1922 edition with embossed front
These images were scanned from my private collection
NO TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY- I happened across the first tatting book of Emmy Liebert and its later expanded version for a reasonable price and in great condition. The covers are really lovely, with the tatting embossed so that you can feel it if you run your fingers across it! This was done on Book II as well. I've never seen this done before and it is beautiful. I'm as impressed with the publisher, who took so much care, as I am with the designer. For that alone I was really happy to have found the originals. Emmy Liebert provides a lot of classic patterns and is generous with the photos to show how they might be used. All her samples in this book appear to be done in white thread this time, and they still look lush. She packs a lot of drama and flair into her designs. The patterns are in written (German) notation and there are no diagrams, so you would have to translate the instructions from a very ornate German font before using them if you are an English speaker.
She published during that sweet spot in American history when the needle arts had a small renaissance of designers putting out a huge volume of new designs. I believe these lovely books are proof that was also happening in other parts of the world. Lacis publications put out a paperback of Frau Liebert's collected works that is really well done and still available from some on-line sellers as of this writing. Unless you're a serious collector or also completely geek out over embossed covers, I'd find the collected reprint rather than the original German editions - much easier and cheaper. The reprint doesn't include a translation, but just getting to look at her designs is well worth the price of admission. I highly recommend any of her books.
Schiffchen-arbeiten (Frivolitaten), Band 36 (1916)
Schiffchen-arbeiten (Frivolitaten), Band 36 (1921)expanded edition
Schiffchen-arbeiten Heft II, Band 40 (1920)
Schiffchen-arbeiten Heft II, Band 40 (1922)expanded edition
In 1994, a hardcover reprint of both the 1921 expanded edition of Schiffchen-arbeiten (Frivolitaten), Band 36 and the 1920 edition of Schiffchen-arbeiten (Frivolitaten), Band 40 were published together in one volume by Weltbild Verlag GmbH, Augsburg, Germany. The ISBN: 3804302890
The Cover for the 1994 reprint:
Cover Scan courtesy of Carolyn Kotlas' private collection...