New Acquisitions 2024

Happy New Year! Let me start.

Just ordered what seems to be the last book designed by Bruce Rogers - The Life of Saint George Printed from the Golden Legend of William Caxton (New Fairfield, Conn: Bruce Rogers, 1957). Edition limited to 300 copies. Printed at the Thistle Press, in New York City, on Ingres d'Arches paper. Bound by Frank Fortney in navy cloth, with a gilt-stamped title to spine, and the shield of St. George printed on sides. Illustrated with a large roundel of Saint George by Valenti Angelo in red and gold.

>1 Lukas1990: Good man! Nothing like starting the year’s purchasing as soon as possible!! Happy New Year!

>2 ChestnutPress: Greetings from Vilnius, Lithuania. I have some more books that I'm bidding on, so stay tuned. And wait for photos of my laaarge Bruce Rogers Bible! It's almost 24 lbs!!!

>3 Lukas1990: Attaboy, Lukas! Keep up the goodness!!

My first book of the year arrived — the Petrarch Press Gospel According to Phillip. As one would expect, it's lovely.

>5 gmacaree: Yes, it is!

It appears the post-holiday package logjam has cleared, as several new books arrived today.

• What a Word Dreamt (Sutton Hoo Press)
  
• Eight chapbooks from Bonnefant Press
  
• Five chapbooks from Limberlost Press
  
• Psycho AE (Suntup Editions)
  

And as a nice surprise, both Bonnefant and Limberlost included extra books in the orders. First time acquisitions from both presses, I intend to return for more.

Feels like a nice start to 2024.

I’ve started off the new year by receiving my copies of The Crocodile (CP), Speaking of Accidents (SHP), and Arden of Feversham (TBP).

Speaking of Arden of Feversham, what author do others use when cataloging this work? Anonymous, Thomas Kyd, Christopher Marlowe, or Shakespeare?

First purchases of the new year (from the second-hand market) have arrived: David Butcher. British Private Press Prospectuses. 1891-2001. The Whittington Press, 2001. One of 260 copies out of a total edition of 350 copies. (I also picked up the Folio Society's The Lady of Shalott, as I wanted the Howard Phipps wood engravings).

>9 TheTotalLibrarian: British Private Press Prospectuses is a superb read!

>9 TheTotalLibrarian: (I also picked up the Folio Society's The Lady of Shalott, as I wanted the Howard Phipps wood engravings).

Part of the 7-book Folio Miniature Series and reviewed on the FSD forum here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/266299

>11 mr.philistine: Thank you!

>10 ChestnutPress: I'm really looking forward to reading it.

Wow, Splisticks & Multiples (FP) is really large and heavy!

>14 kdweber: I've put mine on a bottom shelf so as to avoid a biblioclastic collapse!

Ordered from Switzerland:

Die Passion Christi: Zwolf Kupferstiche (Berlin: Amsler & Ruthardt, 1921). This book contains the twelve leaves of Martin Schongauer's copperplate Passion in hand-printed prints that are true to the original.

Rumour has it that the book has already landed on Lithuanian soil. Should get it in a couple of days or so. Sorry, I am hyped up.

I have added a few very nice little bits to my shelves so far:

Gary Young ‘No Harm Done’ (Sutton Hoo Press)

Delmira Agustini ‘A Flock of Scarlet Doves’ (Sutton Hoo Press)

The four latest ‘Quire’ pieces, plus a special bound copy of ‘Quire 13’ (The Last Press)

Emily Dickinson ‘Death’ (No Reply Press)

E. Ethelbert Miller ‘Buddha Weeping in Winter’ (Red Dragon Press)

Jeffrey Turner ‘The Angled Boat’ signed special (Mandeville Press)

Jeffrey Turner ‘Smock Mill’ signed special (Mandeville Press)

Martin Trowell ‘For Those in Peril’ (Libanus Press)

I have been after that last one (the first publication from Michael Mitchell’s superb Libanus Press) for years!!!

>18 ChestnutPress: Good stuff, just got the latest Quires myself. Put in an order today as well, including what will be my first Tern Press book.

>19 Shadekeep: can’t really go wrong with Chad’s work. It’s marvellous!

What’s your first Tern Press purchase?

>20 ChestnutPress: I've ordered a copy of The Hountyng of the Chivyat. Appeals to my archaic interests. 🏰

And you really should grab What a Word Dreamt soon, it's beauteous.

>21 Shadekeep: ‘What a Word Dreamt’ is next up on my wanted list from Chad

My first fine press books have started to trickle in and I read my first yesterday. No Reply's The Last Question by Isaac Asimov. I loved it. A good story, letterpress, excellent illustrations by Rockwell Kent, a beautifully bound and presented book with smart slipcase to boot. The only quibble is no matter how much I paused to appreciate it the 30 odd pages flew by. Fortunately it's a book I will enjoy re-reading.

If The One Who Walks Away from Omelas is as good this man may well return for the last of the trilogy.

>23 Pendrainllwyn: I really like Griffin’s edition of The Last Question too!

Just placed a long overdue second order to Old Stile Press:

The Journey of Thomas the Rhymer
Faithful John
The Last Poems of Alice Meynell
The Mare’s Tale

Still a couple more they have in stock that I'd like, but holding off on those until I feel really spendy.

New acquisition 😈

The Beginning of the World: Twenty-Five Pictures by Edward Burne-Jones (London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1902). 1st Edition, 4to (9¾ - 12" tall). Printed on hand-made paper at Chiswick Press.

The Beginning of the World is a series of designs to illustrate the first chapters of Genesis, and were intended to have been part of Kelmscott Press Biblia Innocentium. Burne-Jones was originally to have designed 200 or so wood-engravings for this edition, however only 25 were ever completed and none appeared until 1902 when his widow Georgiana and assistant Stephen Catterson-Smith prepared them for publishing.

I was looking for a copy in acceptable condition for quite some time. I have never seen a copy in better than Very Good condition. Mine is probably no better than VG but it is the best copy I've seen and the price was good. As a bonus there's a beautiful and probably early bookplate by Eric Gill. Will post photos when I receive the book.

Received my deluxe edition of Factotum Pers' latest, Het twistgesprek tussen de vlieg en de mier. In spite of only having a smattering of Dutch in my vocabulary, the book is so splendid that I'm sorely tempted to try reading it with a translation dictionary at hand. Once again Geert proves to be a printer par excellence.

Also received Tern Press' The Hountyng of the Chivyat. The cover is in subpar condition, with sunning and light cracking, but the interior is beautifully made. I can see why Tern Press gets such acclaim.

I just received Donner Miscellany (The Book Club of California), printed by Allen Press. Nicely designed item, looking forward to reading it.

>28 Shadekeep: If you like that, you might try The Diary of Patrick Breen, also a BCC book printed by the LD Allen Press and a nice complement to the Donner Miscellany volume.

>29 Chemren: Thank you for the recommendation, it does look like a good addition. I also like that it's introduced by George R. Stewart.

>30 Shadekeep: Neither Donner volume really tells the full story. Stewart's Ordeal by Hunger (1936) provides helpful context. I picked that up on Kindle when I bought the other two volumes.

On the way and should be here in a few days as it hit Billings today:

Sutton Hoo Press: What a Word Dreamt.

Anticipation is keeping me ... antsy.

Though it does not find much favour here on account of the translation, I am pleased to await what looks like a fine copy of the Nonesuch Press Florio’s Montaigne, my first Nonesuch purchase and reasonably priced. I look forward to examining the binding.

>33 GusLogan: I have this book and it's true what they say the translation is…challenging. But I hold on to them because not only do the bindings look attractive on the shelf, but also I find the typographic design to be most pleasing indeed. That alone is reason enough to make me take them down and peruse them every now and then. I hope you enjoy!

>1 Lukas1990: Cute little book has arrived today.

>35 Lukas1990: Very cool. I'd love to see more pages from this one.

>36 SuttonHooPress: The book consists of only 14 pages with text and some blank pages. Any specific requests? More photos of the text?

>37 Lukas1990: Yes please. And a title page? I love small books.

The Old Stile Press books from >25 Shadekeep: arrived, quite pleased with them. Was immediately taken with The Journey of Thomas the Rhymer, though all four are worthwhile. I think The Mare’s Tale has the potential to be the most curious and interesting of the volumes in its way.

I received my copy of All Around the Block today from the Fleece press and am delighted with what I have read of it so far.

The Fleece press is a rabbit hole I have went down (and along with No Reply) is the publisher that has impressed me the most. However whilst No Reply has published works that are of interest to me, Simon Lawrence published works that I didn’t have a clue about, but I ended enjoyed up enjoying all of them. I have a near complete collection of the Fleece press (the caveat is I don’t collect the miniatures) and I have also been acquiring pieces of ephemera, so it is possible that this bibliography appeals to me more than it would to someone who is new to the press, however I believe that anyone would be impressed with this.

This is a wonderful way to finish the Fleece press on a high note.

>40 DMulvee: Simon Lawrence published works that I didn’t have a clue about, but I ended enjoyed up enjoying all of them.

A pretty perfect one-line summation of the Fleece Press experience. Simon's work isn't stuff I'm automatically drawn to in my fine press searches, yet every one of his books is a delight. I confess to somewhat compulsively collecting them as well. And there is both artistic and technical beauty to his books, of a kind only a few other presses I collect display in equal measure.

>40 DMulvee: "Simon Lawrence published works that I didn’t have a clue about, but I ended enjoyed up enjoying all of them".

This completely matches my experience too. I've only been collecting fine press books for about 18 months or so but I have been lucky enough to pick up about half the books and a couple of hundred pieces of ephemera from the Fleece Press. It's all given me a great deal of pleasure and I'm learning something new all the time. My copy of All Around the Block is coming on Friday and I can't wait to see it.

>38 SuttonHooPress: Here's some more:

>43 Lukas1990: Yes!. Thank you. Really beautiful.

My copy of Black Tudor Press's Arden of Feversham arrived today, standard edition. It's my first book from that publisher and I am super impressed - overall fantastic execution and a very reasonable price relative to other offerings out there. The Fleur de Lis marbled paper boards with quarter bound leather is an extraordinary combination. They are definitely on my radar for future publications.

What great acquisitions above!

Just received Windhover Press' _Forked Branches_ by Ezra Pound. (Translations of Medieval Poems)

and

Abattoir Editions' _A Thousand Little Things and Other Poems_ by Norman Dubie (with drawing by Keith Achepohl)

I have been enjoying my recent dips into Windhover Press and Abattoir Editions for some (financially) accessible letterpress poetry editions from the '60s, '70s, and '80s.

Looking forward to hearing more from others.

>46 abgreens: "Looking forward to hearing more from others."

I can recommend Tess Gallagher's books from Graywolf Press. Specifically, Instructions to the Double (h/c, 1976) and Under Stars (h/c, 1978). Both were issued in wrappers as well, but you don't want those, do you? Both of these h/c books are well worth owning. Scott Walker (founder/proprietor) took his printing seriously. And Gallagher's verse is pretty darn good as well.

Also from Graywolf, Richard Hugo's Rain Five Days and I Love It. This was issued in hardcover which is virtually impossible to find and very pricey when found and also in wrappers (512 copies). The latter came in two flavors: a small number (I don't remember how many precisely) were signed and the remainder were unsigned.

The focus of Graywolf (as well as their neighbor, Copper Canyon) was on the poetry and not on the printing. While well-printed letterpress books (Graywolf being the better of the two IMHO), I consider these two presses as primarily literary presses.

Be aware that Graywolf switched to offset ca. 1982 and Copper Canyon did as well about the same time. Both are still active, but are non-profit literary trade publishers now.

>46 abgreens: Both Windhover Press and Abattoir Editions (along with Kim Merker’s other imprint, Stone Wall Press, and Harry Duncan’s other imprint, Cummington Press) are excellent choices when you want to pick up great fine press. Both printers were exceptional typographers and pressmen of rare printing skill. Plus, the texts they chose to print are generally great too. And, as you say, they are (for the most part) affordable, and as such are proof that you don’t need to spend a fortune to own beautiful fine press. I hope you delve much further into their back catalogues!

>45 LBShoreBook: Glad to hear it! Hugh does such stunning medieval-style work. You may wish to check out his Lohengrin - A Tale of the Swan Knight, a few standard editions still remain in stock.

>46 abgreens: I concur with Glacierman and ChestnutPress, Merker and Duncan are both excellent printers to get into. Their chapbooks especially make for affordable acquisitions. From Windhover I personally recommend Countrée/Country, Thrymskvitha, and Völuspá: The Song Of The Sybil, though none of their works disappoint. A particularly choice volume from them is Robert the Devil, but it can be difficult and costly to find. I was fortunate to be able to purchase it from one of Merker's daughters.

>47 Glacierman: Glacierman: Thanks for the referral to Gray Wolf, which I hadn't realized had a time as a fine press!

>48 ChestnutPress: Chestnut Press: Thanks for the affirmation and addition of the other two presses.

>49 Shadekeep: Shadekeep: Thanks for the specific Windhover suggestions

>All Thanks for all the welcoming info and the other conversational threads I have been reading through...

Just wondering if there's a secret forest of money-growing trees to harvest so I can buy all the books I am seeing on all the threads. (Just Kidding).

Looking forward to CODEX in Oakland (which is very close to where I live).

Andrew

Bruce Roger's Bible is here! Limited Editions Club Hamlet for comparison. I will write a review and post lots of pics on weekend.

>51 Lukas1990: Niiiiiiiiiiice!

Had a friend run by the PO for me today and pick up a week's worth of mail. Among the pile of bills, etc., was a package from Chad Oness. It contained a copy of

What a Word Dreamt by Peter Everwine under Chad's Sutton Hoo Press imprint. It is a large, beautiful volume of Aztec poetry translated from the Nahuatl. It is 13.5 in high and 7.5 in wide. 136 copies, signed. Iyo Glazed handmade paper. Yummmm.

I cannot praise this book highly enough.

>51 Lukas1990: seems a little small

>51 Lukas1990: this was my idea of a book sofa: https://www.preservationequipment.com/Catalogue/Display-Products/Display-Support...

I see you have a more literal interpretation!

>55 ubiquitousuk: Haha, true! I'm in the market for a lectern now.

>53 Glacierman: It’s one I rather fancy getting too. Need to pay for a couple of other volumes and the build back my coffers a little first!

>51 Lukas1990: What a beaut! I'm a sucker for ornaments, I can only expect the rest of the book uses them as well as these pages.

>53 Glacierman: Kudos, mate, it's such a handsome tome. The other Everwine book of Aztec poetry, In the House of Light, was published by Stone Wall Press, one of the imprints from Kim Merker. It's a good companion volume, but in the case of What a Word Dreamt, I would say the student has surpassed the master.

>58 Shadekeep: https://www.librarything.com/topic/357801#n8383987

My copy of All Around the Block from the Fleece Press arrived. I was lucky to get one of the editions with the album of ephemera. It's a superb work and a real celebration of Simon Lawrence's work.

My special edition of Arden of Feversham arrived over the weekend, Roman numeral II. It really is superlative, from the contents to the binding to the case. At the moment I'd say it's Hugh's finest work yet.

>60 TheTotalLibrarian: The book looks magnificent on the website but it's hard to get a feeling of the interior content. Is it just a list of Fleece Press publications with example tip-ins? Are there essays? Is it illustrated apart from the tip-ins? Printed letterpress? Photos would be appreciated if anyone can provide any? Thanks!

>61 Shadekeep: I second that. Really like that handmade Fabriano paper too.

>62 Levin40: I'm not the world's greatest photographer so hopefully a few words can do it justice!

It isn't just a list of Fleece Press publications. There is a Foreword by Sebastian Carter; there is then a section: Publishing and Printing at the Fleece Press by Simon Lawrence. Then comes the bibliography. It's split into two parts - the books and then the printed ephemera. Following that there is a section on 'Tentative Plans & Unfinished Projects'. I've only read about half the book so far but pretty much each entry has all the bibliographic information followed by a commentary about the production of each of the books.

The book is illustrated with tip-ins and other illustrations (photographs, etc).

From the bibliography: "Text computer-set in Miller Display, printed by offset lithography at J.W. Northend. (On Munken Pure paper) Title page cartouches for albums in the B and C editions drawn in 1932 by Claudia Guercio for Shell, inkjet printed at Ian Wright Creative with type computer-set in Miller Display. 310 copies bound at Ludlow Bookbinders".

I think it is brilliant, and looks even better in hand. Dangerous though, it's already acting as a bit of a shopping list! I hope this helps but let me know if you need more information. Hopefully someone will be able to post pictures.

>64 TheTotalLibrarian: Thanks very much! I'm seriously considering this. Shame it's not letterpress (I had thought that all Fleece Press productions were) but I suppose that if it contains many illustrations and photos then litho printing was the correct way to go. The concept sounds a little like Nomad's Pages from Presses.

Phisicke Against Fortune (Foolscap Press, 1993). One of 40 specially bound copies 😈

And an early Bargain of the Year candidate - Caelica (Gregynog Press, 1936). One of 225 copies, hand-set type, printed on unbleached Arnold hand-made paper, dark green oasis morocco over patterned boards, matching dark green oasis corner tips. The book is ex-library but the only sign of this is a little stamp on the frontpage. Apparently, not many library visitors were interested in reading Fulke Greville's poems. I would rate the condition as VG+. Price? 10 US dollars! The lowest asking price for this book that I can find at the moment is 280$ and that particular copy is in much worse condition than mine.

Also waiting for Works of Epicurus (Limited Editions Club, 1947).

Received The Hyphen is a Dagger; Guillaume XI from Nomad Letterpress, Roman numeral III of the special editions. That is one big footprint. Probably should have guessed, given it's printed in a variety of wooden typefaces. It's as tall and wide as Openbaring van Johannes from Factotum Pers, though thinner. I like it, and it's certainly more than I expected for the price. I'm wondering if Pat sent the wrong edition, since I only paid £66 with shipping.

>67 Shadekeep: Sounds like it. The roman numeral copies (which also have a hard cover rather than paper wraps) are listed at £150. That's how much I paid for my copy.

Anyway, thanks for your post. You reminded me that I have been meaning to order it for some time and finally got round to it, thankfully before the specials went out of print.

Not fine press per se, but still of interest to me, I ordered a copy of A History of the Gregynog Press by Dorothy Harrop (Private Libraries Association, 1980). This was published in a total edition of 2500 copies, only 750 of which were for sale, with 100 copies signed by the author. This copy is unsigned.

Of course, like most press histories, it includes a bibliography of books produced and a checklist of ephemera.

From the introduction: "The two most outstanding features of the Gregynog Press are the lack of knowledge or skill on the part of the owners and the fact that all aspects of the books' design and making were carried out under one roof."

Margaret and Gwendoline Davies owned the press, but had nothing to do with the production beyond giving the OK to what the staff came up with. Of course, they also financed the operation. This alone makes it worth studying, because Gregynog operated in complete contrast to its contemporaries which were all the product of and bore the stamp of their owners.

I am always interested in learning about the presses that turn out the books we love.

>68 ubiquitousuk: Ah, I definitely lucked out then, as this most certainly is a hardcover. I had provisionally listed it as a chapbook when I ordered it, hence my surprise when it arrived.

Glad the post helped you order your own copy!

>69 Glacierman: Found this while researching Gregynog Press:

https://www.princeton.edu/~graphicarts/2012/01/george_fisher_bindings.html

>71 Lukas1990: Those superb bindings is one thing that the original Gregynog was known for.

Do a search for "Gregynog Press" on Vialibri and see what happens.....

By the way, years after the Gregynog Press shut down, it was "resurrected" as Gwasg Gregynog, which, of course, is Welsh for 'Gregynog Press.'

>71 Lukas1990: Shaw gives himself away is one of the rare occasions where I prefer the standard to the special edition

>73 DMulvee: I love Paul Nash! Considered buying this book just for the binding.

A bunch of Gregynog titles recently showed up on eBay UK at, I think, reasonable prices. There are a couple I would like to have, but need to moderate my spending a bit.

>72 Fumble Fingers: "Crank out" is hardly a verb I would use in the context of Gwasg Gregynog as, apart from their 2023 ephemera collection (Miscellanea III - Centenary Edition), the press has been dormant for nearly a decade now. Their most recent book release is Llys Glyndŵr from 2015.

>72 Glacierman: I keep meaning to add a Gwasg Gregynog book to the collection. I can't really budget the one I'd most want, Of A Feather, but I should be able to swing Princes and Castles when the coffers refill. Always a joy to add more Hilary Paynter to the library.

>76 supercell: Thanks for the epithet. Not. Nobody's perfect and that note was done in haste just prior to going to bed. I became aware that the organization had been moribund for some time, but by that time, I was too tired to GAF, so I edited it just now to make you happy. :-D

I just received War and Peace by Kalashnikov. This was printed by the Libanus press for the Society of Wood Engravers in 1991.

I like it, though am unsure what the difference between this and the Primrose Academy 1994 Dostoevsky Suite by Kalashnikov is.

>78 Fumble Fingers: You're welcome, although I merely did as requested (took a while to figure out how to code that, though).

>80 supercell: OK, OK. I get it. You have a very twisted sense of humor. I like it. :-D

Breaking my self-imposed moratorium on buying new books (I'm saving up for something big!), I just received a copy of "Six Prose Pieces" by Robert Duncan (Perishable Press, 1966). It was listed for around $200, no pictures, and there was some information missing from the listing: most notably for me, the publisher. But I took what I felt like was a pretty safe gamble and got rewarded. Not only is it one of an edition of only seventy, but also Duncan signed it (although his signature is not called for). It's in better condition than just "fair," which was how the seller described it.

This is only Walter Hamady's sixth book, printed on his own handmade paper, which in 1967 he started calling "Shadwell." Uncharacteristic of the next 44 years of Hamady's work, this one is printed on a Washington in Goudy Old Style. Hamady's teacher of the iron press, Robert Runser, allowed him to print on his Washington before Hamady bought his non-electric Vandercook SP-15. I suspect the type was also Runser's, who at some point gave Hamady a bunch of Palatino (claiming it was too modern for Runser), which would be the typeface that Hamady printed almost all his books in for ~10 years.

Just arrived.

Ben Franklin. Two Parables on Brotherly Love and on Tolerance. Moylan, PA: Rose Valley Press, 1971. 4.5 x 6 in.; 18 pp. One of 90 copies, more or less, printed by Mildred and Walter Kahoe in two colors. Rust-brown cloth spine over printed paper bds; printed spine label; Illus. by Janilee Middlebrooks.

Delightful little book from this private press. The paper is not specified, but is a pleasing smooth-textured laid paper. If this book is indicative of the quality of the Kahoe's efforts, then Rose Valley Press needs to be in any collection devoted to private presses. I will be adding a few more titles as I can.

>83 Glacierman: Good addition! I will look at getting something from them on my shelves at some point

>84 ChestnutPress: My only complaint is the way in which the book was cased in. They pasted the end papers to the boards, then pasted the sewn single section into that mess. Would have made better sense to wrap the end papers around the single section before sewing. Makes casing in easier with the added benefit of having all leaves open freely. But, that is a minor quibble.

Thanks to the recommendation from Glacierman, I plumped for the "instant Kahoe collection" on offer from Riverrun. I now have the following hardcovers:

The Faun's Christmas (Rose Valley Press)
The Juggler of Our Lady (Rose Valley Press)
The Legend of Saint Christopher (Rose Valley Press)
The Shoemaker's Christmas (Rose Valley Press)
Two Parables on Tolerance & on Brotherly Love by Benjamin Franklin (Rose Valley Press)
A Thousand Years In Thy Sight (Whimsie Press)

Plus chapbooks of Two Quaker Botanists, The Shoemaker's Christmas, and The Juggler of Our Lady.

The books are delightful, and the hardbounds of The Juggler of Our Lady and The Legend of Saint Christopher have especially fine covers. There's a bit of the binding eccentricity mentioned in >85 Glacierman:, as well as some cockling in a few books, but overall I am very pleased with the set. The chapbooks are still in the original envelopes and as crisp as the day they were printed.

I also took advantage of Riverrun's sale to acquire these titles:

Letters from a Portuguese Nun (Whittington Press)
Two Geese (Pentagram Press)
About Popular Culture (Palaemon Press)

The Whittington is wonderful and I'm very pleased with this fine edition. This is the first I've gotten from Palaemon Press, and I don't know how much fine press they actually did. But the marbled wraps are riveting and I plan to look for more from them.

A trip to the Post Office today yielded two more additions to my research collection, one a reference work and the other an example from a new press. I list first the reference.

Harrop, Dorothy A. A History of the Gregynog Press. (Pinner, Middlesex): Private Libraries Assoc., 1980. 2500 copies, of which 750 were for sale with 100 copies signed by the author. Mine is unsigned. Very thorough history of the Press and the people behind it. Includes a detailed bibliography of the 45 books it published and a handlist of ephemera. This is about the original Gregynog Press, not the much later re-incarnation, Gwasg Gregynog (Welsh for...Gregynog Press).

A most useful and interesting volume for anyone interested in this press and/or the history of the private press movement.

Sprague, Kurth. And Therefore With Angels. Dulverton, Somerset: The Ark Press, 1971. 9.625" x 5.5", 64 pages. "500 copies ... have been printed in Bembo type by Wordens of Cornwall Ltd., Penzance, Cornwall on paper from Grosvenor Chater & Company Ltd., London. Engravings by Abbey Process Ltd., Bath, Somerset. Binding by The Pitman Press, Bath, Somerset. Design by Kim Taylor. 1971" Bound in blue linen, gilt spine & device on front. A printed d/w was issued with the book, but my copy lacks that, which I don't really mind.

While overall, I am pleased with the book, it does suffer from what I consider an annoying fault: the binding was not done by hand, but by machine, and thus the endpapers are glued to the exterior leaves at the spine edge and the sections are also glued together along the spine edge. The spine is lined with what appears to be a thin linen to strengthen the hinge, but the end sheets in my copy, both front and rear, have separated from the text block. Were it not for that linen strip, the cover would have separated from the text block. This is poorly done and detracts severely from the quality of the final product, as the design and printing are both of high quality. If only the binding was at the same level.

The author was a poet, author and a professor at the University of Austin, Texas. He died in 2007. Among his works listed in his obit is this book, which is described as a volume of poetry, but that does not begin to describe this unusual work. I don't quite know how to describe it. It contains what purport to be excerpts from a couple of letters, including one from the author to a friend. The whole project has as its subject Gilles de Rais, Joan of Arc's comrade-in-arms, Marshal of France and confessed child murderer. The story is told in verse with sections considering the "slaughter of the innocents" and "the marshal and the maid," and much else including his arrest and trial. It is a complex work. I have yet to read it, let alone digest it, but I shall, in time.

The book is pleasingly designed and replete with "illustrations derived and adapted from reproductions of old documents and portraits." (from the colophon page). It is printed letterpress.

The printer was a commercial printer and publisher and printed books for The Ark Press from the beginning of its existence. The Ark Press was the subject of two articles in the periodical The Private Library, both titled The Ark Press. The earliest (vol. 1, no. 3, July 1957, pp 34-39) was by John Mason who quotes the proprietor Kim Taylor extensively and includes several illustrations from early Press books. The later article (vol. 4, no. 5, January 1963, pp 90-94) is by the proprietor himself and readily compliments the earlier. Both issues can be found and downloaded here.

A note about the press name. Booksellers give the name of the press variously as 'The Ark Press' and 'Out of the Ark Press.' This stems from the fact that the title pages often bear the phrase "Out of The Ark Press." Mr. Taylor used this phrase to indicate that the book had come from the Press, as in it came "out of The Ark Press." This phrase is used on p. 34 of the 1957 article (quoting Mr. Taylor): I was soon . . . planning the first books out of The Ark, but it is clear from Mr. Taylor's consistent use of The Ark Press when referring to his press in both articles that he regarded that as the actual name of the press.

>87 Glacierman: Interesting, thanks for the information on The Ark Press. I have some interest in material relating to Jeanne d'Arc and Gilles de Rais, so I've added this to the search list. A shame about the book construction, but the material contained within sounds worthwhile, and the prices I've found in listing are quite reasonable.

Just received >66 Lukas1990:. Sadly, there was a sticker with a barcode attached to the lower part of the spine. It wasn't the strongest one but still some paint from the spine peeled off while I took the sticker off... A sacrifice to the book gods, I guess. Still a nice find for 10$! The book has an interesting history - there's a dedicatory page from the Davies sisters.

>89 Lukas1990: At ten skins, there's little to quibble about!!!! What a steal!

Phisicke is finally here!!! Here's a review for those unfamiliar with the book: https://booksandvines.com/2011/09/16/phisicke-against-fortune-by-francesco-petra...

What makes my copy special is that it includes 5 hand-colored woodcuts by Hans Weiditz from the original 1532 German edition!!!

Received two more from Fine Press Poetry - the last standard of A Short Story of Falling and one of the few remaining Metamorphoses. Both are up to Andrew's usual standards, with crisp printing and wonderful illustrations. I've not been disappointed by a book from him yet (nor do I really ever expect to be).

>91 Lukas1990: Glad to see someone here ended up with that copy! I’ve had my eye on it for years, but just couldn’t justify ordering a second of this book.

>93 NathanOv: I had my eye on it for years too but not for that asking price (although those old leaves alone might be worth a couple hundred). The seller had a very good offer last year but then suddenly Pennyroyal's Frankenstein came along and I had to politely refuse until now.

>89 Lukas1990: Amazing find at that price, congratulations.

In a shrewd and calculated move to stop myself spending north of 1 000 bucks on the complete Nonesuch Press Shakespeare I have restrainédly bought two volumes of a broken set, covering, by my estimation, ”a lot of the good stuff”. eBay shipping remains a good deal across the pond.

I imagine like many others on this forum, I desire a copy of Pericles by the Barbarian press, but have been unable to procure a copy. Instead I decided to contact Simon Brett to ask if he still had a copy of the engravings he did for the book, which had been made available as a portfolio.

http://barbarianpress.com/archives/pericles-simonbrett.html

There were 21 portfolios made, and at least 1 is in a public institution as the British Museum has a copy. They consist of 60 sheets, with every sheet signed and numbered, and 98 images which were engraved on over 140 blocks, contained within a solander box:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_2012-7068-1-1-60

Whilst this would normally be artwork rather than a book, the number of illustrations and their titles really means that you get a very good grasp of the synopsis of the play without the need of words. Judging by my number, there may still be a few copies remaining, and I would highly recommend this to anyone who is considering it. The cost is £1500.

Well, thanks to a generous friend, I received the following goodies just in time for my birthday:

Rose Valley Press
The Shoemaker's Christmas
The Juggler of Our Lady

Incline Press
Life and Times of Red, Print Shop Dog

Foolscap Press
Letters from Wittenberg
Report from the Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit....
New Foolszit Roman : finally, a typeface for the rest of us

A nice gift from a good friend. Made my day!

>92 Shadekeep: many thanks for your kind comments and support of my efforts both of which are very much appreciated.

>99 AJMoorhouse: My pleasure, Andrew. I truly feel that you produce some of the most beautiful books among the active fine presses these days.

>100 Shadekeep: Beautiful and affordable, with deep and meaningful content. I'm grateful to have been introduced to Fine Press Poetry and Mr. Moorhouse.

Just received Andrew Moorehouse's _Grimoire_ and _A Clorkwork Diorama_, two of my favorites from him so far. I appreciate his choices of illustrators who match the content; the clean, handsome look of his bindings; the choice of dimensions of his books to match content and art; and the accessibility of his work. (Thanks, Andrew)

Received The role of line in art from Strawberry Press (see also https://www.librarything.com/topic/302510#8435399). Something of a hidden treasure, since I knew nothing of the press beforehand and was delighted to find some fine press Wyndham Lewis. Below are some photos from my copy (#11).






Also picked up two from The Reading Room Press. One is Ha'nacker Mill, a chapbook that ChestnutPress posted about elsewhere. The other was the last copy of A Selection of Sonnets. Quite pleased with both of those as well.

A fine volume!

>103 Shadekeep: I also have Ha’nacker Mill, I am a big fan of Miles and the Reading Room press. I have looked at The Role of Line in Art before but haven’t pulled the trigger (though I have other works from the Strawberry press), does it read well?

>105 DMulvee: Do you mean content-wise or presentationally? It certainly is lovely printing, so no worries there. I'll read it tonight and let you know what I think of the content, but I expect it to be good.

>106 Shadekeep: The contents please! I like what I have seen from the presentation

>107 DMulvee: It was a nice brisk read. The preface by Paul is as interesting as the text itself, as the book has had a difficult genesis (the original being almost completely lost in a bombing raid). As for the essay and its postscript, it is essentially the argument that the abandonment of form and representation ("line") by the French Impressionists and later movements was the moment in which art moved from excellence to banality. Hardly a novel argument, even at the time, and one has heard similar death-knells sounded at every great change. But Wyndham's typical acerbic wit makes it enjoyable to read, and I had quite a few genuine chuckles at his deft turns of phrase.

Unless some other press has gathered and printed the material since this issuance, this volume is the only truly complete edition of the book as intended, with the essay, artwork, and postscript all together. That, combined with the fine craft of the book itself, makes it a pretty unmissable buy. That Paul is also a motivated seller means that one is getting a true bargain here, provided one finds the subject matter of interest. I do, and am very happy with the purchase.

Two Allen Press titles: Temptation of St. Anthony and Essays of Montaigne.

Arion Press, Melville Selected Poems. A fine copy in very slightly worn slipcase, one of the 26 lettered copies not numbered for sale, at less than half of original issue price.

Oddly, it also joined a fine (non-sunned!) copy of the Arion Press Rilke.

The first two Arion Press editions to join the only other single Arion Press book in my collection (Paradise Lost) that I've had for a while.

A sign that I'll come across a tremendous deal on the Don Quixote soon?

>110 abysswalker: Aim for Moby Dick!

>96 GusLogan:

For someone who hangs around on this forum, I do not often feel this way, but having handled two volumes of the Nonesuch Shakespeare I do not think I can live the rest of my life without the complete set. Hoist by my own petard!

Purchased one that I've been after for a couple years, Hunkering, the Last Gabberjabb (Perishable Press, 2006). Here's a description of it from the printer and publisher, Walter Hamady:

"Here is the fade-out volume of an unforeseen series begun in 1973. It was printed on our single-owner Vandercook SP-15 in more than 285 press-runs, utilizing a numerosity of colors, typefaces and papers — hand, mould and machine made. In addition to the usual lay-ons of languid letterpressing there is an affluence of unorthodox applications. This volume has been collaged, perforated, notched, rubberstamped, drilled, ticket-punched numbered, signed, grommeted, scribed, ear-tattooed, ponce-wheeled, time-clocked, dog-eared, embossed, shorthanded, corner-rounded, elliptically trimmed and three genuine studs. In addition, there are 79 illustrations."

"Hunkering" is the eighth in the Gabberjabb series, so there are a lot of elements that appear in eights. For instance, there are eight titles, eight signatures, eight title pages, etc. There is a photo essay of Hamady's childhood family photos; a reprinting of The Quartz Crystal History of Perry Township (Perishable Press, 1979), a book set in 6-pt Sabon; an inventory of all of Hamady's type; inter alia.

When I got to the dedication page at the end of the first signature, my stomach dropped and I realized that the wait had indeed been worth it. "Hunkering" is a completely personal, awe-inspiring work of art by Walter Hamady, who I think probably has a good claim to be the greatest book artist ever.

I was talking to Chad at Sutton Hoo about some of his other works, specifically Selections from the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic, and he offered me a chance to pick up one of his remaining copies of Who's Afraid of the Tasmanian Wolf? by Kenzaburo Oe. This was made for Rainmaker Editions. I've only found one copy in the wild on Abe, at significant markup from its original price, so the chance to buy it brand new from the printer himself was too good to pass up. It's a beautifully made book in a handsome clamshell, below are some of my usual sub-par photos.





Chad still has 3 copies on hand, so reach out to him if you desire a copy as well.

>114 Shadekeep:
How much?

>115 wcarter: yeah, would be great to know the price

>115 wcarter: >116 filox: Chad cut me a special deal since I was buying a lot of his titles, including some very early work under the Soundpost imprint. The Oe originally retailed for $450, which I think is low nowadays for a work of this quality. (Obviously the lister on Abe believes the same.) Drop him a line and see what he'll let them go for (https://www.thelastpress.com/contact).

As a side note, he and I were also talking about his Maple House Fellowships program, and it turns out he is still in regular contact with Allison Quam, who founded Zumbro River Press. I was able to buy some of her work through him as well, and he picked up more to hopefully list on his site. Ask him about those if you are interested, they are very nice pieces.

>116 filox: Original price works for me, $450

A Speech Introducing Albert Einstein, Two Ponds Press, 2015. Quarter leather over paper boards, hand-made paper from Velke Losiny, housed in a (red silk?) clamshell cover. Most of their books appear geared more to art than literature, the focus of this one interested me. https://www.twopondspress.com/george-bernard-shaw

Mallette Dean + Allen Press + A typeface other than uncial (Garamond)!

The Essays of Montaigne is a real gem!

>114 Shadekeep: Thank you, thank you for posting about this. I wasn't aware that any of Kenzaburo Oe's works had been done in a fine press format. After reading your post, I immediately emailed Chad and could get one of the remaining three. As books about Japan are one of my main collecting focuses, I am very glad to be an owner of this beauty.

>121 mnmcdwl: Fab, happy to help! And I hope you enjoy the book, it's a beaut in person.

Picked up a fine press immram that I didn't know was out there until I stumbled across it in another search. It's The Sea-Crossing of Saint Brendan from Birch Brook Press. I'm familiar with the tale, just didn't know it had gotten the fine press treatment. Was actually able to get a new copy from, of all places, Amazon. And it's genuinely new, not a shady bookjacker listing. The downside is that it had three stickers on the back bottom, all of which peeled off but one which left tacky residue. Still, happy to have the book.

And if anyone has suggestions on how to safely remove sticky residue from a paper-cover book, that would be appreciated.

>123 Shadekeep: have you tried gently rubbing with a rubber eraser like Staedler?

>124 ChampagneSVP: Not yet, but a good idea, thanks!

Snagged a copy of the Grabhorn Press edition of Joan the Maid of Orleans in fine condition. It took the USPS a month to deliver it from New York to New Jersey (after having given it up for lost), but all's well that ends well....

Just won the LEC Wind in the Willows in the PBA Galleries auction. I think I got an amazing deal. I always thought this was one of the most desirable LEC books and I always see it listed in worse condition for WAY higher than I paid, so I thought I’d have competition. Maybe I’m overestimating its desirability but regardless I’m super psyched. Rackham’s illustrations and book design by Bruce Rogers…can’t get much better!

Two recent acquisitions:

1. Mark Twain's The Jumping Frog: The Private Printing of the "Jumping Frog" Story (Cheloniidae Press, 1985). Quarter green crushed morocco over gray birch-veneer boards. Fifteen wood engravings by Alan James Robinson. Of 325 copies printed on T. H. Saunders mouldmade paper by Wild Carrot Letterpress, with the wood engravings printed by Harold McGrath, this out of series copy conforms to the Deluxe edition of 50 copies.

2. Physiologus Theobaldi Episcopi De Naturis Duodecim Animalium (Indiana University Press, 1964). An elephant folio (the size is 510 x 350 mm (20 x 13 3/4") in loose sheets, held in publisher's cloth solander box. This book contains twelve lithographs and ten woodcuts by Rudy Pozzatti. The lithographs, pulled at Il Torcoliere in Rome, are printed on Cartiere Enrico Magnani Pescia. The book was designed by George Sadek. The text was hand set in Emerson type and has been printed with the woodcuts from the original blocks on Rives paper in an edition of three hundred twenty-five numbered copies by Joseph Blumenthal at The Spiral Press, New York. All copies have been signed by the artist. The book is based on a popular bestiary text attributed to Bishop Theobald of Monte Cassino (who lived in 11th century), reproduced many times in manuscript form and first printed in 1492. The English translation is by a well known scholar Willis Barnstone.

Books printed by US fine printers begin to dominate my modest collection.

>127 Nightcrawl: I saw that auction, you did very, very well! I have a copy lacking the slipcase and am looking to upgrade, but wasn't prepared to bid on anything. It's a wonderful book, my favorite of the three Rackham did for the LEC.

>129 PBB: Thank you! The slipcase included with my copy is definitely a bit worse for wear, but I find that LEC slipcases in general are very difficult to find in good clean condition.

>130 Nightcrawl: Many slipcases from the first 10 years or so are hard to find in acceptable condition. I don't know if John Henry Nash/his workers made the slipcases for his LEC books, but nice copies seem rare. Some Mardersteig ones are the same way too. But it makes finding a nice copy so much sweeter!

>128 Lukas1990: I love Emerson type. I wish I had some.

Following on from my purchase of The Sea-Crossing of Saint Brendan from Birch Brook Press, I've gone down a bit of a rabbit hole with the press now. They seem to have published a number of interesting titles, including some "books on books". Anyway, I just acquired their quirky edition of Beowulf, translated and illustrated by Bertha Rogers. It's the hardbound version of their letterpress edition, a copy that happens to be an out-of-series press copy but otherwise fine. Both the art and the translation have a kind of "cottage DIY" ethos about them, departing from the usual scholarly or famous-poet approaches.

As a side note, thanks to Rollin from Heavenly Monkey, whose suggestion for removing the adhesive from the earlier book worked a treat. He suggested gently applying lighter fluid to the adhesive with a q-tip, and sure enough it neutralised the glue and I was able to rub it off in a series of passes. No discoloration to the paper from the fluid, either. I highly recommend this approach to anyone else looking to remove sticker residue as well.

>133 Shadekeep: You used that technique on the cover or pages in the text block?

>134 ultrarightist: The back cover, where a sticker had been applied to the paper wraps. The paper is textured, not sure if that had an impact on the cleaning process.

>135 Shadekeep: Another method I have used successfully many times is to use a bit of masking tape on the affected area, give it a light rub-down, then remove it, taking the remanent adhesive with it. It sometimes takes several tries before getting it all, but that it does work. The masking tape, being designed to remove easily, does not itself leave anything on the affected surface.

>136 Glacierman: Thanks, that sounds like it should work as well, perhaps I'll give it a go next time. Lighter fluid is not something I keep on hand as often as tape.

>128 Lukas1990: It's huuuge!

>138 Lukas1990: Ha, ha. That was my reaction when receiving the Bruce Rogers World Bible. If we ever have a tsunami, I'll be safe.

Just got my first Aralia Press book ‚Planting a Sequoia’ today. Beautiful printing! Thanks for the recommendation on this forum.

I also managed to upgrade my copy of Enūma Eliš to the quarter-vellum with bugra boards. I could not decide yet whether I like it more than the copy in Hahnemühle wrappers though.

Other acquisitions this trimester:
A fine copy of Bruce Rogers‘ Odyssey. Most tissue guards are in place, with only very minor offsetting where they are missing. Binding is very good. Couldn’t be happier.

Allochronologies by Sarah Hulmsey. Clever book design but little bang for the buck.

>138 Lukas1990: Looks fab! I'd love to see some more pics :)

LEC WitW arrived today and I couldn’t be happier! The book is NF as described and it’s a gorgeous production. The illustrations are arguably the best that have ever been produced for this novel IMO, and the printing is flawless (not surprising as it was supervised by Bruce Rogers, who also designed the book and signed the colophon.)

The monthly letter was not included, so I’m wondering if anyone can tell me what kind of paper was used? It also appears that the illustrations were tipped onto a different paper than that used for the printed text, or maybe just a heavier stock of the same paper? I can’t find a watermark, but it feels handmade to me.

I would appreciate any additional info that any of the knowledgeable folks here can provide.

>142 Nightcrawl:
More information and a link to the monthly letter can be found at-
https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Groups:LIMITED_EDITIONS_CLUB

>143 wcarter: This is extremely helpful. Thank you!

>141 astropi: I will create a separate thread with lots of photos. This book is worth it.

Meanwhile, my latest acquisition is one of my holy grails - The Revelation of Saint John the Divine (Gregynog Press, 1932). Just won it at PBA Galleries auction. The binding is unevenly sunned and there's some spots of residue. Probably not attractive to serious collectors but I am OK with that. The price reflects this and wasn't THAT high.

Some crazy bidding was going on tonight. Calvino's Invisible Cities (Arion Press) comes to mind first at $5,625 (buyer's premium included). It was a war between two bidders, I believe. Cheloniidae Press' Jumping Frog at $562.50 (buyer's premium included) also made me shake my head.

>145 Lukas1990: I bid on GCP Chaucer and Cranach Press’s Canticum Canticorum but both went beyond my range.

>145 Lukas1990: Congrats! Was an early bidder on that one, but dropped out early.

>142 Nightcrawl: As far as I know this did not come with a monthly letter. Instead there was a booklet describing all three out of series books: Decameron, The Grapes of Wrath, WITW. All three were said to have rag paper. Assuming machine made. Otherwise they would have not missed the opportunity to specify if it was hand made. WITW is the one I don’t have but the other two are beautiful.

>146 Chemren: Those are beyond my range too, I didn't even bother bidding on them. Eric Gill is one of my favorite book illustrators though. I should get facsimiles of both works, they are available on the market. Folio Society's facsimile of The Four Gospels is a very nice volume that I am glad to own. Golden Cockerel Press' Song of Songs with a limitation of 750 copies is very high on my wish-list too and there's a great chance to win it on auction.

>147 dpbbooks: Thank you! That was one of the books which was reasonably priced (a starting bid of 600$). PBA Galleries estimate of 1200$-1800$ was waaaay to high. It's becoming a trend. Lots of unsold lots (haha) too.

>140 SebRinelli: I'm very intrigued by Sarah Hulsey's books and art, her pairing linguistics and book arts. I haven't taken the plunge on any of them, but Allchronologies is one I had considered. I'd love to hear your impressions of the book, see pictures, etc.

>150 DenimDan: I‘ll post some when I am back home next week!

>140 SebRinelli: "A fine copy of Bruce Rogers‘ Odyssey".

Wow! Congratulations! Can you smell the aroma of the ink? This is one of my many holy grails.

Received Singing Aloud from Incline Press, a charming little volume of broadsheet ballads. Got #50 out of the special run of 100, so this makes a nice "middle" book to go along with my one "first" and one "last" of limitation books.

Also received Song for the small hours, an interesting chapbook in that it's essentially a concrete construction of a concrete poem.

>123 Shadekeep: thanks for bringing this (Birch Brook Press edition of The Sea-Crossing of Saint Brendan) to my attention. I also picked up a copy, also from Amazon.

This book truly is a strange little beast, and though I'm glad I have a copy, I would hesitate to consider this "fine" press, as above all it gives a sense of being made by an amateur, though in a charming way. Like a hobby zine.

It is most definitely printed letterpress (the impression is palpable), and on reasonably decent paper too. But the layout is quite awkward, with cramped margins and line breaks that make following the text somewhat unpleasant. It almost gives the sense of something like a text file with line breaks being pasted into a docx file, but when examined it is clear that the design is intentional. Further, this decision on how to flow the text gives the impression of two columns (on a digest-sized/a5 page) without actually providing the benefit of a narrower column (which in any case is not needed on a page this size). Based on the introduction (the author is a professor of literature), I suspect this is intended to emphasize the "strong pause" that's supposed to break up each line, but for me it also makes it quite hard to track the lines with my eyes as I read.

Additionally, the binding feels to the touch like a cheap perfect binding (like one would get with an inexpensive print on demand booklet). I don't think there are sewn signatures, but I suppose it's possible they are concealed by the glue. I'm curious, what is your impression of the binding?

This might sound like I'm being extremely critical, but it's actually a pleasant little booklet, albeit with some quite odd design choices, and in any case I think it was around $30, certainly not fine press prices.

(My copy also had a stock sticker on the back cover.)

(Edit to note title.)

Here's a few images to illustrate what I was talking about:

>155 abysswalker: If I'm not mistaken, that is the sort of layout one would expect with Anglo-Saxon poetry, although I'm not used to having the second hemistich dropped down a line. That does make it a bit awkward. I'd rather they stay on the same line.

>154 abysswalker: It does have a quirky design aesthetic to it. I agree that the binding is probably the main factor keeping one from considering it "proper" fine press title. It does remind me however of the some of the 70s-80s output of presses like Toothpaste Press or Kit-Cat Press, though in this case I don't believe Birch Brook has used sewn signatures here. Still, it's a bargain price for a letterpress immram, especially one not available in many forms to begin with. As Glacierman points out, the layout is deliberate imitation of the period style, but I do concur it scans a little harshly to the modern eye. I tend to prefer a classical Grecian indentation format for the alternating lines, but can understand their desire to ape the original style.

>156 Glacierman: the Heritage Press Beowulf layout (probably the same as the LEC, though I haven't seen that interior) does the split approach beautifully without breaking the line:

>123 Shadekeep:
>154 abysswalker:

The Voyage of Saint Brendan: Journey to the Promised Land translated by John O'Meara, Dolmen Editions XXIII, 1976. One of 50 special copies (40 for sale), total edition of 750 copies.

>157 Shadekeep: Even books from small presses were printed letterpress for the trade. I'm looking at a first book by the poet Christopher Buckley, _Last Rites_ from Ithica House. They are not always well done, but fine printing wasn't always the goal. Nevertheless, it was the printed poetry books of the 80's that piqued my interest in fine press in the first place and got me interested in learning to print and starting my own press.

>159 dlphcoracl: That's just lovely all around!

>160 SuttonHooPress: Aye, there are a good number of poetry press from the time which are letterpress but more interested in the contents than in presenting an artistic book as the primary product (not that they are bad books by any measure). The Elizabeth Press of poet James L. Weil is a good case of this, with their series of solid cloth-bound and paper-bound volumes with competent letterpress work. They also produced some more "expressive" volumes with Japanese paper and stab binding.

>159 dlphcoracl: That's what I collect! Alas, probably impossible to acquire because of the very low limitation. The regular copies aren't THAT good.

>158 abysswalker: I own the LEC version and the coloring is just sublime

>159 dlphcoracl: That's a beautiful book with really nice use of Hammer's American Unical for the initials (and shoulder numbers). The colored woodcuts are delightful, very medieval. I remember Dolmen having some other very well done books, but the titles escape me.