New - The Prototype Press - THE ART OF WAVE RIDING

Published September 28th - prospectus by email: THE ART OF WAVE RIDING by Ron Drummond

The Story
Years ago, after seeing an original copy of The Art of Wave Riding up for auction online, I started researching the back story of this small non-fiction work that was clearly very sought after. Self published in a small edition in 1931, the book turned out to be one of the first books on the subject of surfing. Since it seemed to hold a special place in the world of printed surfing history, a fine press treatment was in order. It also felt like a perfect project to utilize an artist working in the photography medium, something the press had not yet tackled. The new editions aesthetic, from the choice of typefaces to the binding colors, pay homage to Californian surf culture.

The Artist
Kanoa Zimmerman is a photographer living in San Francisco. Book projects he has contributed to include Slow is Fast, Oaxaca, and Surfboards Hawaii. His underwater photography has been featured in The Surfer's Journal, Olo, and Victory Magazine.


The Book
Printed in an edition of 25 copies, it is 48 pages in length. It measures 11 x 15in. The typeface used for text is handset 18pt Cooper Black, cast special for the project in-house on a Monotype Combination Caster. The sections headings are set in Delraye. The blue paper was custom made by the St. Armand Paper Mill, complete with a ``wave'' watermark. Kanoa Zimmerman's series of ten 35mm photographs were developed at Gamma B&W in San Francisco. The book is bound in-house, in a coptic style with orange thread over hemp cords. The cover is made from a variety of handmade paper colors from the St. Armand Mill. It is housed in a black slipcase.

The price for a copy of The Art of Wave Riding is $1,500. (...) Books will ship following the release party on September 28th.

>1 Niurn: That is beautiful. I love the cover work. 1500 though is quite a lot to ask for 48 pages.

Will note that currently available copies of the 1931 first edition (500 copies) are going for over $2,000.

>2 Sorion:
>3 dpbbooks:

Yes, agreed. It's a fine production of a very sought-after book, the price is not inadequate and could find its audience.

However i would have it pegged at around $1000 like the "Me, Myself and the Monkeyface Eel Reserved Edition" previsously published, with its attractive binding and features ( "A reserved edition of 25 is printed entirely on paper handmade from the University of Iowa, and is half-bound in Monkeyface Eel leather, caught and skinned by the publishers with the assistance of the author. The cover papers were handmade with seaweed and cotton rag by Shotwell Paper Mill and hand-dyed by the publishers. The multi-colored endsheets were printed from a reduction linoleum cut by the press. A 12’’x18’’ original relief print from linoleum, by Leighton Kelly, accompanies each copy of this special edition. The appendices were printed on paper handmade by the publishers with the help of Shotwell Paper Mill in San Francisco. The paper bears the watermark of Shotwell, as well a fishing hook, added specially for the project.")

Beautiful book, made for the wealthy. I like to support publishers such as Thornwillow since their letterpress books are made affordable to those that are not wealthy. I really wish a far less expensive edition had been made, but alas, a lost opportunity...

But the choice of type for the text is questionable. I find Cooper Black too heavy for text. Works better as a display type. The rest of the production is excellent.

He has tacks through the book :/
I wouldn't pay even pay $500 for a damaged book, but I'm picky like that...
https://www.pbs.org/video/ron-drummond-art-wave-riding-photos-dbljfj/

>7 astropi: I believe those are magnets. They're used regularly on that show. I agree it's on off-putting look, though :)

>8 AMindForeverVoyaging: thanks for the clarification! Although now I wonder how much that will dent the pages...