The Imprint Society

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The Imprint Society

1HuxleyTheCat
maaliskuu 19, 2010, 6:18 pm

Does anyone know anything about this publisher, and the quality of their books? They seem to have been fairly short lived and have an eclectic mix of titles.

2olepuppy
maaliskuu 21, 2010, 12:32 pm

Hi Huxley, olepuppy here, and I've been searching for their bibliography and/or trade publication articles about them online without success. I was introduced to the Imprint Society( and many other fine presses) when I saw examples of their editions on Oak Knoll Books' enjoyably surfable website a coupla years ago.. Recently I bought 6 volumes at Oak Knoll's repricing sale and can give some info from them. I was fortunate that 5 of the books had the same owner who cared well for them. Three ephemeral items were enclosed in two of the books: 2 invoices with the owners name and subscription(limitation) number, and an order form for extra volumes which states that 'Until such time as the Society's full membership of 1950 is attained, we are offering to our members additional copies from each series ....' 34 books are listed. With this info together with gleanings from viaLibri searches it seems that the Imprint Society produced limited editions of fiction, poetry, exploration and history in yearly series 1970-74 with a few scattered before and after and was headquartered in Barre, Mass.
Like the LEC, most volumes I have are signed, printed letterpress using varied binding materials, slipcased, and produced by an appropriate press. For example, The Sea and the Jungle relates the true story of H.M. Tomlinson's 1909-10 journey from GB across the Atlantic, up the Amazon and back and was designed and produced in London by Ruari McLean, printed and bound by Mackay with Basingwerk parchment for text from Grosvener Chater&Co and woodcut illustrations engraved from the block by Garrick Palmer, Cowplain, Hampshire, also signed by Palmer. I like his illustrations, similar yet different from those I've seen in Folio's Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which I have, and Old Stile Press' Land and Ballad of Reading Gaol, which I've only seen on their website- nice people, beautiful books. Novelle Cinque , Tales from the Veneto, translations of an Italian 16th century manuscript, is designed by Martino Mardersteig, printed letterpress at the Stamperia Valdonega, Verona with Magnani paper from Pescia and bound by
Recalcati of Milan, supposedly signed by the translator but mine is out of series. Mr. Mardersteig also produced for Folio the 1990-1 volumes of the Folio Fine Editions. Narrative of a Five Year's Expedition to Surinam is printed and bound in Holland, French marbled paper and linen, Hahnemuhle Butten text paper from Germany, signed by the introducer, a great 2-volume set. Here in America, Hawthorne's House of the Seven Gables is printed by Clarke&Way, New York, is bound by J F Tapley Co.,New Jersey, the original lithograph(of the House) on stone printed by George C Miller and Son, New York, signed by the introducer. The text paper is interesting as the Society had a special laid paper made for them in New Hampshire with a large Imprint watermark that is visible throughout the story. The incomparable (Roderick)Stinehour press was responsible for much of Fables by the late John Gay with 66 woodcuts from the block, this time with an Imprint watermarked wove paper.
This info may seem dry but it represents a group of individuals and companies who worked on many LEC editions. Additionally, Mclean, Mardersteig, and Stinehour have reputations that go beyond the LEC.
The editions I have appear well made and are in great shape for being aged app. 40 years. The slipcases I have are decorated variously with woodcuts, printed paper, or marbled paper. And I agree with you, eclectic is the perfect word to describe not only their overall selection but also their choices within the history genre. The total presentation of my volumes seem unique, maybe a bit subdued, and I thoroughly like them and hope to acquire more. I also hope this info was helpful to you.

3HuxleyTheCat
maaliskuu 21, 2010, 2:23 pm

olepuppy, many thanks for your response. As you say, information 'out there' on this publisher is scarce and it's great to hear from one of our august company who actually has some of the books. Your comment about the quality of the productions and the fact that you would like to collect some more is very encouraging.

A couple of weeks ago I was trawling through eBay looking for LEC or Heritage editions of Benito Cereno when I came upon a very attractive slipcased edition by the Imprint Society. What really grabbed my attention was the information on the colophon, which indicated that the book appeared to have a very good pedigree, and particularly the final line "The illustrations were engraved on Wood by Garrick Palmer of Cowplain, Hampshire, England, who here signs...". This was of interest for two reasons: firstly, I think Palmer's illustrations for the FS' Rime of the Ancient Mariner are superb - I much prefer them to what I have seen of Dore's - and secondly, Cowplain, Hampshire, England is a very small place, and is where I am currently sitting typing this! Naturally, I was intrigued, so set about trying to find out a little more.

Imprint Society editions of The Sea and the Jungle and Benito Cereno are now firmly established in my shopping list, and I would also very much like to see their edition of King Solomon's Mines.

I wonder if they ever reached the 1500 subscribers mark, or if failure to do so was the reason for their being so short-lived?

It's interesting that you mention the Old Stile Press, as another item on my shopping list is their edition of The Laugharne Poems by Dylan Thomas. Another of these modern (as in still producing work today) fine press books that I hope to own (one day) is Mapping Golgotha from Gwasg Gregynog, which marries the work of my favourite war poet Wilfred Owen with one of my favourite illustrators, Harry Brockway, to stunning effect.

Fortunately I have a very large shopping basket.

Thanks again.

4olepuppy
maaliskuu 28, 2010, 6:19 pm

My pleasure, Huxley, I planned on getting back to this topic earlier but the research took longer than I figgered. I found a website ISBNdb.com which gave a list of Imprint Society books, also Barre Publishing, same publisher, Alden P(orter) Johnson, a wealthy industrialist who sadly passed away in 1972, while only in his late 50's, like George Macy. Barre Publishing specialized in New England topics. Imprint Society production dropped off yearly after Johnson's death, just guessing that's a reason for that Society's decline.

I was surprised to see on eBay last week a lot of 8 Imprint Society books go for 86(I think), including The Sea and the Jungle, also History of Printing in
America-would love to have that. Anyway, a great buy, hope you were the winner(possibly that eBay master chase!)

Pretty interesting about Cowplain, do you bump into Mr Palmer at the grocery? Do you carry Rime with you so that he might sign it(hah-I would!)? The second I saw the woodcut in Folio 60 I found a copy on Abe and ordered it, his engravings are so unique. I looked at the Easton Press edition with the 40 folio size plates by Dore I bought years ago and love it too. He was an absolute monster of illustration, I haven't seen it but his Divine Comedy must be amazing.

I see on their site that Harry Brockway has illustrated for Old Stile Press also. I've liked his work at Folio on The Brothers Karamazov and the Folio Poets W B Yeats.

5HuxleyTheCat
maaliskuu 30, 2010, 1:34 pm

Olepuppy, thanks for the info on Alden Johnson; it seems from the snippets that I can find about him that he was a passionate book man, involved with the American Antiquarian Society as well as his own publishing companies. ISBNdb.com has a pretty good list of titles but I don't think it is complete, as I'm sure I've seen at least a couple of others.

Alas, I was not the lucky winner of the lot of 8 - I hate to think what the transatlantic postal charge on those would have been - so it'll be Abebooks for my US acquisitions. Oak Knoll looks pretty good though, their postal charges are very reasonable.

I don't know if Garrick Palmer still lives in Cowplain (pop 8775), but it would be very cool if he did!

6pm11
maaliskuu 31, 2010, 11:22 am

I've had very good luck with Oak Knoll. I was able to visit there last year and the quality of their book stock is very high.

7HuxleyTheCat
maaliskuu 31, 2010, 6:50 pm

>6 pm11: That's a good vote of confidence. The most important thing as far as I am concerned is that they are accurate with the description - oh and decent packing helps too.

8olepuppy
maaliskuu 31, 2010, 9:50 pm

>5 HuxleyTheCat: De nada, La Gata. I believe A Johnson sought the aid of the AAS in production of American Broadsides and other IS volumes. I've noticed some sellers interchange Barre Publishing and Imprint Society, so I'm not sure which is which except for the titles listed on the aforementioned ephemeral order form.

>7 HuxleyTheCat: Have had the best possible packing from Oak Knoll, flat low center of gravity strong-sided cartons, individually wrapped books, and precisely made filler to prevent shifting within the carton. Worked as a lad in moving and shipping, and the old guys drilled us with shifting=breakage, and have found that to be so true in receiving books. And FYI, while I love the many books I've bought from OK I have also returned a couple, so it may be prudent to verify condition prior to purchase, especially when returns are overseas.

9HuxleyTheCat
huhtikuu 1, 2010, 8:18 am

I'm glad to hear that the packing from OK is up to snuff. I've been fortunate thus far (she say's desperately trying to find some wood to knock on but failing miserably in a modern office, so having to make do with laminate or noggin), with the books that have come from the US, as they have arrived in good condition. Thanks for the top tip on checking condition with OK before ordering - I always do this with Amazon marketplace and most eBay purchases, but I have been a bit remiss on doing the same with orders through Abebooks, as I tend to be a bit more trusting of bookseller's descriptions there, and without your word of caution I may well have done the same with a direct order from OK.

I have actually ordered my first Imprint Society volume - from a UK seller so hopefully I'll get it on Tuesday. It's King Solomon's Mines with illustrations by David Gentleman - quite exciting!

10Django6924
huhtikuu 1, 2010, 9:26 am

Huxley, you'll have to share photos--or at least give us your impressions of--this book! David Gentleman illustrated several George Macy books--including Kipling's The Jungle Books and The Swiss Family Robinson--and I feel that he would do a fine job on Haggard.

11HuxleyTheCat
huhtikuu 2, 2010, 5:48 am

Certainly. I think in the UK Gentleman is best known for his work on postage stamps, so I'm quite intrigued as to what he will do with an adventure story.

Wednesday being pay day, I indulged in a little splurge, so also on order I have a 1976 vintage Franklin Library edition of Walden, illustrated by Ronald Keller (this will be my first Franklin Library book, so added interest there); the Heritage Press Ballad of Reading Gaol, as recommended by pm11 and wildcatJF over on GMD; and, a shrinkwrapped FS My Family and Other Animals via eBay. The whole lot of four books will have cost less than the recent sale price of Walden from the FS, which I was tempted by but resisted, so I'm actually feeling quite virtuous!

12pm11
huhtikuu 2, 2010, 10:23 am

Sounds like a great order. Let us know what you think.

13olepuppy
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 4, 2010, 12:56 am

>9 HuxleyTheCat:,11 Huxley, you lucky Cat, 4 books ordered , 2 from untried presses, sounds very exciting and good for you!

I used to be more trusting in dealer's descriptions but I've learned that questioning ahead of ordering prevents return hassles later, tho' I'd like to depend upon a highly rated seller's 'fine' description, as happened last month when I ordered a Folio 25 from the UK, sounded great, received a fine looking volume that smelled like it lived for thirty years in a wet garage. I've received other mildewed books, older volumes all, so now I double check, saves the knuckles from the oaken desk and skull.

I have found and ordered an Imprint Society prospectus for 10 editions in 1971, includes Riddle of the Sands and Poetry of Robert Frost, hopefully it contains some interesting publishing info about each book in this series and maybe reveals some of the style of the publisher.

14olepuppy
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 5, 2010, 8:21 pm

...'so now I double check, saves the knuckles'...and still, after being assured pre-sale that the book had 'light shelfwear, no significant faults', this latest attempt to buy an Imprint Society volume results in a copy with stains to both boards, lower fore-edges to mid-tails, paper in between rippled, mildew smell. I mean, what the hey!!

15HuxleyTheCat
huhtikuu 11, 2010, 3:33 pm

>10 Django6924: Here are some images from King Solomon's Mines as promised:

http://s901.photobucket.com/albums/ac220/HuxleyTheCat/King%20Solomon/

(Password is my username here)

I'm very pleased with the volume and quite surprised at the images. The style, and the way they are presented in the book, is quite reminiscent of the Quentin Blake illustrations for the FS Hunchback of Notre Dame. This is no bad thing at all as QB is one of my favourite illustrators. As can be seen from the list of illustrations (there is another page which I didn't photograph), there are a lot of them!

I find it quite amusing that a signed LE print from DG can fetch several hundred pounds - and look how many I have here, for just a few.

16olepuppy
huhtikuu 25, 2010, 11:45 am

I received an Imprint Society prospectus for 1971 describing the 10 books to be published in their 2nd year. It also lists the 1st years' printings. An overview of Imprint is included, explaining the high quality of their materials, the limitation-1950, the variety of the editions in respect to topic and format, and that , where appropriate, introducers or illustrators sign volumes. I thought the most interesting fact was that a presentation volume was given to subscribers each year, limited and signed like the regular editions.

17HuxleyTheCat
helmikuu 16, 2012, 9:24 pm

I've just brought home a book that I have been coveting for the best part of eighteen months - the Imprint Society edition of Eichenberg's "The Wood and the Graver". It's available quite cheaply in various trade editions and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Eichenberg's work.

18Django6924
helmikuu 16, 2012, 9:26 pm

My relative (the one with the dozens of unopened LECs from the 1960s) had that book as well--a gorgeous work! There is a very interesting interview with Eichenberg which I will send you.

19kdweber
helmikuu 17, 2012, 12:17 am

added to my wish list

20HuxleyTheCat
helmikuu 17, 2012, 4:57 am

>18 Django6924: "a gorgeous work!" - Isn't it just. The signed print is a lovely bonus too, but I would be very happy to have bought the book without it.

>19 kdweber: I don't think you would be disappointed Ken, but one purchase might lead to another... I hadn't realised that Eichenberg had done "A Child's Christmas in Wales" (Dylan Thomas) but seeing the three examples here, I would certainly like to get that one, then there's his work for the LEC that I haven't already acquired.

21Sam9418
elokuu 30, 2013, 1:24 pm

I have a 1972 catalogue, The Barre Publishers with the books of the Imprint Society and David Godine Publisher. In it the Imprint Society is broken down into series 1, 2 and 3 and it explains its presentation books, of which I have two from series one I have The Bloody Massacure and from from series three The Wants of Man by John Quincy Adams, a long poem on the needs of man. The series two presentation book was The Lofofoco Juggernaut. The three series add up to 80 titles. But the press clearly continued past 1972 as several are listed on eBay and Abe of a later date.

I am the Director of The Learning Center and we are trying to develop a bibliography of the Imprint Society as well as Medicina Rara, on which we are seeking ephemera, we have 41 titles of Medicina Rara

I am in recovery from a hip replacement, but a posting of our series and then the titles is planned for the future.

Has anyone found a bibliography or a later or more complete listing of either the Imprint Society or Medicina Rara? If so please let me know at TLC9418@aol.com

22wcarter
elokuu 30, 2013, 5:58 pm

>2 olepuppy: Paul (Olepuppy), you have enabled me from over three years ago. I couldn't resist your description of The Sea and The Jungle, and as there were several reasonably priced on Abe, ordered one.
This will be my first Imprint Society book - more may follow.
Thanks (belatedly) for your fascinating history.

23olepuppy
syyskuu 1, 2013, 9:20 am

22 I hope you enjoy it, Warwick. The Imprint Society published several books of exploration, including a beautifully produced Stedman, the shortened title being A Narrative of a Five year's Expedition to Surinam. FS did a version in the '60's.

The Book Club of California has published a boatload of first-hand accounts of travel and exploration by land and sea.

24olepuppy
syyskuu 1, 2013, 2:20 pm

21 Sam, I've looked for a bibliography and not found one. I found a prospectus for one year and a card listing the overstock books for sale to subscribers. The 80 books you mention seems high, are you possibly including Barre with Imprint?

I think it's a great idea to produce a bibliography for the Imprint Society. You may wish to speak with Bob Fleck at Oak Knoll Books/Oak Knoll Press, who specializes in bibliographies and books about books.

And Carol Blinn, owner of the Warwick Press, and a maker of wonderful paper e.g. the paper boards for Harry Duncan's Doors of Perception(Thomas Taylor 1983) writes in Remembering Sherwood Grover about being the Promotion Director for Barre Publishers and the Imprint Society 1971-73.

Alden Porter Johnson owned both presses and was involved with the American Antiquarian Society, I think everything from Worcester Mass. You might find some info through the AAS and the Johnson family.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

25Sam9418
syyskuu 29, 2013, 5:04 pm

Dear Fellow Members,

Sorry for my long time gone. I am having password problem. Finally got on with a temporary but it will not allow me to change to a personal profile.

A second catalogue for the Imprint Society appeared on eBay but I missed it. I had alerted a friend and am waiting to see if he got it. I will be posting a title list from the 1972 Barre/Imprint Society catalogue soon.

Wish me luck on the password problem.

Sam

If you have secret to changing from temporary password to personal password please email me at SCombs9418@aol.com and tell me.

PLEASE

26Sam9418
syyskuu 29, 2013, 5:18 pm

Dear Members,

I have now found the third presentation volume mentioned in the 1972 catalogue, It is The Lofofoco Juggernaut from the second series. If my friend got the 1975 Catalogue I will report further titles from there.

Also, does anyone have any information on a series called Medicina Rara, it also has no bibliography, we have 26 titles with at least four more on hold through one of our Prefered Book Providers.

Sam

27Sam9418
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 29, 2013, 7:00 pm

Dear Fellow Members,

GOOD NEWS, my friend and Prefered Book Provider was able to get the 1975 catalogue and is having it send to me. So, I am going to see how many of the titles listed in the 1972 Catalogue I can get listed today.

Imprint Series I

The History of Printing in America by Isaiah Thomas
The Compleat Gamester by Charles Cotton
The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
(personal note, I consider this to be the best novel writen in American English, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is the best in British English, but that is another story)
Domestic Manners of the Americans by Frances Trollope
The Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge
Poor Richards Almanacks (2v) by Benjamin Franklin
The Private Journal of Captain G.F. Lyon of H.M.S. Hecla by G.F.Lyon
King Solomons Mines by Rider Haggard
Sketches in North America and the Oregon Territory by Captain H. Warre
Fables by John Gay

The Presentation Book was The Bloody Massacre which includes a hand printed restrike from the original 1770 Paul Revere copperplate engraving of the Boston Massacre.

Imprint Series II

American Broadsides designed by David Godine
Ingrahams Journal edited by Mark Kaplanoff
The Genial Showman, Being the Reminicences of the Life of Artemus Ward by Edward Hingston
American Scenery by N.P.Willis with views by W.H. Bartlett
The Poetry of Robert Frost (2v) standard edition prepared by Edward Connery Lathem, bas-relif frontispiece Portrait of Robert Frost and is illustrated by facsimile of the poets manuscripts.
The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers
Narrative of a Five Years' Expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam by Captain J.G.Stedman
The Labors of Hercules, (Pietro Andrea Bassi version for the Duke of Milan in 1471, Illustrated by 12 miniatures and a full page from the original,. This is the manuscript from the Philip Hofer collection at he Houghton Library at Harvard and is translated by W. Kenneth Thompson.)
The Brick Moonby Edward Everett Hale
The Sea and the Jungle by H.M.Thomlinson

The Presentation Book was, The Locofoco Juggernaut with an 1830 engraving pulled from the original copperplate of David Claypool Johnson, text by Malcolm Johnson.

Imprint Series III

The Boston Gazette: 1774, facsimile pages from the original, introduction by Francis G. Walett
Bellum by Erasmus with etchings of Otto Dix's ( from the series Der Krieg, introduction by William B Taylor and afterwword by Arthur Vershbow, designed by David Godine.)
Hard Times bu Charles Dickens
Daphnis and Chloe by Longus, (illustrated by Felix Hoffman, original work tipped in, translated from Greek, Latin and French sources by Christopher Collins )
Travels in North America bu Peter Kalm
Benito Cereno by Herman Melville
The Narrative of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, introduction by John F. Bannon and illlustrated by Michael McCurddy's wood engravings.
Account of the Long Expedition from Pittsburgh to the Rockies, compiled by Edwin Jones from notes of members of an expedition under the command of Major Stephen Long in 1819, illustrated by twelve previously unpublished watercolors by Samuel Seymour.
The Fancy by George Plimpton, illustrated by Randy Jones
Sketches of a Tour to the Lakes by Thomas I McKenny, introduction by Herman Viola and illustrated with watercolors taken from the work of J,P,Lewis

The Presentation Book was The Wants of Man by John Quincy Adams, introduction by Lyman H. Butterfield, illustrated with portrait of Adam fram a daguerreotype attributed to Machew Brady

The titles from the 1975 catalogue will be posted when they arrive.

And remember, I have dibs, if you find one of these titles please contact me at SCombs9418@aol.com to determine if The Learning Center has it yet.

Sincerely

Sam Combs
Director
The Learning Center

TLC9418@aol.com
SCombs9418@aol.com

28Sam9418
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 29, 2013, 11:31 pm

This is a Test

Can a text written in Microsoft Word be moved by copy paste to Library Thing can a text written in LT be moved by copy paste to Microsoft Word.

Test of both seems to show this is possible.

29aaronpepperdine
syyskuu 30, 2013, 12:37 am

Regarding the Imprint Society titles - they are quite easy to obtain, and you should have no problem picking up any/all of them.

30koszakedv
syyskuu 30, 2013, 3:16 am

Thank you for the list.

31Sam9418
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 30, 2013, 1:56 pm

Paul,

Thank you for your kind note and the leads. I think we shold meet or at lest talk by phone so please call me at 574-753-5469 so we can get to know each other. I have an extra copy American Scenery as a gift for you

Sam Combs
Director
The Learnin Center

32olepuppy
lokakuu 7, 2013, 5:52 am

I've left a message for you, Sam, and thanks too, Paul

33featherwate
syyskuu 29, 2014, 8:40 pm

(Transferred from the GMD Group)
Books from the Barre Mass.-based "IMPRINT Society" (to give it in its own preferred format) have admirers in various LT groups. so a site search throws up many references to them. Favourites include The Wood and the Graver: the work of Fritz Eichenberg (one of the most sought after); King Solomon's Mines (a fine piece of book-making; illustrator David Gentleman); Daphnis and Chloe (illustrator Felix Hoffmann); The Playboy of the Western World (highly-prized: Abe prices run between $200 and $1400); and Benito Cereno and The Sea and the Jungle, both illustrated by Garrick Palmer.
The appeal of the Society's publications lies not only in their quality, but also in their variety, which runs from an austere two-volume set of Robert Frost's poetry via a humorous 60 x 39 cm broadside (illustrated by Michael McCurdy) to a cartoon bank-note The Great Locofoco Juggernaut, a new console-a-tory sub-treasury rag-monster.
Bodleian Library, Oxford, appears to have a complete holding, the great merit of which is that each title comes with a full bibliographic record. Go to
http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/.../rare_books_named_collection_descriptions
change the search box from Website to Catalogue (SOLO) and enter “Imprint Society” (the quotes are essential!)
and you should end up with a list of 51 titles.
NB. Four of these are not IMPRINT Society publications. One is Cricket Country by Edmund Blunden. Published in 1945 by the Imprint Society of London, England, it appears to be the only book it ever published! The other three are pamphlets issued in the 1940s by a South African Imprint Society which was a true society, ie, a group of South African print professionals and enthusiasts. They are:
The Imprint Society : an account of its inception to which is appended a draft constitution.
Author & printer in South Africa
, and
Sixty years of fine book-making.

34sdawson
syyskuu 29, 2014, 9:55 pm

>33 featherwate:,

Thanks for updating this thread featherwate, it was quite timely, as my copy of 'The Sea and the Jungle' arrived today. It is in great shape, both the book and the slipcover. It also includes the quad-folded insert which tells about the book, and also contains one of Garrick Palmer's wood engravings.

Quarter bound in black morroco and green buckram, it is beautiful. The limited edition page states that it was limited to 1950 copies, but the 'Copy Number' is blank. Is it that way with your copy as well?

The slip cover is illustrated with greee and white illustrations, and the title is on the spine (ala LEC) so that it may be stored with the book facing inwards to the bookcase, protectin it from the uv rays.

35kdweber
syyskuu 30, 2014, 1:10 am

>34 sdawson: My copy of The Sea and the Jungle is numbered but I do have other IS books that are not numbered. Clearly the IS issued a number of HC copies (50?) of each book.

36sdawson
syyskuu 30, 2014, 1:31 pm

>kdweber,

What is 'HC copies' in reference to non-numbered, yet supposedly limited edition books. It also appears to me that the signature may be a copy rather than an actual signature on my edition. Is this related?

37kdweber
syyskuu 30, 2014, 1:37 pm

>36 sdawson: Hors Commerce - literally "outside the trade", items given away for free frequently to those involved with the production. HC copies are unnumbered (outside the series) but usually (though not always) have the same signature(s). I doubt your signature is a copy.

38sdawson
syyskuu 30, 2014, 1:46 pm

> 37

Thanks for teaching me something new. I just held the page up to the daylight I believe you are correct. I was using a lighbulb last night, and the signature was not even in all the strokes as one gets with a ball-point, and the color was a close match to the rest of the page. But under daylight, the signature is darker, and looks like perhaps a fountain-pen was used leading to the differing widths of the strokes (just a guess).

Now I want to review my other IS books for their limited edition numbers (or lack thereof).

But if was given away HC, whoever held it took great care of it over the years, looks like it was never read.

-Shawn

39featherwate
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 30, 2014, 6:40 pm

>34 sdawson:
Shawn I don't actually have The Sea and the Jungle (yet!) - the books I mentioned were those that seemed to be generally the most popular. However, I do have Daphnis & Chloe and King Solomon's Mines, only I can't remember if they are signed & numbered, signed but unnumbered, unsigned but numbered, or neither signed nor numbered, and unfortunately I can't check up as my IS books, like many of my books at present, are in store during house renovations. All I am sure of is that my Poetry of Robert Frost is unnumbered but signed by the frontispiece artist; my Selections from the Fancy is numbered, and signed by the illustrator; and The Fables of John Gay is numbered and I think signed.
Which suggests that Imprint Society colophon practice was somewhat less rigorous than that of the LEC.
Congratulations on getting the Sea & the Jungle with a prospectus still in place; none of mine have one. I remember Don (leccol) who was an IS member saying that back then few people thought such ephemera were anything other than, well, ephemeral, so they rarely kept them. Grrrr!
-Jack

40sdawson
Muokkaaja: lokakuu 2, 2014, 11:03 pm



41featherwate
lokakuu 3, 2014, 10:45 am

>40 sdawson:
Impressive. I particularly like the spine of the McKinney book, a finely-composed model of how to fit a lot of information into an awkward space.
Surprisingly, no work by the Society was ever rewarded with a place in any of the AIGA's Fifty Books of the Year. It was mentioned in 1973 as the co-publisher with the University of Massachusetts of a new text of J G Stedman's Narrative, of a Five Years' Expedition, against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam. But each publisher produced their own copy of the work, and it was the design of the University's more elaborate edition that prevailed.

42sdawson
Muokkaaja: lokakuu 3, 2014, 4:59 pm

>41 featherwate:

Thanks featherwate, I'm toying with the idea of putting up a thread for each IS book, with photos so folks can see what they look like, but it's a lot of time uploading 1 picture at a time. I was toying with the 'tinypic' site above, as I saw someone else using it, but it's still one picture at a time upload.

Anyone know of a good site that can host images and that LT can link to for all to see that allows for more bulk uploads of pictures or folders with pictures in them that are already organized?

43JuliusC
lokakuu 3, 2014, 7:53 pm

>42 sdawson:
Photobucket and Flikr you can drag and drop multiple pics and create different folders

44sdawson
lokakuu 10, 2014, 11:13 pm

Picked up 'The Riddle of the Sands' today --- will need to get photos up. Read the introduction about the author Erskine Childers. Now there's a life that makes one think they have not lived much of a life.

45sdawson
marraskuu 22, 2014, 8:45 am

I noticed a few Imprint Society version of King Solomon's Mines and The Sea and the Jungle on Ebay today -- currently $20 and $10 with shipping included. Just in case someone wanted to try out an Imprint Society book. I have these two, and believe they compare favorably to LEC.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Imprint-Society-King-Solomons-Mines-Haggard-Signed-and-I...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Imprint-Society-The-Sea-and-The-Jungle-Tomlinson-Signed-...

46BuzzBuzzard
marraskuu 24, 2014, 12:30 pm

>45 sdawson: Amazingly the Sea and the Jungle sold for $8.10. Thanks for your tip, which led me to the IS Robert Frost poems.

47sdawson
marraskuu 24, 2014, 5:50 pm

>45 sdawson:

I hope you enjoy the Robert Frost publication. I do not have that, but I did just add my 9th and 10th IS publications today. They were:

I picked up for $15, American Scenery by Willis (Americana, as IS seemed to specialize in). From the same seller, I picked up for an amazingly low $7.50, 'The Brick Moon' by Edward Everett Hale. The former is the usual, massive IS publication. The latter is a much smaller book, that I look forward to reading this week.

Both of the publication seem great, on par with LEC quality. Both are number #86 and were well cared for these past 40 years.

-Shawn

48aaronpepperdine
marraskuu 24, 2014, 6:41 pm

The Brick Moon is a wonderful production (the woodcuts are by Michael McCurdy, who operated the Penmaen Press for some time). Interestingly, it also contains the first known depiction of an artificial satellite.

49featherwate
marraskuu 25, 2014, 2:53 pm

>45 sdawson:
Thanks for the links, Shawn. I recently picked up a very good copy of the Society's Bellum, Two Statements on the Nature of War (an essay by Erasmus followed by Der Krieg, a series of very grim First World War engravings by Otto Dix). It's a large heavy book well up to IS's best standards.
Thanks to your lead I've now got what looks like a very good copy of The Sea and the Jungle on its way - not the eight dollar one, alas! but with a very reasonable shipping cost. After Bellum, I'm hoping it will be something of a light relief....and Garrick Palmer's illustrations look great.
>46 BuzzBuzzard:
The Frost volumes are an attractive set!

50sdawson
marraskuu 25, 2014, 4:23 pm

>49 featherwate:

The Bellum, Two Statements on the Nature of War is high on my wish list for IS. Congratulations! The other IS book that looks very good to me is "The Labors of Hercules"

51sdawson
helmikuu 5, 2015, 5:34 pm

Picked up my 12th Imprint Society book last week. "The Labors of Hercules". As always, it is a beautiful production, in my opinion every bit as good as LEC and other fine press publishers.

From the colophon:

"The Labors of Hercules, translated here for the first time from the Houghton manuscript, has been printed in an edition of 1950 copies. Giovanni Mardersteig designed the book. Composition and letterpress printing were overseen by the designer and his son, Matino, in the Stamperia Valdonega, Verona, Italy. The five color facsimiles were photographed from the original manuscript and struck by offset lithography by the Meriden Gravure Company, Meriden, Connecticut. The paper is Manunzia, manufactured by Cartiera Ventura, Milano. The book was bound by Torriani, Cologno Monzese."

This is copy number 1585

52kdweber
helmikuu 5, 2015, 5:45 pm

>51 sdawson: Nice! Every bit as good and usually substantially less expensive. I'm up to 17 Imprint Society books. I'd highly recommend Benito Cereno. Bellum: Two Statements on the Nature of War is quite nice as well. If you're willing to spend more money, The Wood and the Graver: The Work of Fritz Eichenberg is really beautiful.

53sdawson
helmikuu 5, 2015, 6:00 pm

I am on the lookout for the "Two Statements" for sure.

54sdawson
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 14, 2015, 10:30 pm

Hi folks, I find the following order form, included with a 1971 copy of the poetry of Robert Frost quite interesting. It has the published prices of many IS books, and mentions that 'The Bloody Massacre' was a presentation volume, not sure how many of those were published.

I like to put prices in relation to the 'minimum wage'. When I first started working, in 78 or so, I was paid minimum wage of $2.65/hour. I worked pretty much at the minimum wage til I graduated college in '85. In 1971, the minimum wage was $1.60/hour according to the US Department of Labor, (http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.htm)

So taking 'The House of Seven Gable' as a typical example, at $35 dollars, one would need to work 22 hours to earn this book in 1971 at $1.60/hour. If one goes with the later 70's minimum wage (my first job) of $2.65, I would have had to work 13 hours.

Today's minumum wage, in Oregon, which my wife, and both daughters earn today, is $9.25/hour. So if they had to work 22 hours (1971 hourly cost of the book) the book would cost them $203 today.

1971 Cost 22 hours min wage = $35
2015 Cost 22 hours min wage = $203

I like to keep this in mind when pricing currently published fine press books.

The fact that many (most) of the Imprint Society books, still in great condition today, can still be picked up for less than $35 is something to keep in mind. The cost for the books is 3-4 hours of minimum wage work compared to the original published price of 22 hours.

-Shawn

55booksforreading
helmikuu 14, 2015, 8:21 pm

I cannot see the form in your message, Shawn, but, you make an excellent point in your post. What was the original price for the Frost's poetry?

56sdawson
helmikuu 14, 2015, 10:32 pm

Hi booksforreading --- can you see it now? I moved the image to 'tiny pic' from 'dropbox'.

The Poetry of Robert Frost cost $37 in 1971.

-Shawn

57booksforreading
helmikuu 15, 2015, 12:42 am

Yes, thank you! I can see it now.

58sdawson
maaliskuu 1, 2015, 9:43 pm

I received 5 more Imprint Society books this past week --- Each for $20 to $25 with shipping included.

American Broadsides
Sketches in North America and the Oregon Territory
The History of Printing
The Narrative of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
The Gamester

They are each of them worth every penny. American Broadsides is shockingly large, and reproduces large facsimiles of early American 'broadsides', those printed poster size pamphlets put out for all sorts of reasons in the early days of printing. I spent Friday evening learning a bit of history and sentiments (and propaganda) of the times. Marvelous. Did you know that in the the 1760's that the cities felt it was their duty to take care of the destitute. I assume this means food and shelter and not much else, but still, there it is in a recruiting broadside. The colony also offers 100 acres of prime, rich land to any family that settled to the new world.

Included below is a photo of four of the five. Also, a few internal shots of American Broadsides. I'll try and put up more detailed photos in the future.

-Shawn













59ironjaw
Muokkaaja: maaliskuu 2, 2015, 6:56 am

really beautiful and yet shocking about the slave trade. I have a seven year old niece and can't imagine the thought of how inhumane slavey is: I'm still thinking of those young girls. Did anyone show mercy or kindness to children? I haven't seen or read 12 Years a Slave because that is a part of history I would presume would be too upsetting; and I must confess that slavery is one area that I know very little about.

60sdawson
maaliskuu 2, 2015, 9:18 am

>59 ironjaw:

I 'discovered' "12 Years a Slave" about 20 years or so ago. I say discovered, because it was written and published before the Civil War, and was one of the books that led up to that war. I also say discovered, because at that time, nobody else I talked with (and a lot of them are readers or history buffs) knew of the book; so I loaned it out to 3 other friends (including my wife) and had them read it. The book would be great for required reading in a high school literature or history course.

The story was touching and sad at parts, the scene that has stuck with the most is one toward the end of the book. Solomon is being freed and leaving the fields (in case you don't know, he was a free man who was kidnapped and taken down south, and this is his story about spending 12 years in slavery before being rescued). But as he leaves the fields for freedom, there are images of his friends, other slaves, and one woman in particular, who have no such hope and are left behind. The image is striking.

Despite such scenes, I highly encourage all to read this book.

I have not, and will not see the movie though. I guess it is good that it was made, as it will reach people who would never read the book. But a movie is no longer a contemporary account of this story, but rather a 21st century interpretation, which I have problems with. I also cannot handle on-screen brutality, even such as is essential to the story, which I believe is in the movie. I can handle it much better in text.

As an ending to this story, which is not covered in the book of course, is that after regaining freedom in the North, he lectured on abolitionism. Then he simply disappeared, never to be heard from again. Speculation is that he was either murdered for his views or actions, or some rumors have it that he was again shanghaied down South into slavery. No one knows. I do not know how this was dealt with in the movie (or if it was at all).

-Shawn

61kdweber
maaliskuu 2, 2015, 1:51 pm

>58 sdawson: Darn you, now I have to order a copy of American Broadsides.

62wcarter
maaliskuu 2, 2015, 5:02 pm

>58 sdawson:
Thanks for the enablement!
>61 kdweber:
I have just done so too.

63sdawson
maaliskuu 2, 2015, 6:40 pm

>61 kdweber:
>62 wcarter:

Nice, I hope you enjoy them. This is right up my alley, as I really enjoy learning history from contemporary documents, articles, novels, and histories, rather than modern day analysis.

To clarify large: measuring the outside of the slipcover, American Broadsides is 10 3/4" by 14 3/4".

It's not the largest book in my collection, but it is certainly larger than most.

-Shawn

64sdawson
maaliskuu 4, 2015, 4:27 pm

Arrived today from abebooks for $29.50 ($25 for books and $4.50 shipping).

The two volume Imprint Society edition of 'The Poetry of Robert Frost'. Lacks slipcase, but books themselves are in fine condition. The only flaw is light 'spotting' on the edges of the pages of the text (noticeable when the book is closed only). This spotting does not intrude into the pages themselves, or any internal section of the book, nor is it present on the covers or spine.

I wonder what causes such spotting. It seems age (light?) related. Is this a general type of foxing? It's not from a spill or some such corruption.

65RPASS
huhtikuu 23, 2015, 5:57 pm

Came across a post of yours regarding "The Imprint Society" what really caught my eye was a copy of a sales order form you found. I represented the Imprint Society as well as Barre Publishers and David R Godine in 1970. During my relatively short tenure I managed to obtain a copy of every book listed on the order form as well as a couple that must have come along at a later time. One such title, which I believe would be of interest to you is "Sketches in North America and The Oregon Territory"

66aaronpepperdine
huhtikuu 23, 2015, 6:25 pm

I'd be really interested to hear anything you care to share about your experience with the Imprint Society and Barre!

67RPASS
huhtikuu 25, 2015, 10:46 am

Shawn, Aaron

Thank you both for your reply to my comments above. Shawn your reply came to my e-mail however I will post my follow up here as per your suggestion.

I represented the publishers mentioned from 1970 to 1972. This was my first "real job" after my discharge from the Army and my return from a tour of duty in Vietnam.

This being 45 years ago I have to apologize for my somewhat vague recollection of names and events. However The Imprint Society was really part of Barre Publishers located in the small town of Barre Massachusetts. Barre hired myself and one other person to represent the company in the northeast. At the time I was living in New York City and covered a sales territory primarily focusing on New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC with stops in between. We called on what might be considered the "finer" bookstores as our collection was rather eclectic or perhaps a bit esoteric. I recall meeting Pierre Etchebaster, widely considered to be the worlds greatest player of "real tennis" in the mid 1900's. Barre published his biography called "Pierre's Book" edited and introduced by George Plimpton. I believe you would find Pierre's history quite entertaining.

There was another publisher located as I recall in Brookline Massachusetts by the name of David R Godine. David's books fell into pretty much the same category and we represent them as well. I recall David's "company" operating out of an old barn. I suggest you look into DRG as his works are quite similar to those of The Imprint Society. Limited editions by authors such as John Wesley Powell, David Thoreau etc. and of a quality equal to that of IS.

Obviously we were catering to a rather small and select market which made sales difficult. I remember attending a book show and getting an invitation to a party hosted by Little Brown & Company, wow what an experience that was and what a difference in publishers. There was some expectation that Little Brown would acquire Barre/Imprint but that never came to pass.

As interest diminished it became time for me to move on and so I left the company and pursued other options.

I have a few photos of a small part of my collection however I do not know how to attach them here. I will attempt to send them to you Shawn.

68EclecticIndulgence
huhtikuu 25, 2015, 12:06 pm

Viestin kirjoittaja on poistanut viestin.

69featherwate
huhtikuu 25, 2015, 7:06 pm

Thanks, RPASS, for this interesting insight into the ever-interesting IS - and David R. Godine. One of the best IS titles I have (Bellum) was designed by Godine (and maybe printed by him? I can't recall offhand). I also have a handful of his own firm's work, though only one from the early letterpress years (1970-75), a limited edition of G M Hopkins' Wreck of the Deutschland; the rest are later trade editions but produced to a very good standard.
Nice to think of the Deutschland being run off in an old barn, and I'm now definitely tempted to have a look at some more of the books from that period!

70RPASS
huhtikuu 27, 2015, 5:48 pm

I did have an opportunity to see some of the processes (such as type setting) as well as the equipment however I never did get an opportunity to see a book manufactured from start to finish.

I wish I could give you more detail on how the company started however at the time my primary concern was getting books sold and earning an income.

71RPASS
huhtikuu 27, 2015, 5:57 pm

I believe Bellum was released sometime in 1972 and after I left the company so I am not familiar with this book.

As to some of the other books from the early days of DRG perhaps one of if not the most popular work would be "Moral Reflections on the Short Life of the Ephemeron" (Mayfly) by Thomas Boreman. This is a very short essay which first appeared in a London publication from 1739. It comes in a clamshell cover (a beautiful presentation) along with etchings by Lance Hidy along with his signature. David Godine has on a number of occasions cited this book as his personal favorite.

Only 100 copies were printed and I believe the going price is around $800.00. This is a 1970 publication and not to be confused with a much later publication (1989) by B'nai B'rith.

72sdawson
huhtikuu 27, 2015, 7:55 pm

Rpass,

Do you have any insight into the relatively large number of un-numbered, hors d'commerce books put out by the Imprint Society. I have picked up all my IS books from ABEBooks or Ebay, and there is a much higher ratio of un-numbered books in my IS collection than other limited edition publishers.

Just curious as to if these were distributed to book stores to entice the owners into carrying IS books, or if they were printed for the staff or what.

Shawn

73EclecticIndulgence
huhtikuu 27, 2015, 7:57 pm

Viestin kirjoittaja on poistanut viestin.

74aaronpepperdine
huhtikuu 28, 2015, 12:07 pm

>72 sdawson: I am also very curious about this.

75RPASS
huhtikuu 28, 2015, 2:13 pm

Obviously a topic/issue many of you have experienced. I wish I had a definitive answer however I can only speculate based on a few pieces of information.

Let's start off with my collection; of the 22 or so titles that I have from IS only 2 or 3 are numbered. The rest have my initials (RP) where the number of the edition would normally go. So my theory here is that the edition was numbered as the books were sold. Therefore if the complete edition did not sell out (1950 copies for example) then the unsold books were never numbered.

So how did these un-numbered books get into the marketplace? I suspect some of them were "review" copies, some may have been sold as "trade editions" (not numbered) and some may have been "sold off" when the company dissolved (also not numbered)?

However with regard to signatures by illustrators, engravers etc. all of my collection is signed so I am at a loss to explain un-signed editions.

I will attempt to get more information on why this may be.

RPASS

76kdweber
huhtikuu 28, 2015, 7:45 pm

>75 RPASS: Really! Every book in the series was signed? Wow, only 14 of the 21 Imprint Society editions I own are signed.

77RPASS
huhtikuu 30, 2015, 9:15 am

Every book in "my" collection is signed, as I said I am at a loss trying to explain un-signed copies. Since I was using them to show in order to generate orders I am not surprised.

78sdawson
huhtikuu 30, 2015, 11:01 am

I'll have to review mine. I know a bunch are not numbered, but I'm not sure about the signatures.

79sdawson
toukokuu 8, 2015, 5:06 pm

Picked up my 23rd IS book today -- Two Statements on the Nature of War. I haven't had a chance to really review it yet though. It is another un-numbered book (unsigned as well, but I'm not sure if this one was signed).

80kdweber
toukokuu 8, 2015, 8:00 pm

>79 sdawson: Great book, it reminds me of Goya's Disasters of War. My copy is numbered but unsigned.

81featherwate
toukokuu 9, 2015, 4:16 am

>79 sdawson:
My copy too is unnumbered and unsigned. Fortunately that doesn't affect its quality!

82sdawson
toukokuu 9, 2015, 12:54 pm

>81 featherwate:

I totally agree, I don't care if it's unnumbered or not, just putting it down as an observation as so many of IS are unnumbered. The working theory is that they were numbered as they were sold.

83featherwate
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 17, 2015, 8:43 am

Heigh-ho! I've picked up a reasonably priced American Broadsides in the UK. I'd rate it Fine in a Good+ slipcase. It's a helluva book, so I freely forgive you, Shawn, for unleashing my inner acquisitiveness!
Not that it matters, but it's numbered as well as signed by the editor Georgia B. Bumgardner.

84HuxleyTheCat
toukokuu 26, 2015, 6:48 pm

Had a day in Brighton and picked up a pristine copy of Nightmare Abbey for very few notes from the ever-reliable Colin Page (ever-reliable at loosening the purse-strings that is). Also was persuaded to bring home with me an addition to my small Imprint Society collection, Daphnis & Chloe (signed and with aquatints by Felix Hoffman); Washington Irving's Christmas at Bracebridge Hall (the first publication from the Angelica fine Press) and, last but not least, A Typographical Masterpiece, which is a Book Club of California LE documenting the production of the Golden Cockerel edition of The Four Gospels, and which will perfectly complement the Folio facsimile of this work. This book had a small book plate indicating that it was from the private collection of noted typographer Ruari Mclean. The Irving book came from the library of noted bibliophile Alex Bridge.

Also posted to the FSD forum but really more suitable for here.

85Felixholt
toukokuu 27, 2015, 12:44 am

>84 HuxleyTheCat: That is a fine haul. I have the Daphnis and Chloe and liked it instantly - whereas I don't care for Hoffmann's work for the LEC. How splendid to own something from Ruari Mclean's library. Blackwell's Rare Books had his copy of the LEC Tartarin some time ago - unhappily far too rich for me. The FS Nightmare Abbey sits accusingly on my shelves - is it readable, I wonder.

86HuxleyTheCat
toukokuu 27, 2015, 9:04 am

>85 Felixholt: - I read the first chapter last night and see no reason why it wouldn't be.

Blackwell's have some very nice books, for sure, but their pricing is commensurate with their location. I hadn't been into Colin Page for quite a while, but the proprietor immediately recognised me and remembered the books I collect. I don't think there are so many female collectors, let alone short, rotund ones so that probably helped his recollection.

I know that for many collectors book plates are a no-no, but I always enjoy trying to research the former owner and sometimes there's a really nice association, like this one. The plate itself is small, tasteful and carefully applied.

87aaronpepperdine
toukokuu 27, 2015, 12:15 pm

>84 HuxleyTheCat:

Daphnis & Chloe is one of my favorite IS volumes, good find!

88sdawson
toukokuu 28, 2015, 11:05 am

I agree on the beauty of Daphnis & Chloe (now I need to set aside the time to read the actual book).

I also do not mind bookplates that are put on the book properly, nor neat inscriptions. Books are history to me, and that just adds to the history.

-Shawn

89kdweber
kesäkuu 8, 2015, 9:11 pm

Just received my copy of The Playboy of the Western World. I haven't read it yet but the page layout is one of the most disturbing I've ever seen. A 2.5" left margin against a 0.5" right margin, a 1.75" bottom margin and an absurd 0.375" top margin. It just feels out of kilter.

90sdawson
kesäkuu 8, 2015, 9:18 pm

>89 kdweber:

I don't have that one, and may never get it. Isn't it a bit on the pricey side? But I'd love to see photographs.

91kdweber
kesäkuu 8, 2015, 9:25 pm

>90 sdawson: Yes, it seems over-priced though I did get it for a relatively good price.

92aaronpepperdine
kesäkuu 9, 2015, 11:08 am

I've always been confused by this one - virtually all of the IS books can be had for a song, and then I never see this one for less than $100. Do you know why the higher price? Also, would you recommend picking it up, the margins notwithstanding?

93kdweber
kesäkuu 9, 2015, 1:59 pm

I think The Wood and the Graver: The Work of Fritz Eichenberg is consistantly the most expensive edition in the series but well worth it. I'm pretty sure the high prices for The Playboy of the Western World have to do with the artist as Louis le Brocquy is a quite well known Irish artist (who died in 2012). I like the art, dislike the page layout and haven't yet read the play so I reserve judgement at this moment.

94aaronpepperdine
kesäkuu 9, 2015, 2:52 pm

That makes sense I suppose.

You are right about the Wood and the Graver (wonderful volume, my favorite of the IS), but I've always understood why that one is expensive.

I think the only other one often pricey is Sudek, which I know nothing about.

95sdawson
syyskuu 14, 2015, 2:56 pm

I have Fables by the Late John Gay already, but for those who do not, it's starting out at a good price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fables-by-the-Late-John-Gay-/191690242291?

96dlphcoracl
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 14, 2015, 5:33 pm

>90 sdawson: , >91 kdweber: and >92 aaronpepperdine::

The IS edition of 'The Playboy of the Western World' is pricier than other IS books because of the original illustrations by Louis le Brocquy. Despite the poorly thought out page layout and design, this book is still worth acquiring because it is the only private press edition of an unjustly neglected masterpiece (imho). J. Millington Synge's 'Playboy of the Western World' deserves to be better known and more frequently read than it is.

97sdawson
syyskuu 14, 2015, 6:04 pm

>96 dlphcoracl:, Thank you. I may never get that one, unless it pops up for far less than it has in the past.

98kdweber
syyskuu 14, 2015, 8:40 pm

>94 aaronpepperdine: The Sudek was a much smaller release - 500 copies instead of the usual 1950.

99Conte_Mosca
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 18, 2015, 12:46 pm

Being in the UK, my collection is rather modest, as they are relatively uncommon here, but I picked up my 6th Imprint Society edition today, Brick Moon (my others being Benito Cereno, American Scenery, The Riddle of the Sands, King Solomon's Mines and The House of the Seven Gables). I had never heard of either the title or the author, but a quick flick through quickly showed it to be right up my street (19th century and science fiction!). I suspect Edward Everett Hale is better known on the other side of the pond, given, according to the introduction, he authored and edited over sixty books!

100EclecticIndulgence
syyskuu 18, 2015, 4:34 pm

Viestin kirjoittaja on poistanut viestin.

101featherwate
syyskuu 19, 2015, 10:12 am

>99 Conte_Mosca:
>100 EclecticIndulgence:
Being another victim of an Albion-centric education (Great Britain good, ROW so-so) I too had never heard of Edward Everett Hale. [Ubiquitous Hollywood comedy character actor Edward Everett Horton, yes; American films were culturally acceptable as they were undeniably pretty damn good (only because they had more money spent on them, of course...:)]. But it was only when I started buying LECs in 2012 that I came across E E Hale. His A Man Without a Country sounded intriguing, had a clever binding design, was illustrated by Edward A Wilson and was cheap enough to be worth taking a risk on. I enjoyed it, read up about the author on Wikipedia and found he was a pretty distinguished guy. So I was delighted to find the IS Brick Moon a few months later - another fine piece of book-making.
I wonder if his prolific output was partly accounted for by his not being a man to waste words. Brick Moon has only 80pp of text and the LEC only 56!

102scholasticus
syyskuu 19, 2015, 10:32 am

>99 Conte_Mosca: ff.

I need to ban myself from these forums. Now I want a copy of 'Brick Moon' as I quite enjoy Verne's writing style. I know Verne's not to everyone's taste but I really enjoy his brand of sci-fi.

103featherwate
syyskuu 19, 2015, 12:34 pm

>102 scholasticus:
It's worth it! Printed at the Spiral Press and as Eclectic says with great illustrations by Michael McCurdy.
Man without a Country is a poignant read and physically the LEC has worn well for an 80 year old production.

104EclecticIndulgence
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 19, 2015, 6:51 pm

Viestin kirjoittaja on poistanut viestin.

105sdawson
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 20, 2015, 3:38 pm

Yep, most of the Imprint Society books are reasonably priced fine press books. While they did a lot of historical texts, they did do some novels such as this one.

While I believe some IS books are more beautiful than others, the only few I have been disappointed in include the slip of a book "The Wants Of Man" by John Quincy Adams and the garrish looking 'Hard Times for these Times' by Dickens.

106scholasticus
syyskuu 20, 2015, 4:27 pm

Darn you all. ;)

My credit card somehow ended up visiting Abe and nabbed me a Fine copy for only $15.

I now have two Imprint Society books, the other being King Solomon's Mines.

107EclecticIndulgence
syyskuu 20, 2015, 6:00 pm

Viestin kirjoittaja on poistanut viestin.

108kdweber
syyskuu 20, 2015, 8:49 pm

>106 scholasticus: I believe King Solomon's Mines is the one that drags us all in. Next you will feel the inexorable pull of Benito Cereno.

109scholasticus
syyskuu 21, 2015, 9:54 am

>108 kdweber:

LalalalalaIamnotreadingwhatyouwrotelalalalalala.

Ah, who am I kidding? Benito Cereno is definitely next up on my IS wishlist.

110HuxleyTheCat
syyskuu 21, 2015, 10:23 am

The IS Benito Cereno was published 5 years after the Folio Society edition, for which Garrick Palmer also made the woodcuts. I think it's interesting to compare how his style had developed in those five years, becoming 'much' denser and darker: http://s901.photobucket.com/user/HuxleyTheCat/slideshow/Books/Benito%20Cereno%20...

111cronshaw
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 21, 2015, 2:39 pm

>54 sdawson: It's hard to say who's the most effective enabler in this seductive thread, but Shawn, your price argument is compelling! I've ordered and now await Benito Cereno and The Sea and the Jungle. I agree with Fiona that the sixteen Garrick Palmer engravings in the IS volume seem to have considerably more depth and complexity than the eight engravings that had appeared in Folio's earlier Three Stories by Melville. Oh the things we see to enable ourselves...

112aaronpepperdine
syyskuu 21, 2015, 3:08 pm

I ran across this interesting item on Amazon the other day: a 1964 slipcased, limited edition from Barre Publishers - presumably what they were up to before they got the Imprint Society going?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0027HSNL2/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&...

113sdawson
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 12, 2016, 10:36 am

Picked up the large, two volume "Narrative of a Five Year's Expedition" this week, or

Narrative of a Five Year's Expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam, in Guiana on the Wild Coast of South America from the years 1772 to 1777 by Captain J. G. Stedman

This brings my Imprint Society shelf (two at this point) to 28 books.

https://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?tag=Imprint+Society&offset=0&pr...

BTW, this one is not number, but signed by the Rudolph Van Lier (I believe, the signature is "R van Lier") who wrote the introduction and notes.

114sdawson
maaliskuu 2, 2016, 10:16 am

Some of my Imprint Society books on the shelf. The top shelf and the left of the bottom shelf contain them.

115EclecticIndulgence
maaliskuu 2, 2016, 12:48 pm

Viestin kirjoittaja on poistanut viestin.

116kdweber
maaliskuu 2, 2016, 8:11 pm

>114 sdawson: What's the blue two volume set on the bottom shelf?

117sdawson
Muokkaaja: maaliskuu 2, 2016, 10:54 pm

That is A Narrative of Five Years Expedition in Guiana, 1772-1777 by Captain Stedman














118ultrarightist
maaliskuu 7, 2016, 10:44 am

I recently picked up a copy of The Narrative of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca for $25 and am pleased with the quality of this little gem.

Does anyone know if Imprint's edition of Hawthorne's House of the Seven Gables is illustrated?

119sdawson
maaliskuu 7, 2016, 11:16 am

>118 ultrarightist:

I'm on travel this week. I can post photos when I get home, but it won't be til Saturday. I'll try to remember, but if you ping this thread on Friday or Saturday to remind me, that would help.

120HuxleyTheCat
maaliskuu 7, 2016, 11:28 am

>118 ultrarightist: Looking at the copies available on abe, it seems that there is a bound-in stone lithograph from Stow Wengenroth as the frontispiece. There's no other indication of the book being illustrated.

121zHugh
syyskuu 10, 2016, 11:59 pm

I came upon this thread a bit late but that is correct. The IS House of the Seven Gables' sole illustration is the Wengenroth lithograph. A bit of a missed opportunity IMO but otherwise a very nice edition.

122sdawson
syyskuu 11, 2016, 10:50 am

>121 zHugh:

Welcome to the thread!

123zHugh
Muokkaaja: syyskuu 11, 2016, 1:43 pm

Thanks! I just started picking up some IS volumes and decided to try to find out more about them. Lots of good info on this thread.

124zHugh
lokakuu 11, 2016, 10:38 pm

Just recieved the IS King Solomon's Mines, my second IS book and in comparing with the IS Seven Gables I have to say that I much prefer the paper and press work in Seven Gables. While King Solomon's Mines is a very nice edition (I particularly like the illustrations and binding) the thick creamy white laid paper and letterpress work with nice bite on Seven Gables gives it the definite edge IMHO. I look forward to continuing my acquisition of IS titles to compare with these first two.

125sdawson
lokakuu 12, 2016, 1:29 pm

>124 zHugh:,

Hi zHuge,

I'll try and carve out a few hours this fall and do more posts of other IS books to this thread. I haven't obtained any more recently, at 29 books, I have most of the ones that I want, but still keep an eye out for some I may have missed that may come up for a good price.

126zHugh
lokakuu 12, 2016, 3:03 pm

>125 sdawson: Of the 29 you have which ones would you say are the nicest productions overall?

127aaronpepperdine
lokakuu 12, 2016, 3:51 pm

>126 zHugh:

I'll jump in here - a few of my favorites: Daphnis and Chloe, Fables by the Late John Gay, Benito Cereno, The Sea and the Jungle, and The Narrative of Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca.

128zHugh
lokakuu 12, 2016, 8:05 pm

>127 aaronpepperdine: Thanks for the suggestions. I have been keeping my eye on several of these. Glad to hear they are well worth picking up.

129laotzu225
syyskuu 26, 2017, 7:16 pm

>79 sdawson: Somewhat late to the discussion. It turns out I have The Labors of Hercules (probably have had it for more than 10 years)-unnumbered/unsigned but Fine.

130MobyRichard
Muokkaaja: lokakuu 30, 2017, 10:33 am

Just received Benito Cereno. As good as LEC, in some ways. Shocked I had never heard of this publisher before.

'Bellum: Two statements on the nature of war' (Erasmus) ordered.

131kdweber
lokakuu 30, 2017, 1:29 pm

>130 MobyRichard: Two of my favorite IS titles. The Wood and the Graver: The Work of Fritz Eichenberg being my absolute favorite though it seems to be the only pricey IS edition extant. The Sea and the Jungle also features wood engravings by Garrick Palmer.

132EclecticIndulgence
lokakuu 30, 2017, 1:46 pm

Viestin kirjoittaja on poistanut viestin.

133Glacierman
tammikuu 21, 2019, 12:59 am

Post scriptum:

I worked in a retail book store during the period the Imprint Society was active and subsequently. From that experience, I have concluded that the unnumbered copies were remaindered by the publisher. I obtained several titles from a book wholesaler (Gordon's Books) in Denver, Colorado, for stock in our store. All were unnumbered. I took the opportunity to obtain copies for myself as well. It seems to me that Barre Publishers and IS were acquired by Crown Publishers and they subsequently reduced the unsold inventory by remaindering them, thus making them available to the book trade in general. Also, I ordered a copy of the LE of the Eichenberg book from Crown, as it was featured in one of their catalogues.

One of the titles I purchased was the lovely Stedman featured above; the Dickens Hard Times is indeed, garish. Peter Kalm's travels was quite well done as well. The rest of the titles I forget...that was a while ago...and as I have not laid eyes on them for several years (in storage), I cannot say whether or not they were signed. That bit of information will have to wait for another time.

134BlakePembroke
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 19, 2021, 4:58 pm

Did you ever get a complete list of Imprint Society titles that you can share?

135Lukas1990
lokakuu 23, 2021, 4:36 pm

I've just ordered what looks like a fine copy of the 'Labors of Hercules'. Shipping to Lithuania costed three times as much as the book itself. Just couldn't resist a Mardersteig designed book.

136kdweber
lokakuu 23, 2021, 8:01 pm

>135 Lukas1990: Wow, I never realized the book was designed by Mardersteig and printed at the Stamperia Valdonega. I guess I never read the colophon.

137neggar
lokakuu 23, 2021, 8:02 pm

Tämä käyttäjä on poistettu roskaamisen vuoksi.

138Lukas1990
lokakuu 24, 2021, 3:27 am

>136 kdweber: Now you know! Do you like the book?

139laotzu225
lokakuu 24, 2021, 4:21 pm

>133 Glacierman: I just received a like-new The Cabinet of Natural History which was unsigned. Now I know the likely reason. I wish the IS had been more successful.

140laotzu225
lokakuu 24, 2021, 4:30 pm

>138 Lukas1990: I have it and like it. The two page facsimile of the manuscript page is the highlight. (my copy is unnumbered-see >133 Glacierman: and >139 laotzu225: above. ) I wish I knew what the cover material; it seems like an "art vellum".

141abysswalker
lokakuu 24, 2021, 5:07 pm

>140 laotzu225: I am pretty sure it is a vellum/parchment style paper. I am actually not a fan of the binding for Hercules, as it scuffs easily and the hinges feel weak to me, but the text block is lovely. I've handled a few copies of this, and the slipcase tends to be tight as well. I just checked and my Stamperia Valdonega bibliographic works lack more info about the binding.

Novelle Cinque: Tales from the Veneto from the Imprint Society (mentioned briefly above in comment >2 olepuppy:) is also a Stamperia Valdonega book, though Martino handled the design and printing (Giovanni did the design for Hercules, Martino the printing). Both are quite nice and feel like they occupy a similar genre niche (for lack of a better term) in that they are both erudite (not exactly academic) translations of somewhat obscure but historically important texts with impeccable book design and high quality reproductions of original manuscripts.

142abysswalker
lokakuu 24, 2021, 5:13 pm

A few pictures of Novelle Cinque for anyone curious:















143LeHorla
lokakuu 3, 2022, 3:38 pm

I picked up a copy of Fables by John Gay. Beautiful book. And, it had the original invoice for the subscriber in it. It was priced at $27.50 in 1970, which apparently was half price given to subscribers(so standard purchase was $50 while they were trying to get off the ground). That means, at even the altered inflation measures if today, the man paid the equivalent of abiut $210 for the book. And full price was DOUBLE that. I'm astonished, actually. And quite sad that I got it for so cheap knowing that.

144sdawson
lokakuu 6, 2022, 8:49 am

I have most of theses books. they are great productions.

145Shadekeep
lokakuu 6, 2022, 10:17 am

You all have convinced me to splash out on some of these. I've ordered the following titles now.

Daphnis and Chloe
Novelle Cinque
Fables of the Late John Gay
The Lure of the Striped Pig

146Glacierman
Muokkaaja: lokakuu 23, 2022, 9:08 pm

The reason Eichenberg's The Wood and the Graver is so expensive is due to (1) it's low limitation of 500 copies, and (2) the presence of a signed print included in a pocket in the rear. This was also the last book published under the IS imprint. There was also a trade edition published under the imprint of Clarkson N. Potter, a Crown Publishers' imprint. Crown had not yet been absorbed into the Random House tumor.

John Gay's Fables is a lovely book. I am also enamored of the two-volume Stedman, the Novelle Cinque and the Cabeza de Vaca. I agree that The Brick Moon is also a nifty item. Of all the various IS books I own, the only one which is a bit off-putting is the Dickens Hard Times.

147ultrarightist
lokakuu 23, 2022, 8:09 pm

>146 Glacierman: "Crown had not yet been absorbed into the Random House tumor yet."

Quite the barb, yet so apposite.

148Mechan1c
lokakuu 29, 2022, 4:28 pm

I have in my Pacific Northwest collection both Joseph Ingraham's Journal of the Brigantine Hope on a Voyage to the Northwest Coast of North America 1790-92, and Sketches in North America and the Oregon Territory. They are both beautiful Imprint Society publications that were well thought out and executed. They are also important works of western history. They were both priced at a point where handling and reading them didn't bother me.

Both copies are numbered, neither copy is signed by the editor, nor do I know if any of these were ever signed as such. These 2 IS books are seen in Western Americana bookstores occasionally. The Ingraham title came from a Portland, Oregon bookseller and the Warre title came from Choteau, Montana. I did see a few other IS titles at the recent Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair, but I stuck to the history genre.

149Glacierman
lokakuu 29, 2022, 6:16 pm

>148 Mechan1c: What you have, like so many others, are remaindered copies. These are unsigned. When Crown obtained the remaining stock of IS titles, they remaindered them both through Outlet Book Co. (the parent company to Crown) and also sold them off to others, such as the Denver-based Gordon's Books which was another remainder/sales outlet.

150jveezer
huhtikuu 21, 2023, 11:41 am

"If there is in the affairs of mortal men any one thing which it is proper uniformly to explode; which it is incumbent on every man, by every lawful means, to avoid, to deprecate, to oppose, that one thing is doubtless war. There is nothing more unnaturally wicked, more productive of misery, more extensively destructive, more obstinate in mischief, more unworthy of man as formed by nature, much more of man Professing Christianity."

Just found a copy of the Imprint Society edition of Bellum: two statements on the nature of war for a steal at my local bookshop. I haven't read the full Erasmus text but the Otto Dix illustrations are frightening and haunting. 500 years and we still haven't learned...too much money to make for the Masters of War. Cry, my beloved country.

151jveezer
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 22, 2023, 12:39 am

Viestin kirjoittaja on poistanut viestin.

152jveezer
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 22, 2023, 12:39 am

Viestin kirjoittaja on poistanut viestin.

153BubbaCoop
heinäkuu 8, 2023, 9:29 am

I found a copy of Imprint Society's Dickens Hard Times . All of the copies I could find are signed and numbered as high as 1800 out of 1,950 copies. My copy is signed but not numbered. Why idea why?

154mr.philistine
heinäkuu 8, 2023, 9:50 am

>153 BubbaCoop: These posts should explain why: >133 Glacierman: and >149 Glacierman:

155mr.philistine
maaliskuu 15, 11:39 am

The following letter accompanied my IS Benito Cereno. Consequently, I have a few questions if I may:
- Did IS titles come with letters not unlike George Macy's LEC newsletters?
- Who/ what is an FEC member?
- Did K&B acquire IS at some point or does the letter simply mean 16 'pieces'?

Thanks for any information.

156Glacierman
Muokkaaja: maaliskuu 15, 12:00 pm

>155 mr.philistine: When the Imprint Society died, remaining stock was remaindered. I was managing a Hatch's bookstore in Kalispell, Montana, at the time and I bought several IS titles from Outlet Books, a remainder & reprint business. It looks like K&B did the same. Some of the books I received were unsigned & unnumbered, some signed & unnumbered.

I cannot speak to whether or not IS titles purchased by members came with a newsletter or not, as all IS books I bought were remaindered copies and had never been issued to members.

I have no idea what "FEC" refers to, but I would suggest that it was a K&B thing, and perhaps stood for "First Editions Club" or something similar.

To re-iterate some of what I previously posted above in this topic, IS was purchased by Outlet and IS's final title, Fritz Eichenberg's The Wood and the Graver was issued in a limited edition by Outlet under the IS imprint and a trade edition by Outlet's subsidiary, Crown Publishers. Both versions were flogged to the trade by Crown reps, from whom I purchased a copy of the ltd edition for myself and a few copies of the trade edition for the store.

157A.Nobody
maaliskuu 15, 12:04 pm

>155 mr.philistine: I know FEC was K&B's First Edition Circle, a sort of book-of-the-month club that I believe focused on signed first editions. And I'm pretty positive K&B never owned the Imprint Society - they were a chain of bookstores and did not get into publishing. I have fond memories of going to their Evanston, IL location as a lad :)

158mr.philistine
maaliskuu 15, 12:54 pm

>156 Glacierman: >157 A.Nobody:
Thanks for the elucidation. I'm glad my remaindered copy is both signed and numbered! The letter bears witness to the sad demise of the Imprint Society but is unfortunately undated.

159kermaier
maaliskuu 15, 2:39 pm

My copy of the IS “Benito Cereno” is signed, but unnumbered.