A bibliophile's letter from Great Britain
Objekttyp: Group
Zeitschrift: Librarium : Zeitschrift der Schweizerischen Bibliophilen- Gesellschaft = revue de la Société Suisse des Bibliophiles
Band (Jahr): 4 (1961)
Heft 2-3
PDF erstellt am: 26.09.2021
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http://www.e-periodica.ch JOHN RYDER (LONDON) A BIBLIOPHILE'S LETTER FROM GREAT BRITAIN
Last year the major bibliographical event their firm established in 1816. The took place in October at the Old Bailey Retrospectus is unusually well-produced and bears when the Crown unsuccessfully prosecuted a very simple imprint 'Laverock Press'. Penguin Books for publishing an allegedly Towards the end of i960 the Laverock Press obscene article—Lady Chatterley's Lover. This which belongs to Iain and Susan Bain (not unexpurgated edition would doubtless have related to the booksellers) produced and been a bestseller without the publicity of a privately distributed a monograph on John lengthy trial—by the middle of 1961 more Sharpe, a 19th century bookseller and than three million copies had been sold. publisher of Piccadilly, London. This sort of But in February 1961 Penguin Books published activity (bibliographical research combined The Trial ofLady Chatterley, and this, too, with typographical experiment) is becoming became a bestseller. Students of English common practice amongst mid-century .pri¬ literature may well find the trial, taken from vate presses, and it has little in common the official Old Bailey transcript of evidence with the activities of the private press which and speeches, more interesting than the novel John Carter described in his introduction itselfwhichsurelywas neverrated amongst to an exhibition catalogue issued by the Lawrence's best works. Times Bookshop this year (see below). In June this year the fourth Antiquarian The Cuckoo Hill Press (David Chambers), Book Fair was held at the National Book which is still in the process of establishing its League in London. About forty booksellers typographical equipment and style, has were represented. One item offered for sale already issued,for the benefit ofkindred presses, there at L33 was a copy of the first edition a sampler ofJapanese papers complete with of Lady Chatterley's Lover, privately printed, information for purchasing. Florence, 1928. Another more valuable My own private publishing venture, the item, Divina Proportions ofLuca Pacioli, printed Miniature Press, produced one ofits few and at Venice in 1509 by Paganini, was far between items in i960—a Miniature Folio offered at L 1,050. The appearance of this of Private Presses. The edition, consisting of early alphabet book reminds me that the 100 copies, was distributed free to contributors long awaited Alphabetum Romanum of Felice and bibliophiles. The chief claim to Feliciano from Dr Mardersteig's Officina distinction that I would allow this folio of Bodoni, Verona, is now near completion. I the work of 28 printers is that it contains a believe it is true to say that in 1955 Giovanni folded leaf printed at the Officina Bodoni. Mardersteig was contemplating the production At a meeting of the Double Crown Club of a facsimile of the Feliciano of 1463 in the winter of i960 members heard a paper and that copies may be available before the read by John Carter on the present status end of this year. In England William Collins of private presses. Unfortunately, so it will distribute; in America, Harcourt Brace. seemed to me, Mr Carter's information on the There will be three separate editions — contemporary private press was dated. This English, Italian and German. may have been due to his failure to grasp the James Bain Ltd, an exhibitor at this wider implications of purely experimental year's Book Fair, gave their customers a presses. But the most blatant misunderstanding keepsake in the form of a retrospectus of of private presses appeared in
78 a note on Glaister's Glossary of the Book Peters and Christopher Bradshaw, Sem in which the writer thought that an Hartz and Mike Parker (to mention only appendix on contemporary private presses the first half-dozen names that come to gave too much emphasis of value to what mind) as 'harmless amateurs' does not was termed a 'harmless amateur' commend that note to be taken seriously. occupation. The plain fact is that most of There has been much talk of new bibles the important private presses—and there this year. Jointly the University Presses of are several—are the experimental tools of Oxford and Cambridge issued the New professional designers. There is nothing at all Testament of The New English Bible and 'amateur' about their products, if indeed subsequently Eyre and Spottiswoode issued they produce anything, and the top in paperback form The Gospel According to professional printers and publishers employ John in the new translation. Although Eyre such 'amateurs' in their offices. To describe and Spottiswoode are Her Majesty's printers Giovanni Mardersteig and Will Carter,John and hold a royal patent granting them
OCTAVIAN ROMAN AND ITALIC CUT IN FOURTEEN POINT SIZE BY THE MONOTYPE CORPORATION AND DESIGNED BY WILL CARTER AND DAVID KINDERSLEY * MCMLXI
A private showing of the first trial cutting (by the Monotype Corporation) ofa new typeface designed by Will Carter and David Kindersley (slightly enlarged)
79 JOHN SHARPE PUBLISHER & BOOKSELLER PICCADILLY
A preliminary survey ofhis activities in the London Book Trade
1800- 1840
WELWYN THE LAVEROCK PRESS i960 John Sharpe: title-pagefrom the booklet written and printed by Iain and Susan Bain on a handpress the right to print the Bible in England, the versity Press, Oxford and in part at the university presses concerned maintain that University Press, Cambridge. Whilst his first they hold a copyright in the new translation bible had contemporary illustrations in and that this copyright overrides the historic copperplate by Stephen Gooden, the new patent. Perhaps an interesting lawsuit will bible (Authorized Version as before) will follow. Another bible project is the new have reproductions of Bernard Salamon's Nonesuch Bible. Sir Francis Meynell, who cuts of Biblical subjects. celebrated his 70th birthday this year, has At Sotheby's in June this year an imperfect designed his second Bible in Ehrhardt type. copy of the St Alban's Book of Hawking, It is now being set up in part at the Uni- Hunting and Heraldry, i486 (containing 51
80 ofits original 90 leaves) fetched £2,400. This Li,6oo but in 1947, £2,300. At this same rare English book has fluctuated in auction June 1961 auction eighteen typed letters of value recently. In 1950 it fetched only G. B. Shaw fetched L300. Particularly the
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Drawing by Derek Cousinsfor the Lion & Unicom Press edition of Chaucer's The Merchant's Tale. The original drawing has a colour background loosely fitting around the figures and the table 81 value of manuscripts of living or recently country between 1757 and i960. The opening deceased authors has greatly increased. The ceremony was performed by Sir Francis original manuscript of Evelyn Waugh's Meynell whose Nonesuch Press was Decline andFall went for L18 in 1930. In i960 established in 1923. The exhibition catalogue, the MS of E. M. Forster's A Passage to India although appearing to be meticulously fetched £6,500. compiled, left some room for criticism of its The first book of a recently dead author, comments on certain presses. For instance, Three Stories and Ten Poems by Ernest the Nonesuch Press is followed by the Hemingway (Contact Publishing Company, Fortune Press which was established 'c. 1925'. Paris, 1923: 300 copies) inscribed by the We may wonder why the circa since its founder author was offered this autumn by Bertram and sole owner, John Gaton, is still Rota Ltd of London for £265. active. We may also wonder at its specialisation Recent developments in the design of 'in poetry, fiction and scholarly works in all typefaces have come from Giovanni fields.' This seems a bit wide to be called Mardersteig at his Officina Bodoni; from John specialisation. Also it may not seem too Peters at his Vine Press; from Sem Hartz accurate if and when the list of publications at his Tuinwijkpers; from Will Carter at his is known. Rampant Lions Press. Will Carter, in Special issues from the University Press, collaboration with David Kindersley, is developing Cambridge and from the Lion and Unicorn a new Roman typeface to be called Oc- Press (of the Royal College of Art) are usually tavian. This will be of stronger colour than ofboth bibliographical and typographical the revivals ofBembo, Garamond, Founder, interest. Since 1930 the Printer to the Caslon and Baskerville. Greater use is being University at Cambridge has, with the made of the medium and stronger coloured exception of the war years, issued Christmas faces such as Plantin (Monotype 110 and books for his friends in printing and publishing. 113). The revival of Ehrhardt and Ehr- All issues are for private distribution hardt Semi-bold by the Monotype and up to 1938 their editions never exceeded Corporation has been particularly successful. 150 copies. From Cambridge the Christmas The realisation that smaller sizes of typefaces 1960 book was a memoir : Talbot Baines Reed, of good colour, when leaded Author, Bibliographer, Typefounder, by Stanley appropriately, are easier to read than larger Morison. In 80 pages the author provides sizes of a grey face unleaded has become an something of the family background, Reed's important factor in the design of books and contributions to Boy's Own Paper, his ephemeral printing. administration of the Fann Street Foundry, the In the context of the general trend of this bibliographical importance of his History of letter, emphasising the fact that private the Old English Letter Foundries, and his presses have never before been in such an association with the Bibliographical Society, ascendency and that the trends of design are London. From the Lion and Unicorn Press largely in their hands, it is interesting to note recent issues include: that only 40 publishers are represented in A Newe Booke of Copies, 1574, a facsimile the National Book League's exhibition of of an Elizabethan writing book from the British book design for i960 and amongst Bodleian Library, Oxford, edited by these are the following private presses: Berthold Wolpe. Merrion, Rampant Lions, Stanbrook Abbey, The Merchant's Tale, Neville Coghill's and Vine. translation into modern English from In April this year an exhibition ofprivate Chaucer with exceptionally good press books was staged at the Times Bookshop. illustrations by Derek Cousins. All exhibits were produced in this English as She Is Spoke, a Portuguese-
82 English phrase book first published in to be ranked with John Fass of New York 1869, illustrated from a Portuguese sketch and with John Peters and Peter Foster of book ofEdward Bawden. Cambridge. Elkin Mathews Ltd, the booksellers at Since 1958, when Thomas Rae issued Takeley in Hertfordshire, recently arranged Private Press Books, bibliographical notes on to distribute books from the Gravesend Press, new productions have regularly appeared Kentucky. in annual checklists. The current list, Joseph Graves, the owner of this press, died prepared by Rae and Roderick Cave, contains in i960. Before his death he wrote and had m books from 71 presses (Private Libraries produced at the Pickering Press, New Jersey, Association, Pinner, Mx.). The Gravesend Press, a bibliographical I hope my readers will forgive the sketch- confession with woodcuts by Fritz Kredel. This iness of these briefremarks. It seemed better describes his ten years as a private printer- to mention a number of bibliographical publisher, his associations with Victor Hammer affairsratherthandwellona fewofthem. Even who brought to the press a manuscript now I have left out entirely many interesting by Rudolf Koch, Fritz Kredel and R. Hunter events and developments especially where Middleton. Mrs Lucy Graves, who publishing and graphic art come into a common distributed the Confession, also worked at the press harness. This subject is touched on executing much of the binding. The few with the mention of Derek Cousins but a books and ephemeral pieces which Graves detailed assessment is wanting (see produced between 1949 and 1959 entitle him reproduction on page 81).
KARL GLADT (WIEN) GRILLPARZERS HANDZEICHNUNGEN
Doppelbegabungen in der Welt der Wiener Stadtbibliothek übernommen wurden, Genialen sind für die Persönlichkeitsgeschichte bisher keine Auswertung erfahren stets interessant. Goethe zeigte auch als haben. Im Übernahmsprotokoll, das sämtliche Zeichner überdurchschnittliches Vermögen, Gegenstände, Bücher, Manuskripte, Briefe und Adalbert Stifter oder Gottfried Keller und dergleichen des Dichternachlasses waren zeitweise wenigstens sich selbst kaum aufzählt, war die Mappe mit den Zeichnungen, im klaren, welcher Kunstgattung sie sich deren Inhalt allerdings seither noch ergänzt zuwenden sollten. Wie ihre Dichtungen werden konnte, gar nicht erwähnt. Wohl sind auch ihre graphischen Darstellungen hat Reinhold Backmann, der August Sauers besprochen und veröffentlicht worden. Man Editionsarbeit fortsetzte, in der Gesamtausgabe hat Vorwurf und Bildgestaltung zu ihren wie in den Grillparzer-Studien1 u.a. poetischen Arbeiten in Beziehung gesetzt die Skizzen zum «Goldenen Vließ» und ist dadurch in der Erkenntnis der veröffentlicht. Aber er benutzte sie nur als schöpferischen Persönlichkeit einen Schritt weiter gekommen. 1 Reinhold Backmann: «Vom Werdegang des Goldenen Versuch einer Höchst seltsam ist die Tatsache, daß Vließes', Analyse seines Entstehungsprozesses », in : «Grillparzer- Franz 28 Grillparzers Handzeichnungen - Studien», hg. von Oskar Katann, Wien 1924, an der Zahl -, die vor 83 Jahren von der S. 130fr.
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