Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1892. This monumental three volume work was one of the early achievements of the renowned Kelmscott Press. This is a single sheet from the book (pages 521-522 from Volume II) with two ten-line and one six-line beautiful ornamental initials designed by William Morris. Printed in Golden type on Flower paper. Small chips and light browning to margins otherwise very good condition. PRI/120518. Very Good. More

Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1896-97. The Earthly Paradise was a collection of epic and romantic poems by William Morris (1834-1896) that first appeared in 1868-1870 when he was still in his thirties, and established Morris's reputation as an important poet. He planned to do an edition elaborately illustrated by his great friend, the artist Edward Burne-Jones but it was never realized. This Kelmscott Press edition had eight volumes that were issued between July 1896 and September 1897. There were 225 paper copies and 6 copies on vellum. These eight leaves are from volume five and contain pages 49-64 of The Land East of the Sun and West of the Moon. They are collected as one signature. The beautiful text pages have two 6-line decorated initials and twenty 4-line initials. Printed on Apple paper in Golden type using red and black inks. This was the first book in which Apple paper was used. Pages measure 6.5 x 9.5 inches. Except for some light browning to page edges the leaves are in near fine condition. An excellent example of the typography and printing of the Kelmscott Press and a wonderful addition to a teaching collection. PRI/070320. Near Fine. More

Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1892. William Morris greatly admired The Golden Legend, a medieval collection of saints' lives. It was one of the first books printed in England by William Caxton, (1422- 1491), the first English printer, who, as a translator and publisher, exerted an important influence on English literature. In his bibliography of the Kelmscott Press, William Peterson writes that The Golden Legend was intended to be the first book produced by the press, but because of its length and some problems with paper delivery, Morris was forced to issue several shorter volumes before it was completed. The book was completed in three volumes and a celebratory dinner was held in October 1892 (Bibliography pages 19-24). It was printed in Golden type on Flower paper. These 6 leaves display the fine printing and handsome Morris-designed ornamental initials. The leaves comprise pages 563-574. There are twenty-three 6-line initials and two 10-line initials.They are attached as in a signature. The pages are in very good condition with slight aging to margins. A nice addition to a teaching collection for the printing arts and history of the book. PRI/070920. Very Good. More

Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1892. William Morris greatly admired The Golden Legend, a medieval collection of saints' lives. It was one of the first books printed in England by William Caxton, (1422- 1491), the first English printer, who, as a translator and publisher, exerted an important influence on English literature. In his bibliography of the Kelmscott Press, William Peterson writes that The Golden Legend was intended to be the first book produced by the press, but because of its length and some problems with paper delivery, Morris was forced to issue several shorter volumes before it was completed. The book was completed in three volumes and a celebratory dinner was held in October 1892 (Bibliography pages 19-24). It was printed in Golden type on Flower paper. These 16 leaves display the fine printing and handsome Morris-designed ornamental initials. The leaves comprise pages 529-536, 539-546, and 549-562 from Volume II. The leaves are from a disbound edition, and except for a couple of inserted leaves, they are attached together by the remnants of the threads and cords used in the binding. Some of the signatures are still unopened. There are twenty-nine 6-line initials and four 10-line initials. The leaves are in very good condition with slight aging to margins and a small crease to the right top edge of a few. A nice addition to a teaching collection for the printing arts and history of the book. PRI/090122. Very Good. More

Berkeley: The Codex Foundation, 2019. One of 50 copies. The CODEX Foundation recently published WORDS on the Edge, a limited edition portfolio of poetry and lyric prose in broadside format. This portfolio, consisting of twenty-six poems and lyrical texts powerfully addressing themes of nature and its irresponsible destruction, is a part of an international artists' intervention—EXTRACTION: Art on the Edge of the Abyss that is sponsored by the CODEX Foundation as a commitment to art and the environment. It is a multimedia, multi-venue, cross-border art intervention that will investigate extractive industry in all of its forms, from mining and drilling to the reckless exploitation of water, soil, trees, marine life, and other natural resources. For this impressive project, twenty-six notable poets, artists, and writers were paired with an equal number of highly regarded letterpress printers from four countries to produce an editioned broadside/print especially for this portfolio. Poets and writers include Margaret Atwood, Wendell Berry, Peter Coyote, Jo Harjo, and Barry Lopez among many others. Printers include Peter Koch, Ninja Press, Taller Martin Perscador, Barbarian Press, Foolscap Press, and Midnight Paper Sales. The broadsides have all been signed by the writer and the printer. They of course vary greatly with the use of different papers, types, and illustrations and all display a beautiful mastery befitting the importance of the effort. The broadsides are housed in a handsome custom box. Size: Folio, about 19 x 12.5 inches. In fine condition. PRI/052720. Fine. More

MA: Viewpoint Editions, 2012. Paperback. Number 22 of 36 copies. According to noted book artist Dorothy Simpson Krause, “This homage to Marjory Stoneman Douglas (1947-1997) and her seminal book, The Everglades: River of Grass combines my images of the Everglades with historic photographs, documents, and maps. Forty miles wide and over 100 miles long this slow moving river ranges from a few inches to a few feet in depth. Only half its original size, the Everglades has been largely destroyed to meet the demands of urban and agricultural growth. The ongoing battle for restoration of the Everglades is a moral test which hopefully we will pass.” The book’s exquisite images evoke the beauty and mystery of the Everglades, which are “one of the unique regions of the earth, remote, never wholly known” (Marjory Douglas). Printed on Yu Kou paper, on a laser printer with letterpress overlay. Interleaved with Yu Kou light tissue guards. All of the unbound pages are housed in an envelope enclosure made from brown Lokta Oil Paper to reference a packet of documents an early settler might have carried. The closure on the envelope is a native mahogany tree seedpod with rawhide and thread tie. This book was produced while Krause was Artist-in-Residence at the Jaffe Center for Book Arts, Wimberly Library, Florida Atlantic University, and was published under the auspices of Minerva: The Press at Wimberly. In fine condition. PRI/101912. Fine. More

Maastricht: [Kunera Pers] Boosten & Stols, circa 1942. Paperback. In Dutch. J.F. Van Royen (1878 - 1942) was a Dutch printer and typographer who ran the Kunera Pers. He is perhaps best known for his contributions to postage stamp design. Includes a laid-in original photograph of the grave of Van Royen. Photographic portrait of Van Royen tipped-in. Grey paper wrappers with black title to front wrapper. Unbound. Clean and bright. [8 pages.] PRI/032323. Very Good. More

Chicago: The Lakeside Press, R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, 1928. Hardcover. "The subject matter of this book treats binding from a new angle, describing those book binding details concerning which mistaken ideas exist or in which bad binding practices are prevalent. These notes were written from the standpoint of the causes of defects developed in a binding when on the bookshelf in an American home. When Mr. de Sauty had read them, he exclaimed, 'You are giving them a rod with which to beat us.' So be it. Nothing could be better than a clientele of well-armed critics helping us to maintain that standard of quality which we have set up as our practice" (R.R. Donnelley and Sons Company, preface). Very good in black cloth with gold embellishements and green leatherette & gilt title label to front cover. Fraying and wear to head of spine and sunning to spine. Laid-paper interior is very clean with bright text. Tightly bound. Illustrated with 16 photogarphic plates and many in text diagrams. 32 pages. Book Binding best practices. BOB/020323. Very Good. More

Monterey, KY: Larkspur Press. Paperback. Includes prospectuses for: Guest House, Fondelle, Stone Eye, A Sense of Time Left, Sonata at Payne Hollow, Heart's Hornbook, What You Know, Science in Your Own Back Yard, and 2 price lists. Each prospectus is either two pages (a single leaf printed front and back) or four pages (two leaves printed front and back). Illustration printed on each prospectus. Clean and bright. Size: most are about 9 x 6 inches. PRI/032323. Fine. More

Rochester NY: Leopard, Sue Huggins, 2005. Leopard, Sue Huggins. Hardcover. 8vo. 3 of 10 copies. SIGNED BY ARTIST. Lovely work by this noted printmaker and book artist. Fine in beige cloth boards with title label on front and long beige ribbon ties. Six accordion style fold out pages reproduce stunning color prints by Huggins, each with a water theme. Unpaginated. PRI/051107. Fine. More

New York: Limited Editions Club, 1954. Hardcover. Number 105 of 1500 copies. Signed by the illustrator, Fritz Eichenberg. A nice edition of Goethe's famous poem, with striking wood engravings by Fritz Eichenberg. Bound in cream linen with orange paper covered boards with repeat design from Eichenberg's illustrations. Light bumping to tips. Text pages clean and bright. Housed in brown paper covered slipcase with fading to edge and light wear. Near fine condition. Quarto. 248 pages. PRI/121322. Near Fine. More

Oakland CA: Littoral Press, 2002. Hardcover. Number 6 of 125 copies. This is one of the ten copies from the Deluxe Edition that are signed on the colophon by sixteen of the seventeen contributors to this poetry and prose anthology (alas, not Frida Kahlo). They include Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhran, Claribel Cone, Martha Gies, Robert Hass. Steve Hellman, Marie Howe, Frida Kahlo, Vickie Karp, Stephen Kessler, Rachel Loden, Jane Miller, Janell Moon, Sharon Olds, Lisa Rappoport, Mark Salerno, Joseph Stroud, and Gary Young. Rappoport writes that this book "is dedicated to those we love with a blazing passion, to those we hope will burn in hell, and ideally, to the future separation of the two." She has been a book artist for almost twenty years and her books can be found in many institutional collections. This beautiful accordion book is bound in red and black Thai Unryl reversible paper with a black title label to front cover. Printed with handset Garamond type on Johannot paper with black and blood-red ink. Each volume has unique pastepaper endpapers. With title page drawing of a heart in flames by Bobbe Besold. The book is 11 x 7 folded and 18 feet long unfolded. In fine condition. Unpaginated. [25 pages] PRI/030915. Fine. More

Petersham, MA: Lone Oak Press, 2022. Hardcover. Number 10 of 56 standard signed and numbered copies. Master wood engraver Abigail Rorer is considered one of the finest engravers working today. She founded her Lone Oak Press in 1989 and has published many beautiful works that often focus on nature - animals, flowers, trees, and water. Abigail has also provided lovely illustrations for other private and commercial presses. Her fine press books have been in numerous exhibitions in the U.S., U.K., and Ireland. They can be found in many public and private collections.  Abigail writes in her prospectus about this important new work, saying that it is the first book in the "Extinct Pentalogy" series. Originally she had planned one larger volume covering five diverse animals, four that are extinct and one that came perilously close. But she decided that each animal deserves its own tribute. The western black rhinoceros was declared extinct in 2011 and all remaining rhinoceroses are endangered. She writes on her website: "Extinction as a theme has been a focus of The Lone Oak Press for a few years now, beginning with the publication of our book Extinction in 2015. We are living in the age of the Sixth Extinction, the Anthropocene: the Human Epoch. Human activity has made such an impact on our planet that climate patterns are changing, glaciers are melting, the ozone layer is thinning, and species are becoming extinct at an alarming rate. For such a magnificent and noble animal as the rhinoceros to be on the verge of total extinction is tragic and unacceptable. The rhinoceros has lived and flourished on this earth for tens of thousands of years. Within only a relatively short period of time, the last two hundred years or so, with the advent of guns, the Industrial Revolution, exploding populations, and other factors, we have decimated the rhino population and brought it to the brink of total extinction. This book is a way to honor a subspecies of the black rhinoceros that disappeared in 2011 and to highlight the plight of all species of rhinoceros.” Bound in a gray and black paper created from a hand-draw closeup image of rhinoceros skin over boards with a gray leather spine and red title label. The rear board includes a bullet sized hole in the board with red leather showing underneath – a visceral reminder of the contents of the book. The text was set in Dante and Othello type. The text and engravings were printed on Zerkell paper. Many of the engravings are multi-block color with some hand-coloring. Amy Borezo of shelter Bookwords bound the books. With prospectus. Housed in a slipcase covered in matching gray paper with rhino skin print In fine condition. Measures 7 x 9 inches. 52 pages. ARTISTSB/071923. Fine. More