Oldham, England: Incline Press, 2023. Number 27 of about 175 copies, signed by Peter S. Smith. The book was designed, printed, sewn, and published by Graham Moss and Helen Morley, proprietors of the Incline Press.They write on their website: "If you were to triangulate Macclesfield, Whaley Bridge, and Buxton, high in the hills of the Peak District, among old farming countryside with more than a few derelict farmsteads, you’d find Jenkin Chapel near Thursbitch. As a landscape there is little for humans beyond long walks and drives on narrow roads, a pleasure for some but just a passage for others. Peter S. Smith, esteemed wood engraver, was drawn there by the story of a curious memorial stone, and that stone is the subject of this booklet. Peter tells his story and shows his boxwood engraving of the stone, an oblique tale and it is an oblique engraving. It is shown as the centre of the trifold, the text from the two faces of the stone holding his engraving, in their grip." Smith is a well known wood engraver and printmaker. He is the former head of the school of Art, Design and Media at Kingston college, is a member of the Society of Wood Engravers, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers. He has paintings and prints in public and private collections including Tate Britain, the Ashmolean, the Fitzwilliam and the British Museum.
This lovely little book is printed on 170 gsm Zerkall paper, with the light brownish-gray cover paper made by hand at Papeterie St. Armand in Montreal. The wood type Chatsworth on the cover is from Stephenson Blake foundry, and the titling is Baker designed by Russell Maret. The text is set in16 point type that resembles handwriting, designed by the calligrapher Alfred Fairbank in 1929. The book's binding is handsewn with title and author on front cover. In fine condition. Measures 5 x 7 inches. Unpaginated [two pages of text and trifold with the gravestone text and Smith's engraving of it] PRI/050423. Fine. More