First edition of this seminal work on marbling by the Budapest based bookbinder and marbler Josef Halfer. Original stamped cloth, with gilt on the cover and spine. Near fine. Completely uncommon in this original condition.

This edition was first published without specimen papers; the second edition of 1891 had specimens. "The Halfer system is so important that marbling history is broken at this point, and referred to as pre-Halferian and post-Halferian marbling. The advantages of the Halfer system were two-fold: freed of the laborious preparation of colors, and with standardized colors, marblers could produce more work; and secondly, the use of carragheen size allowed finer detail in marbling" (Easton, Marbling, a history, pp. 78-9). See also R. Wolfe, Marbled Paper, 1990, pp. 124-30.