Dog Day Afternoon

Photographer William Wegman will visit Beasley’s Bookbindery to raise money for man’s best friend.

By: Susan Van Dongen

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TIMEOFF PHOTOS/FRANK WOJCIECHOWSKI
A portrait of Beasley, namesake for the bookbindery in Frenchtown


   Beasley rules.
   That’s the first thing you need to know about Beasley’s Bookbindery on Harrison Street in Frenchtown. He is the king of all he surveys from his comfy dog bed, tucked away in a quiet corner of the store.
   Beasley, a pug with an engaging, laid-back manner, is the namesake for the business, which binds, restores and repairs books, particularly family heirlooms in need of tender-loving care. The bookbindery also carries fine stationery, handmade books and journals, desk accessories, writing implements and bookish gifts.

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Beasley in bed


   It’s good to be doggie king, too, because all the work is left to the humans who run the place, owners Jay Greif and Marvin Piland, who opened the store June 3, 2003.
   After hosting a successful appearance by famous illustrator Hilary Knight — he drew the precocious Eloise in that series of books — Mr. Greif and Mr. Piland wanted to bring another book world celebrity to Beasley’s Bookbindery. They planned to make it a benefit for their animal loving friend Jane Dunn and Carriage House Kennels, destroyed by a fire in November.

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Jay Greif (left) and Marvin Piland with Beasley


   That’s how they caught the interest of William Wegman, the lensman who has made an international career out of adorning and photographing his weimaraners. He’s coming to Beasley’s Bookbindery May 21 to sign his books, including the latest, Dress Up Batty and Chip Wants a Dog (Hyperion), two exercises in canine whimsy.
   Dress Up Batty is another in Mr. Wegman’s series of signature anthropomorphism where Batty the dog models attire for the opera, a glitzy night at the clubs, a garden party and a gala. Bright and beautifully engineered, it’s like a little girl’s dress-up-doll book, filled with pop-ups, cut-outs and stickers. One page has a special wheel inserted in the page. When you turn it, a different designer pocketbook shows up in the space next to Batty’s "hand," so you can accessorize her.
   Other volumes available at Beasley’s include Fashion Photographs and Polaroids (both Harry N. Abrams), Puppies and Wegmanology (both Hyperion).

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Although the owners of Beasley’s Bookbindery support dogly causes, the main business is book repair (above and below right).


   "At first we thought, ‘He’s way too busy to come to Frenchtown,’" Mr. Greif says. But they wrote a beautiful letter, mentioning the appeal for the kennel, the many dog lovers in the community and, of course, the fact that Beasley would be there too. Wouldn’t it be great if the princely pug could meet some of those famously photogenic pooches?
   "To our surprise and delight, William Wegman said yes," Mr. Greif says. "He’ll be here and so will Bobbin — one of the dogs."
   Along with Chundo, Chip, Crooky and Battina (Batty), Bobbin is a descendant of the late Fay Wray

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, whose visage was immortalized by Mr. Wegman’s large format Polaroids.
   It all began in 1970, with a dog who came into Mr. Wegman’s life when he was teaching at California State College in Long Beach. Man Ray, the weimaraner known for his deadpan presence, became a central figure in Mr. Wegman’s photographs and videos.
   Man and dog moved to New York in 1972 and continued a collaboration that lasted for 12 years. In 1986, Mr. Wegman got Fay Wray and launched the canine into fabulousness with his "fashion" photography and Polaroids.
   Mr. Wegman published a number of books about his life with Fay and her offspring. He’s also created a series of film and video works for Saturday Night Live, Nickelodeon and Sesame Street as well as numerous children’s books based on fairy tales and his own stories. The first of these was Cinderella (Hyperion), which starred the ingenue Battina in the title role, Fay as her evil stepmother and Chundo as Prince Charming.

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Descendants of Fay Wray (above and below left), photographed by William Wegman.


   The photographer and dog-lover divides his time between New York and Maine, and has exhibited his work internationally. His most recent exhibitions include traveling retrospectives in Japan and Sweden as well as the show William Wegman: Fashion Photographs, which journeyed through North America. Mr. Wegman has shown recent photographic and video work with Pace MacGill in New York and Grant Selwyn in Los Angeles. Next spring, a retrospective curated by Joan Simon will begin a two-year tour, opening at the Brooklyn Museum.
   Mr. Greif notes that Mr. Wegman has a large staff — more than 20 people might be in the studio to assist him. Even so, you have to give the weimaraners a lot of pats on the head for good behavior.
   "The dogs are very well-trained and have a great deal of patience," Mr. Greif says. "But you get the sense they also enjoy ‘the event.’ They all have a wonderful attitude but Fay Wray had a great hauteur."

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   Both men appreciate the artistry and planning in Mr. Wegman’s photography, perhaps because of their varied careers in commercial art, advertising, high-end retail and fine stationery. Mr. Greif says he got his foot in the door with graphics working his way through college in the art department at The New York Times in the 1950s.
   He had a place in the city and came to Hunterdon County on the weekends, settling into the old Everitt family homestead near Frenchtown about 35 years ago. The two men often talked about leaving the corporate world to start a business and considered a bookstore, but were discouraged by the competition from giants like Borders.
   "I thought of a bookbindery," Mr. Grief says. "Driving through the area, I noticed all the old farms around here and figured every one of these families has several heirloom books — probably held together by rubber bands — that need to be restored, especially cookbooks and family Bibles. Last year we had 200 binding projects."
   The store is quiet and refined. Classic jazz and vocals mix with the occasional sound of Beasley snoring in his dog bed. Much of the elegant merchandise seems to be in earth tones like fawn, soft brown, black and white. Mr. Greif says even the colors are an homage to Beasley — they match his coloration.
   In addition to Mr. Wegman’s appearance, Mr. Greif, Mr. Piland and the Friends of Carriage House Kennels will sponsor Swing Time, a benefit silent auction and dinner/dance at Razberry’s in Flemington May 21.
   "We want to help this community resource be rebuilt in order to continue its care and nurturing of animals for many years to come," Mr. Piland says.
   "The kennel was unique," Mr. Greif says. "There was always music being played. Jane walked the dogs herself every day. Sometimes she’d take her knitting and sit with them. She just has a great sense of animals."
William Wegman will sign copies of his books at Beasley’s Bookbindery, 106 Harrison St., Frenchtown, May 21, noon-4 p.m. Money raised will be used to help rebuild Carriage House Kennels. The benefit for the kennel continues with a silent auction and dinner/dance at Razberry’s, Route 12, Frenchtown, 7:30-11:30 p.m., featuring Terry ‘A’ & his All-Stars. Admission to the dinner/dance costs $85. For information, call (908) 996-9993. On the Web: www.beasleysbookbindery.com