A late Victorian Arts and Crafts electroplated cast metal book cover, designed by Miss Margaret Lilian Simpson on a commission from the council of the Art Union of London, dated 1st January 1896, modelled in relief and pierced with angels and flowing scrolls on a hammered ground, bearing marks 'Art Union of London 1st January 1896', height 24.3cm, total length 41.5cm, mounted within a glazed exhibition case, the reverse with hand written details of provenance. Note: Margaret Lilian Simpson was a student of the National School of Arts, South Kensington, under the tutelage of Edward Lanteri. This book cover won her a gold medal in the National Art Competition of 1894 and a travelling studentship in Italy. Returning a second time for further study with Miss Florence Steele, gold medallist of that year, she died of typhoid on the 21st December 1896, aged just 26. Only a small number of these book covers are known to exist; there is one version in the British Library and another in Dukes University, North Carolina. One example was exhibited in the Royal Academy in 1896 and can be seen listed on royalacademy.org.uk. Provenance: direct descent from the Simpson family.