Current Exhibition

Florence S. Walter: Pioneering American Bookbinder

Born in 1884, Florence S. Walter was a native San Franciscan who began book collecting in her twenties, taking a particular interest in fine press books from France and the work of her friends, Ed and Bob Grabhorn. She began binding in 1934, and became one of the most prominent French-style binders in America.

Florence joined the Book Club in 1913 and was the first woman to sit on the Board of Directors as well as the first woman to serve as president (1952–1955). She was an avid collector and bibliophile, and thanks to the generosity of her family, her near-complete collection of Grabhorniana is now part of the Book Club of California library collection.

115 of Florence’s bindings have been recorded, of which 59 are in the Book Club of California library, many of which are currently on display in the club rooms and featured in Florence S. Walter: Pioneering American Bookbinder.

This exhibit and publication are loving tributes to a prolific artist and important figure in the Book Club’s history.

Exhibition on view January 27, 2020 – March 23, 2020