Washington DC: Blue House Press, 1989. Softcover. Number 34 of 500 copies. Signed and numbered by the book artist. Nancy Garruba is a writer, photographer, and graphic designer. Her artists' books have been collected by many museums and libraries. This scarce work is a meditation on birth and death after the loss of a baby. The contemplative text is accompanied by monochromatic photographs of sky, clouds, water, along with that of a woman giving birth and a solitary unmoving figure. The book can be opened as a codex or fanned out in carousel fashion to see all of the pages at once. Transparent covers reveal the photographic paper boards with title. In near fine condition with slightest wear to corners of covers. 7.5 x 7.5 inches. Unpaginated. PI/050218. Near Fine. More

Riverside, CA: Bo Press Miniature Books, 2018. Hardcover. An interesting miniature book from Pat Sweet's Bo Press. She says: "Our alphabet used to be a lot bigger. It used to include letters like ampersand (and), eng ( the sound at the end of words like 'sing'), and the famous long s, which still puzzles readers of old books when it appears in the middle of words looking like 'f' but sounding like 's'. I've taken eleven of these once well-known letters and given each of them a tiny spotlight: illustrating it against a background of medieval tracery, telling a little of its history, and giving some examples in modern fonts (yes, these old letters still turn up in modern typography. You never know when you'll need a conjoined ae.) The book is printed in Kelmscott and Thryomenes on Monarch superfine paper, and bound in a diagonal pattern of cream colored paper and a gold on red medieval-ish print." In fine condition. It measures 2 5/8 x 2 inches. Unpaginated [56 pages]. PRI/0632023. Fine. More

Riverside, CA: Bo Press Miniature Books, (2013). Hardcover. Pat Sweet describes herself as creating illuminated miniature books of curiosity, humor, and delight. She creates both miniature (under 3 inches) and macro-miniature (under 1 inch) books. She also makes miniature pocket globes, astronomical instruments, orreries, tellurions, and occasional oddities. One of 50 copies. Signed by the book artist. "We all know how the story goes: Jonathan Harker leaves the inn at the beginning of 'Dracula', and is dropped off at the crossroads by the coachman, who is afraid to take him any further.  But there is another part of the story, one that Stoker's editor (so the story goes) persuaded him to omit. In this version, Harker demands to be taken down a side road that leads to a long-abandoned village, with dire results. This is the story of that dangerous digression: 'Dracula's Guest', published posthumously in 1914. It may have been a part of the novel, or it may not. The narrator is never named, and seems unlike the characterization of Harker in the novel. You can be the judge" (book artist). Designed, printed, and bound by Pat Sweet. Includes 5 illustrations. and endpapers decorated with a flying bat's wing. Bound in black and gold Japanese chiyogami paper with blood red cloth spine. 74 pages. Measures 2 1/16 inches x 1 1/2 inches. ARTB/090523. Fine. More

Pasadena: The Castle Print. Softcover. 1 of 300 copies printed by Grant Dahlstrom as a limited edition for fellow typophiles, friends of the press, and the author. This charming work recounts famed artist and illustrator Will Bradley's early days from childhood until his early 20s. In light green paper wrappers with a string binding and title on front cover. Interior pages clean and bright with frontis photograph of a young Bradley. Some pages are unopened. In near fine condition. 21 pages. PRI/082319. Near Fine. More

München [Munich]: Bremer Prese, 1926. A four-page prospectus for the Greek language edition of Prometheus from the esteemed Bremer Presse. It shows the title page,two pages of text accompanied by two woodcuts done by German artist Ludwig von Hofmann. The rear page of the prospectus describes in English the creation of this book and the participants, along with the number of copies and prices. Printed in black ink on brown paper. There is a three inch split along the fold, otherwise in very good condition. PRI/042123. Very Good. More

Munich: Bremer Presse, 1926-1929. Hardcover. 365 copies. This is a magnificent production from the famed Bremer Presse of Germany - probably their masterpiece. They published books from 1911 to 1939, interrupted only by World War I. It was founded by Willy Wiegand, and like England's Doves Press, rejected ornament except for splendid initials draw by Anna Simons and relied upon carefully chosen types and painstaking presswork to produce its limited edition hand printed books. The colophon states that this edition was printed to commemorate the 400 year anniversary of the publication of Martin Luther's German bible. The text was based on the editions published in 1545 and 1546. The Bible (German: Lutherbibel) was the first German language Bible translation from Latin sources. The New Testament was first published in September 1522, and the complete Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments with Apocrypha, in 1534. Luther continued to make improvements to the text until 1545. The five volumes are: Die Bucher Mose; Teil des Alten Testaments; Teil des Alten Testaments; Die Propheten; Das Neue Testament. Each volume has a different copy number. They are bound uniformly in blue paper boards with linen spines with the title written in calligraphy. The volumes are housed in gray paper board slipcases. In near fine condition in very good slipcases. Measures 10 x 14 inches. Unpaginated [each volume about 250-300 pages] PRI/011623. Near Fine. More

New York and Roslyn, N.Y. The New York Public Library and The Stone House Press, 1989. Hardcover. Limited Edition, #196 of 200 copies. SIGNED by Printer and Compiler. Fine red buckram backed gray & white patterned paper boards, 8vo. Bright gilt to spine; very light rubbing to spine ends. Interior is like new: crisp, clean and bright. Strong, tight binding, protective mylar cover. Publisher's ephemera laid-in. 113 pp. Books on Books. BOB/12163. Fine. More

Edinburgh: George Robb and Company for Otto Schulze and Company, 1901. Hardcover. Limited to 500 copies. In an attractive full olive green leather binding by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt title and gilt thistle flowers to compartments on spine. Cracking to leather and rubbing to spine. Sunning to spine and to edges. Wear to edges and corners. Small dark stain to leather on front cover. Gilt dentelles and plaid endpapers. Elaborate title page spread featuring a design of thistles. Each poem begins with an illuminated initial. Publisher Otto Schulze was clearly influenced by the designs of William Morris at the Kelmscott Press. Printed on Whatman Paper. An article from the Baltimore Sun from 1967 about the home of Robert Burns is laid into the front of the book. Clean and bright interior. 99 pages plus index and colophon. PRI/071722. Very Good. More

Ogdensburg, NY: Caliban Press, 2017. 69 of 104 copies signed and numbered by the highly regarded book artist and printer Mark McMurray. This is a beautifully produced new edition of A Christmas Carol that captures the power of this timeless story through the inventive use of text, images, paper, type, and binding. McMurray writes in the prospectus: "We know the story, we know the characters, but the language of the text offers new rewards with each reading. This edition of Dickens' classic returns to the dark, sleep-deprived angst of the original complete text." The prospectus states that the text in this edition comes from the 1843 edition with minor corrections. Printed on a variety of handmade and mould-made papers including Zerkal Ingres and papers from La Papeterie-St. Armand. The text is printed entirely from metal and wood types, including monotype Bell plus many from the 19th century. There are wonderful images of the ghosts that visit Scrooge on that fateful night, and many other ornaments and designs throughout. They are done in various media including pochoir, collage, wood engraving, and relief blocks. Bound in black ribbed flexible covers with a red morocco leather spine with title in gilt on spine and inside a cutout on the front cover. Housed in a stiff black paper slipcase with a subtle chain design. Prospectus and errata slip inserted. In fine condition. 7.5 x 10.5 inches. 107 pages. PRI/051023. Fine. More

New York: Caliban Press, 2014. Paperback. Number 101 of 125 copies. Signed and numbered by the printer (Mark McMurray) and artist (Guy Berard). "The Five Spot Cafe was one of New York City's most legendary Jazz Clubs ... with repeated extended stays by Thelonious Monk and his various quartets ... The club also became a destination for New York's avante-garde of the period. Abstract expressionist painters as well as poets Frank O'Hara and Amiri Baraka were frequently in the audience. Other writers, critics, and journalists came too, including Martin T. Williams (1924 - 1992) a noted jazz critic and contributor to The New York Times and Harpers Magazine" (artist statement). Bound in Celtic grey handmade paper covers with green cloth spine and circular paper title label "5". Large circular cut out to front cover revealing yellow spot and black number five. The text first appeared in Down Beat magazine on February 13, 1964 and has been edited. Illustrated with a revolving map and a double page centerpiece collage by Guy Berard. The collage is based on a photograph from 1958 of the Thelonious Monk Quartet playing at The Five Spot Cafe. [11 pages.] PRI/051023. Fine. More

UK: Fine Press Book Association, 2004. Hardcover. Deluxe edition issued in hardcover with jacket. Light rubbing to jacket. In original dark blue cloth covered slipcase with blue decorative paper covered side panels. With supplemental portfolio of printed pieces. The portfolio for this issue includes pieces from the following presses: Avalon Press, Evergreen Press, Gwasg Gregynog, Incline Press, Inky Parrot Press, Liberatorium, The Old School Press, Whittington Press. Clean and bright. [80 pages.] BOB/102621. Fine. More

UK: Fine Press Book Association, 2009. Hardcover. Deluxe edition issued in hardcover. In original dark blue cloth covered slipcase with blue decorative paper covered side panels. With supplemental portfolio of printed pieces. The portfolio for this issue includes pieces from the following presses: Rampart Lions Press (multiple pieces), Jericho Press, Fleece Press, Incline Press, Old School Press, Keith and Ben Stubley, Christopher Wakeling, Reading Room Press at Evergreen Press. Clean and bright. 64 pages. BOB/102621. Fine. More

UK: Fine Press Book Association, 2012. Hardcover. Deluxe edition issued in hardcover with jacket. In original brown cloth covered slipcase with marbled paper covered side panels. With supplemental portfolio of printed pieces. The portfolio for this issue includes pieces from the following presses: Carpathian Press, Evergreen Press, Hand and Eye Letterpress, Nomad Letterpress, Old School Press, Reading Room Press, Right Hand Press, Christopher Wakeling, Whittington Press with marbled paper by Christopher Rowlatt. Clean and bright. 64 pages. BOB/102621. Near Fine. More