A master of the mysterious, Edward Gorey’s artworks and writings abound with misadventures, oddities, and oblique humor. His forays into experimental theater follow suit, and to much delight, he designed pin-back buttons to accompany them. Now coveted by collectors, these bespoke buttons—created as souvenirs for the plays, puppet shows, revues, and other “entertainments” that Gorey wrote, designed, or directed—possess a curiosity factor disproportionate to their small size. Flapping Ankles, Inverted Commas, or Tinned Lettuce? Such buttons and the shows they were based on offer send-ups of staid conventions (idiosyncratic napkin folding, anyone?) or make cryptic suggestions to “Embrace Etceterism.” But he didn’t stop there—in his trademark style Gorey both lauded and gently spoofed his beloved New York City Ballet, and even dabbled in a bit of political commentary. With each button Gorey fashioned, he put Hardcover Smyth-sewn book, with multi-layer embossed cover with spot gloss 64 pages; features more than 50 button designs by Edward Gorey • High-quality, premium stock matte art paper • Exceptional color reproduction • Printed with soy-based inks • Sewn binding ensures long-lasting enjoyment Size: 6 x 6 in. ISBN 9781087505862