For Christians, today, 2 November, is celebrated as All Souls' Day—the day when "all the faithful departed" are commemorated and prayed for. Yesterday, on All Saints' Day (1 November), all the saints were remembered, honored and celebrated. All Souls' Day is the third and final day of the Allhallowtide triduum.
In Mexico, All Souls' Day takes on a specific and festive demeanor, known as Dia de los Muertos, "The Day of the Dead." Prayer and remembrance are blended with joyful celebration and ghoulish merriment.
The bookends, shown above, show a bas relief monk-scribe, bent over his Illuminated Manuscript. He is centered within a handsome "proscenium archway" decorated with rich, scrolling botanical elements and a pair of dolphins at the top. They were made in the Twenties or Thirties by Bradley & Hubbard in Meriden, Connecticut. Click on the photo to learn more about these handsome and uncommon bookends.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248