Daniel Gibson Knowlton
Encyclopedia
Daniel Gibson Knowlton was an American classicist
bookbinder
at Brown University
. Knowlton is the nephew of illustrator Charles Dana Gibson
and a descendant of Plymouth Colony
governor William Bradford.
, and Josephine Gibson Knowlton, the sister of renowned graphic artist and former Life
magazine publisher Charles Dana Gibson. He is the great-great-grandson of U.S. Senator James DeWolf and the great-great-great-grandson of U.S. Senator William Bradford. At the age of four, he took a short flight with Charles Lindbergh
, making him the youngest person to have flown with the aviation pioneer at that time. In 1928, he met President Herbert Hoover
in the White House
. At age 7, Knowlton was diagnosed with mastoiditis
and endured operations that were only temporarily successful. His hearing disability
was later corrected with the introduction of the hearing aid
.
Knowlton studied bookbinding in Washington, D.C.
under Marion Lane, who was trained by preeminent binder Francis Sangorski of London
. In 1935, He acquired bookbinding equipment from a woman who was about to sell her bindery to the Library of Congress
.
On October 19, 1949, Knowlton married Lavina "Nina" Fales of Bristol, Rhode Island
in a ceremony held at his family's historic Longfield House
. They had two children, Jean Catherine Knowlton and Daniel Charles Knowlton. In 1969, he inherited Longfield from his mother and passed on the house in 1972, when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
. That year, he started work at John Carter Brown Library
at Brown University, which had been without an in-house bookbinder for 40 years. Over the years, he worked at the Annmary Brown, Rockefeller
, and John Hay
libraries across the campus.
In the early 1970s, Knowlton acquired Markey & Asplund Bookbinders from the Asplund family in Providence, Rhode Island
. He expanded the bindery's operations by offering restoration services. Knowlton attracted apprentices of hand binding and offered certificates for his classes. His students included Karen Dugan, Christine Merrikin Musser, Richard Minsky
and Eric Zimmerman. Knowlton had met Minsky in 1968 at Brown University. Knowlton exhibited his work at the Center for Book Arts
, founded by Minsky in 1974. In 1981, Knowlton sold the bindery to Eric and Kenda Zimmerman.
Knowlton retired from Brown University in 1992. He has continued to work and teach bookbinding part-time at his Longfield Studio in Bristol.
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
bookbinder
Bookbinding
Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block.-Origins of the book:...
at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
. Knowlton is the nephew of illustrator Charles Dana Gibson
Charles Dana Gibson
Charles Dana Gibson was an American graphic artist, best known for his creation of the Gibson Girl, an iconic representation of the beautiful and independent American woman at the turn of the 20th century....
and a descendant of Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
governor William Bradford.
Biography
Daniel Gibson Knowlton was born to Daniel W. Knowlton, assistant chief of counsel to the Interstate Commerce CommissionInterstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
, and Josephine Gibson Knowlton, the sister of renowned graphic artist and former Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine publisher Charles Dana Gibson. He is the great-great-grandson of U.S. Senator James DeWolf and the great-great-great-grandson of U.S. Senator William Bradford. At the age of four, he took a short flight with Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
, making him the youngest person to have flown with the aviation pioneer at that time. In 1928, he met President Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
in the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. At age 7, Knowlton was diagnosed with mastoiditis
Mastoiditis
Mastoiditis is an infection of mastoid process, the portion of the temporal bone of the skull that is behind the ear which contains open, air-containing spaces. It is usually caused by untreated acute otitis media and used to be a leading cause of child mortality. With the development of...
and endured operations that were only temporarily successful. His hearing disability
Hearing impairment
-Definition:Deafness is the inability for the ear to interpret certain or all frequencies of sound.-Environmental Situations:Deafness can be caused by environmental situations such as noise, trauma, or other ear defections...
was later corrected with the introduction of the hearing aid
Hearing aid
A hearing aid is an electroacoustic device which typically fits in or behind the wearer's ear, and is designed to amplify and modulate sound for the wearer. Earlier devices, known as "ear trumpets" or "ear horns", were passive funnel-like amplification cones designed to gather sound energy and...
.
Knowlton studied bookbinding in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
under Marion Lane, who was trained by preeminent binder Francis Sangorski of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1935, He acquired bookbinding equipment from a woman who was about to sell her bindery to the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.
On October 19, 1949, Knowlton married Lavina "Nina" Fales of Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol is a town in and the historic county seat of Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 22,954 at the 2010 census. Bristol, a deepwater seaport, is named after Bristol, England....
in a ceremony held at his family's historic Longfield House
Longfield (Bristol, Rhode Island)
Longfield is an historic house at 1200 Hope Street in Bristol, Rhode Island.-History:The house was designed in 1848 by architect Russell Warren on sixty acres of DeWolf family land given to Charles Dana Gibson upon his marriage to Abbey DeWolf, the daughter of the late Senator James DeWolf...
. They had two children, Jean Catherine Knowlton and Daniel Charles Knowlton. In 1969, he inherited Longfield from his mother and passed on the house in 1972, when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Bookbinding work
In 1956, Knowlton became a member of the Guild of BookworkersGuild of Bookworkers
Founded in 1906, the Guild of Book Workers is an organization registered in New York City which promotes the craft of bookbinding, conservation, and the Book Arts. Membership in the Guild is common, though not universal, among American bookbinders....
. That year, he started work at John Carter Brown Library
John Carter Brown Library
The John Carter Brown Library is an independently funded research library of history and the humanities located on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island...
at Brown University, which had been without an in-house bookbinder for 40 years. Over the years, he worked at the Annmary Brown, Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, nicknamed the "Rock", is the main library at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.The library was named after John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Class of 1897. The building was constructed between 1962 and 1964....
, and John Hay
John Hay Library
The John Hay Library is the second oldest library on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Located on Prospect Street, opposite the Van Wickle Gates, it replaced the outgrown former library, now Robinson Hall, as the main library on the campus...
libraries across the campus.
In the early 1970s, Knowlton acquired Markey & Asplund Bookbinders from the Asplund family in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. He expanded the bindery's operations by offering restoration services. Knowlton attracted apprentices of hand binding and offered certificates for his classes. His students included Karen Dugan, Christine Merrikin Musser, Richard Minsky
Richard Minsky
Richard P. Minsky is an American scholar of bookbinding and a book artist. He is the founder of the Center for Book Arts in New York City.-Background:...
and Eric Zimmerman. Knowlton had met Minsky in 1968 at Brown University. Knowlton exhibited his work at the Center for Book Arts
Center for Book Arts
The Center for Book Arts in New York City is the first organization of its kind in the United States dedicated to contemporary interpretations of the book as an art object while preserving traditional practices of the art of the book....
, founded by Minsky in 1974. In 1981, Knowlton sold the bindery to Eric and Kenda Zimmerman.
Knowlton retired from Brown University in 1992. He has continued to work and teach bookbinding part-time at his Longfield Studio in Bristol.