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Let's take a look at what I believe to be the finest and most beautiful pew missal produced in the US before the Council — the 1957 Maryknoll "Daily Missal of the Mystical Body."
As you can see above, it's bound in supple Morocco leather. More than sixty years later and it's not deteriorating at all. The endsheets are a robust watered black fabric (silk?) and the gilding is high quality (though admittedly not of the highest possible quality).
For ease of use, the very first page you see contains the prayers before Mass. These are put even before the title page.
The title page itself. As you can see the publishers are Kenedy and Sons. And the artwork throughout is consistent — it's all beautiful Beuronese, a supremely appropriate choice for a liturgical volume.
The table of contents reveals that this is more than a pew missal. It's a liturgical catechesis and a manual of prayers.
Every liturgical season begins with an essay explaining the theological theme of that time in the Church's year of grace.
You'll want a good look at the many full-color plates of artwork that ennoble this missal.
There's more! (And more than this, too.)
Another example of the theological content of this missal, and an illustration of its more simple black and white line art.
One of the best features of this missal is the way it treats the Ordinary of the Mass. It's all in large, distinctive type, laid out beautifully and with copious decoration.
They even include illustrations of the priest's posture at various key parts of the ceremony so you can be sure of following along accurately and understanding the liturgical gestures being made.
The final sections are full of catechetical reference material. One of the great losses of the use of these missals is that Catholics no longer own, let along carry around with them, this kind of simple spiritual manual.
If there is any more thoughtfully and beautifully laid out missal designed for the laity, I haven't seen it. If you know of a better one, tell me!
