Description
Here is a unique Roycroft book entitled “Guests”, “printed and bound by the Roycrofters East Aurora, New York”. What makes this one special is that unlike the Guest books made for sale and taken to customer’s homes, this book is actually the one from the Chopin room at the Roycroft Inn itself! It is packed full with comments from guests who stayed in the room between 1935 and 1947; based on the number of pages (about 140), I estimate it contains between 200 and 300 individual comments and signatures. I can only show you a small subset. This particular book from the later days of the Inn, well after Elbert Hubbard’s death, often express dis-satisfaction with the inn, complaining about the noise, the smells, and even the rats! Some guests have written their own poetry.
According to a 1923 Roycroft advertisement: “The sleeping-rooms of The Roycroft Inn are not numbered. Each room bears the name of one of the world’s great; and the furnishings are carried out in harmony with the character of the personages the room is named for.” While Elbert was on Campus he would call guests by the name of their room – so you could be Cleopatra or Socrates or Ruskin, et al for the duration of your stay. (https://roycroftcampuscorporation.typepad.com/roycroftcampuscorporation/2013/06/what-do-bronte-socrates-paganini-have-in-common.html)
The book is in very good condition, the best of the 3 original guest books in my shop, with the suede spine intact, suede faded as usual, light wear to suede inside cover, binding and all pagest intact. A one-of-a-kind historical goldmine!
