A death

It is my sad duty to inform you that Sue R. Allen, graphic artist,
independent scholar, and much beloved member of the Rare Book School
faculty for many years, died on August 25, 2011, after a short
illness. She was 93. Hers was a worthy life, well led.

Below is a memorial statement that was written by her son.

    Born in Natick, Massachusetts, on August 2, 1918, and raised in
    the Boston area, Sue was graduated from Girls' Latin School and
    the Massachusetts College of Art. As the graphic artist at the
    Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, her calendars
    and other pieces delighted readers with their clarity and
    spirited liveliness. In 1955, she married Greer Allen, then a
    designer at the University of Chicago Press, and subsequently
    University Printer at Yale; their marriage lasted almost 50
    years, until his death in 2005.

    When Sue came upon nineteenth-century American bookbindings in
    the early 1970s, she found a small, poorly organized field,
    dealing with a little-appreciated subject matter. Seeing the
    importance of preserving and valuing the books that brought mass
    literacy to the American people, Sue single-handedly defined and
    structured the field as it stands today. With her artist's eye,
    she identified the changing styles of book covers and endpapers
    over the decades from 1830 to 1910, and placed these styles in
    the context of broader changes in the decorative arts and the
    technology and economics of publishing. She also highlighted the
    work of artists, designers, binders, and publishers,
    particularly the hitherto little-known work of engraver John
    Feely and agricultural publisher Orange Judd.

    Among the longest-serving instructors at Rare Book School,
    having taught from its founding at Columbia University, Sue
    inspired hundreds of librarians, conservators, book dealers, and
    collectors as she taught them about the bookbindings that became
    her passion. Her deep knowledge of the subject matter and her
    lively, engaging style won her the love, admiration, and loyalty
    of her students and others in the field.

    Author and coauthor of several articles about nineteenth-century
    American bookbindings, Sue was nearing completion of her
    long-awaited book on the subject at the time of her death. In
    accordance with Sue's wishes, her son John will be contacting
    several friends and former students familiar with her work to
    assist in finishing the book.

    At her son's instructions, in lieu of flowers, donations may be
    made to The Sue Allen Fund, Rare Book School, Attn: Danielle
    Culpepper, P. O. Box 400103, University of Virginia,
    Charlottesville, VA 22904-4103 via check payable to Rare Book
    School.

    As we condole with each other at this sad news, let us remember
    with gratitude all that Sue has done over many years to enliven
    and enrich the book community. Her great legacy now lives in her
    students and friends.

Michael F. Suarez, S.J.
Director, Rare Book School


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 25:12
                 Distributed: Tuesday, August 30, 2011
                       Message Id: cdl-25-12-001
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