Mushrooms for Color

Rice, Miriam C. Mad River Press, 1980. Softbound. Illustrated by Dorothy Beebee. Photos by Sandra Metzler-Smith and Marlene Nordstrom Dassett. The second book by the pioneering pigment researcher, whose work has helped evolve the common names of at least two mushrooms: Pisolithus tinctorius, which produces colors ranging from mocha to light green, is now known as dyer's puffball, and Phaeolus schweinitzii, which yields golden oranges and yellows, is often called dyer's polypore. Rice also experimented with mushroom pulp in papermaking and crayons that were both bound and pigmented by fungi. She has signed and dated this copy to the half-title.

Tight, square, uncreased spine. Clean, unmarked interior. Some bumped corners, light edge-wear, and a small area of soiling (a dye stain?) to the front cover. 154 pp. Featured Rare & Collectible.