Catalogue of the Collection of Jewels and Precious Works of Art, the Property of J. Pierpont Morgan 1910

This extravagant catalogue of J. Pierpont Morgan's jewels was assembled by George Charles Williamson, and you know, it feels like a jewel in itself. The gold detailing and the dark green leather give it an almost regal quality. I love how the mottled leather is broken up by this incredible metal clasp, complete with a regal-looking beast and a deep purple stone. The leather itself has this granular texture; it's so tactile you want to reach out and touch it. This process of layering and detailing, it's like a painter building up a canvas, stroke by stroke. The gold, the leather, the stone - it's all about richness and opulence. You can almost imagine the treasures it holds inside. It reminds me of the work of someone like Gustav Klimt, with that same love of surface decoration. Of course, art isn't about fixed meanings. It's an ongoing conversation and Williamson's catalogue adds a particularly fascinating chapter.