gift (London England). Talwin Morris: An Exhibition, William Morris Gallery ... 23 August-2 October 1983. London: The Gallery, 1983.

Neat, Timothy. Part Seen, Part Imagined: Meaning and Symbolism in the Work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald. Edinburgh: Canongate Press, 1994.

This book provides multiple references to Talwin Morris and discusses his relationship to Mackintosh and the other members of the Glasgow Four. The cover of The Natural History of Animals is reproduced in colour on page 111. Neat also cites extensively from an unpublished manuscript written by Morris in 1896, now held in the Glasgow University collection.

Seaton, Chris S. "The Book Designs of Talwin Morris (1865-1911)." Review of Scottish Culture 2 (1986): 13-17.

This article provides a succinct introduction to Morris' book designs, placing his work within the social, economic, and artistic currents operating at the time. Seaton outlines the factors impelling Blackie & Son to use Morris' designs, and argues that other Scottish and English publishers imitated those designs. The article includes eight reproductions of covers designed by Morris.

Taylor, J. R. The Art Nouveau Book in Britain. London: Methuen, 1966.

This is a key text, and makes several references to Talwin Morris. Eight of his designs are illustrated in black and white. Taylor notes that a number of important figures in Art Nouveau were trained as architects: "Mackmurdo, Beardsley, Talwin Morris, Anning Bell" and their work tends to use frame motifs (19). Taylor places Morris as a key member of the Glasgow Style, writing that his style was, in broad terms, in accord with that of the Glasgow Four. (123) According to Taylor, Morris was a highly prolific designer and his designs "circulated the country in millions during the years before the First World War" (124). Taylor also writes that Morris "seems to have found little obstacle to general acceptance of his work" (127) and that he "probably had a more far-reaching effect in habituating the public at large to the conventions of Art Nouveau " (130).

Temple, Loudon. "How to Judge a Book by its Cover." The Herald April 17 1999: 10-11.

This is a non-scholarly, but useful article. Temple sketches Morris' biography and career in the first half of the article, and also writes about the book collectors who seek out his bindings. Thirteen of Morris' designs are included as photographic illustrations.

Tschudi-Madsen, S. Sources of Art Nouveau. New York: Da Capo Press, 1975.

This book makes two references to Talwin Morris along with an illustration of a cupboard, mirror and blind designed by him (297). Tschudi-Madsen shows Morris' lifespan as 1865-1911. This text is dismissive of Morris, rating him as "more apart and less important" (284) in relation to the Glasgow Four. This text also aligns Morris' closer to the Arts and Crafts movement (296).

Watson, R. "Bing, Art Nouveau and the Book in the Late Nineteenth Century." Apollo (London, England) 151.459 (2000): 32-40.

This article contains a photographic reproduction of Morris' design for The Book of the Home. The article focuses on continental designers but notes that in Britain, Talwin Morris was an important and successful designer.

White, Gleeson. "British Book Plates." The Studio: An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art. Special (1898-1899): 3-44.

This detailed study of book plate design has one short description of a "joint-plate" book plate that Morris designed for "a husband and wife." "The original is in two colours, green and black. It is a delightful example of a true label-device; as one would have expected from a designer of such originality and refinement" (18). Regrettably, the plate is not illustrated.

Wood, Esther. "British Trade Bookbindings and their Designers." The Studio: An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art Special (1899-1900): 3-47.

This article contains six illustrations of Morris' designs for the books: The Eagle's Nest; The Admiralty House; A Dreadful Mistake; The Handsome Brandons; William Ewart Gladstone and his Contemporaries; and Literary Pastimes of Early Life. Very nearly an entire page is given over to a discussion of his designs.

Worsdall, F. "Art Nouveau and Talwin Morris." Apollo (London, England) 85 (1967): 64-5.

This article contains illustrations of three of Morris' designs. Page 64 shows a sketch of the cover of A Girl's Loyalty and page 65 includes a photographic reproduction of the cover of Queen Victoria. Page 65 also shows a reproduction of the cover design of the religious series in the Red Letter Library.

Woudhuysen, H. R. "Another Morris." Times Literary Supplement 4885 (1996): 36.

This is a short report on the selling of Gerald Cinamon's collection of 630 works by and about Talwin Morris. Woudhuysen writes that Morris' designs are a "mixture of Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts, but most of all it is reminiscent of the Glasgow Style" (36).

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