Book Collecting on a Budget

Many of the books introduced and discussed on the LibraryThing Fine Press Forum (LTFPF) are expensive, often costing over $1,000 (about 900 GBP). Masterworks from the likes of the St. James Park Press, the Nawakum Press, Foolscap Press, the Barbarian Press, etc. (to name a few) require considerable expertise and are time-intensive, so much so that these presses may only publish 1 or 2 editions each year. Not surprisingly, many collectors cannot afford or choose not to purchase these books, especially true for beginning or younger collectors. However, this does not preclude being able to assemble a beautiful and formidable library of fine & private press books. This long post will introduce and discuss many sources of affordable private press books, several of which should already be known to the LTFPF from other members. It is not intended to be all-encompassing but it will discuss the private presses and informational sources I have found most useful in assembling my own collection. The two major sources with the largest bibliographies are:

1. The Folio Society:

Yes, yes, I know. These are no longer letterpress books nor are they printed on handmade or mould-made papers. However, what the FS does right is publish books that are beautifully designed and illustrated with artwork commissioned from contemporary artists. Also, because these books are not letterpress the FS is prolific, publishing 50 - 60 books per year in a very wide range of topics, often historical books or travel books no other fine/private press will touch. There are two specific subsets of FS books I wish to draw your attention to:

a. The Early FS Years (1947 to 1972 or so). The early FS books were usually small, modest affairs with dustwrappers, easy and pleasurable to hold and read. Many of these books were printed letterpress by small presses in the United Kingdom before it became prohibitively expensive to do so and others contain hand-colored illustrations. These books are often referred to as The First Twenty-Five Years and they are an important subset for experienced FS collectors, who will occasionally attempt to collect all of the FS titles from 1947-1972).

b. The Deluxe FS editions. In recent years, especially the past fifteen years, the FS has issued deluxe standard editions. These books are not Limited Editions but are produced to a higher standard than the typical FS fare and are more expensive, ranging from $100 to $225 upon publication. Many are exceptional and are not out of place in a discerning book collection. Examples include: Beowulf (Seamus Heaney translation), the Malay Archipelago, Dune, Essays of Montaigne, etc. A list of other deluxe titles with discussion can be found in the following link:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/335399#7608957

Additionally, the Folio Society Devotees forum contains several avid, knowledgeable collectors who can make appropriate suggestions, especially W. Carter and folio_books (Glenn).

2. The Limited Editions Club (George Macy era) 1929 - 1987 or so). Amongst the George Macy LEC bibliography of nearly six-hundred letterpress books with illustrations, many are still available for under $200, quite often less than $100. Care must be taken with regard to LEC books to avoid badly dated translations. There is also wide variation in the quality of these LEC titles and care must be taken in selection. The LT George Macy Devotees forum (see link) headed by Django 6924 is knowledgeable and passionate and one can tap into their expertise to separate the LEC wheat from the chaff.

https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/812/George-Macy-devotees

Additionally, Bill Majure has a website listing the complete LEC bibliography from 1929 - 2010 (see link).

https://www.majure.net/LECLISTOFTITLES.htm

And now, in alphabetical order:

3. Aliquando Press: Founded by William Rueter in 1962, the Aliquando Press specializes in small, slim, handcrafted books, nearly all less than standard octavo (8vo) size. Rueter has published 120 books that are wide-ranging in topics and Rueter's interests. Aliquando Books feature exceptional design, superb letterpress printing using a variety of unusual types, and superb papers. These books are like potato chips - you cannot stop and will not stop after your first Aliquando acquisition. Nearly all of these books are less than $250, many under $100. Kudos to our neighbors in the Great White North (aka Canada) for being home to an unusual number of fine private presses.

4. Allen Press: A decade ago the Dorothy & Lewis Allen Press was not well known, even by experienced collectors. The books were also inexplicably cheap for what they were - books printed on several 19th century hand presses on a variety of the finest handmade and mouldmade papers, one page at a time, always dampened before printing. The finest European papers and fabrics were used for the bindings and the illustrations were always topnotch. Over a decade ago I wrote a long introductory article on the Allen Press for the Books and Vines website. Chris Adamson, the founder of B&V, had not previously heard of the Allen Press and he rapidly became an avid collector. Over the next eight years, Chris and I wrote a number of articles on B&V featuring the work of the Allens, twenty articles in all (see link).

https://booksandvines.com/2011/09/21/allen-press-of-lewis-and-dorothy-allen/

https://booksandvines.com/index-of-book-reviews-by-publisher/

Immodest as it sounds, these B&V articles brought the Allen Press editions to a wider audience and their prices have steadily increased over the past decade. However, many still remain a bargain, especially the earlier, smaller editions (1940-1958) before the Allens began their Great Folio Series of books (1959-1980). These books were designed and printed to an uncompromising standard rarely seen today. Best of all, nearly all of the Allen Press editions are interesting books, so much so that all one has to do is identify the titles of potential interest, then acquire them. The complete Allen Press bibliography is given in the link below.

https://booksandvines.com/2012/04/24/the-ld-allen-press-bibliography/

5. Aralia Press: The Aralia Press was founded by Michael Peich in 1982 at West Chester University in southeastern Pennsylvania, where Peich was on the faculty and taught several courses in fine printing. Aralia Press published broadsides, chapbooks and slim volumes focused primarily on poetry. The Aralia Press features fine letterpress printing using a variety of unusual types on fine mould made and handmade papers. Most notably, they published work from some of the finest poets including Dana Gioia, Richard Wilbur, Donald Justice, Philip Levine, Paul Valéry, and Mark Jarman. Most of their work can be acquired for under $100, often less than $50, and Aralia Press offers collectors a doorway into the world of fine letterpress printing and fine papers at very modest cost.

6. Cheap Street Press: This was a small private press owned by a strange Virginian husband-and-wife team named George and Jan O'Nale. As noted in an article by The Roanoker Magazine in 2010, "their three passions were publishing, pistols and privacy." Both were bibliophiles who were especially knowledgeable regarding science fiction and fantasy literature. From 1980 to 2000 their published limited edition books in the sci-fi genre were of exceptional quality and very modestly priced. They owned a variety of presses including a Vandercook SP-15. Letterpress printing quality is exceptional and the O'Nales used the finest papers and binding materials. Editions were printed in three formats - chapbook style with stiff paper wrappers, a Collector's Edition (hardcover in slipcase of ~ 100 to 110 copies) and a deluxe Publisher's Edition of ~ 50 or so copies. The Publisher's Edition represents a considerable upgrade over the Collector's Edition, using finer papers for printing, a quarter-morocco and cloth binding and a beautifully crafted clamshell box.

Best of all, the O'Nales have done the heavy lifting for you with regard to book selection. They were discerning sci-fi readers and published "only authors who they identified for excellence in writing quality." The sci-fi authors in the Cheap Street Press bibliography may be less well known than many others but their literature has an imagination and literary quality that stands out from most of this genre.

7. Clinker Press: Founded in 1996, Clinker Press has been operated by André Chaves since 2007. Chaves was a highly successful hand surgeon in Los Angeles in his prior (non book arts and printing/publishing) life. The Clinker Press books are similar in quality to the Aliquando Press with one important exception - these books are much larger, usually full quarto (4vo) in size. Remarkably, nearly all available titles cost less than $120. Letterpress printing is outstanding using a variety of presses, including the hand press and a Vandercook press. Editions are quite small, typically fewer than 50 copies. Once you identify a title of interest, just buy it. Link below.

https://www.clinkerpress.com
https://www.clinkerpress.com/clinker-press-books/

8. Corvus Works: Founded and operated by Christopher Wakeling, the Corvus Press is focused on the typographic arts, not in my realm of collecting interest. However, he has published two books outside of typography, Le Cimètiere Marin/The Graveyard by the Sea by Paul Valéry and The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning, both highly recommended. The letterpress printing is excellent and, as befitting someone with a primary interest in the typographic arts, Chris Wakeling uses a range of unusual and elegant types in his editions.

https://corvusworks.co.uk

9. Fine Press Poetry/Andrew Moorhouse: These splendid poetry books were introduced to the LTFPF one year ago (see link). If you enjoy original poetry collections from world-class poets, expertly letterpress printed by John Grice and his Evergreen Press, then attractively bound by the Fine Book Bindery, Wellingborough, England, then look no further. Books are VERY modestly priced, with the standard editions (cloth binding) @ 100 GBP and the deluxe editions (one-quarter leather with slipcase) - always recommended (!) - priced at 145-150 GBP. Limitations are small, typically 75 standards and 26 deluxe, and the deluxe editions go OOP quite rapidly. Once a volume goes OOP it is quite difficult to find again in the secondary market - trust me on that one.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/336039
http://www.finepresspoetry.com

10. Fleece Press:The Fleece Press is the one-man enterprise of Simon Lawrence, who started his printing and publishing career in 1979/1980 following a visit to John and Rose Randle (Whittington Press), resulting in publication of a splendid book of wood engravings in celebration of his grandfather's 80th birthday. Lawrence specializes in books about the great early 20th century British wood engravers and his six volumes celebrating the work of John Buckland-Wright are especially notable. During his first two decades (1980-2000) nearly all of his work was done letterpress printed on dry mouldmade or handmade paper with wood engraving printed on dampened paper using an 1853 Albion handpress. Beginning in 2000, in order to produce more substantial books which included photographs and full color illustrations, Lawrence sent books he designed and typeset out-of-house to be printed using four and five-color offset lithography. That said, the quality of his Fleece Press publications is unwavering.

Simon Lawrence is especially noted for the quality of his printing of wood engravings from the original wooden blocks and he is arguably the finest printer in the world in this regard, along with Jan Elsted of the Barbarian Press and Pat Randle of Nomad Letterpress. Inclusion of his hand-printed wood engravings is what makes Fleece Press editions special and sets them apart. Any collector with more than a passing interest in the history of twentieth century wood engraving and wood-engraved illustrations should have Fleece Press on their radar screen.

The substantial books of several hundred pages typically sell for between 200 GBP and 350 GBP with Special Editions with tipped-in wood engravings selling for hundreds of dollars more. However, many smaller projects and publications sell for under 200 GBP. Additionally, several earlier publications sell below original publication price for under $250 in the secondary market.

Over a career spanning four decades, Simon Lawrence has produced an impressive bibliography of over one hundred editions (see link) culminating in his Magnum Opus two-volume 2022 publication 'Spitsticks and Multiples'. The deluxe edition which includes 22 tipped-in wood engravings printed from the original blocks is already OOP. However, the standard edition contains hundreds of wood engravings, many from artists all but forgotten, appearing in print for the first time. Although these are not printed by hand from the blocks, Simon Lawrence uses a proprietary technique to reproduce them with exceptional care and quality. The remaining copies of the standard edition sells for 434 GBP + shipping, above my arbitrary cutoff of about $250 for this post, but the value proposition is off the charts.

https://fleecepress.com/bibliography

11. Gaspereau Press: Ho hum. Another small fine & private press from our Neighbors to the North. Although much of their work is taken publishing trade paperbacks and chapbooks using modern offset lithography, even these books are crafted with unusual thought and care. However, it is their Letterpress Books & Broadsides I wish to draw your attention to and these editions are second to none (see links).

http://www.gaspereau.com/NewLetterpress.php

At the risk of sounding repetitive, their letterpress work is flawless and is done using a variety of unusual types (including wooden type!) on fine mouldmade and handmade papers. They appear to have a close relationship with their Canadian neighbors in Montreal, the Papeterie Saint-Armand, arguably the finest source of handmade papers in North America. Prices range from well under $100 for their chapbooks to several hundred dollars for longer editions, all representing exceptional value. Gaspereau Press also maintains an active Instagram page (link below) which pre-announces their newest letterpress work several days before appearing on their website.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CiVg8WwuUML/?hl=en

12. Gruffyground Press: All hail 'grifgon' (Griffin Gonzales) for introducing Anthony Baker's Gruffyground Press to the LTFPF earlier this year. Anthony Baker published some of the most beautiful chapbooks for nearly a half century (1970-2020). Taken collectively, these chapbooks will introduce the collector to a wide variety of unusual types and exceptional handmade papers, serving as a primer of sorts. The chapbooks were expertly printed by several private presses including Sebastian Carter (Rampant Lions Press), Martyn Ould (Old School Press) and Michael Mitchell (Libanus Press). These chapbooks are so beautiful and ridiculously inexpensive it is almost sinful. Buy as many as you can before they disappear.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/341194

13. Mark Askam's Fine Press Books instagram page: Mark Askam is the proprietor of the Chestnut Press and he is an expert at identifying private presses with flawless letterpress printing using interesting typefaces. His taste is unfailing in this regard. He is also an avid collector, posting photos of his recent acquisitions (typically three photos for each new addition) with brief commentary on his fine_press_books Instagram page (see link).

https://www.instagram.com/fine_press_books/?hl=en

As you scan over a year of his posts and photos you will quickly realize that Mark has assembled an impressive private press collection.

14. Larkspur Press: Larkspur Press is a small press in rural Kentucky that was introduced to the LTFPF over three years ago (see link). The type is handset (rare nowadays), then hand fed into a C&P (Chandler & Price) press. Focus is on regional authors and poets, most living in Kentucky, and most books contain wonderful illustrations. Several editions are written by Wendell Berry, a superior poet and essayist. Prices for the standard editions remain dirt cheap, most under $100, with the Special Editions, printed on mouldmade or handmade paper and then hand bound, ranging between $100-$200. While most of their bibliography will not be recognizable, scouring their available books to find a surprising number of gems is time well spent. In particular, I recommend 'Recruiters' by Silas House and 'Fondelle, or: The Whore with a Heart of Gold'. The printing has a distinct bite and the book quality to cost ratio is off the charts. Find an excuse to purchase 1 or 2 of the Larkspur Press titles - it is highly unlikely you will stop there.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/304634#6764755
https://www.larkspurpress.com/technique.php

15. No Reply Press: You didn't think I would overlook the No Reply Press (NRP), did you??!! By now, everyone who has been on the LTFPF is familiar with the NRP. The small early editions, e.g., The Hollow Men (T.S. Eliot), The Masque of the Red Death (Poe), The Failurist (Markus Zusak), The Great Man (Leo Tolstoy), Conundrums (Adam Horvath), A Scandal in Bohemia (A.C Doyle) and The Cask of Amontillado (Poe) all represent great value and considerable time and care has been given to book design and paper selection. Slipcases are thick and well-crafted, not an afterthought. The NRP is notable for finding unfamiliar works by familiar authors and unknown or little-known gems that have not received fine / private press treatment.

Printing has steadily improved and will now approach SOTA with addition of a new Vandercook press. As the books have increased in size and finer papers have been employed, costs have increased into the $250 to $300 range but remain excellent value. The Vandercook now gives the NRP the ability to print larger, more important works which we will see over the next several years.

16. The Old Stile Press: The Old Stile Press was founded by husband and wife Nicolas and Frances McDowall in 1979 and they continued publishing until Nicolas McDowall's death in 2021. The OSP was introduced briefly to the LTFPF one year ago (see link). Their books are typically oversized, utilizing various sizes and shapes, and the bindings AND slipcases are always interesting and well designed. Most of their book are priced in a range of 130 GBP to 350 GBP and, regardless of price, represent excellent value. Bold illustrations with woodcuts or linoleum cuts were a hallmark of OSP editions. Letterpress printing was consistently excellent and a range of fine mould-made and handmade papers were used. Works of literature or poetry were usually off the beaten path, not covered by other private presses, often religious-themed or harkening back to medieval England. A fine & private press book collection is a bit naked without at least one of the wonderful Old Stile Press editions.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/334467

17. Tern Press: The Tern Press was founded by Nicholas and Mary Parry in 1973 and they published over 100 editions over a 35 year period. For reasons I have never understood, the Tern Press is disrespected by some of the supposedly fine & private press cognoscenti who write Books About Books discussing the modern private press movement and specific private presses (see link).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx2dzYz2F8g

Frankly, they are off the mark and the Tern Press is where the Allen Press was over a decade ago - a splendid private press not well known by most serious collectors. However, their loss can (and should) be your gain. The Tern Press books remain criminally underpriced, especially for handmade books printed in very small limitations of usually under 100 copies and often fewer than 50 copies. Many can still be purchased for under one hundred dollars. The Tern Press published books in an unusually wide range of styles, shapes and sizes using excellent letterpress technique and exceptional papers. The Parrys, both art school graduates, illustrated all of their books using a wide variety of techniques. Their bibliography is especially rich in the works of John Clare, the Romantic poet who published in the early 19th century about rural life in Great Britain, often referred to as the peasant Wordsworth. A careful search of available Tern Press titles will reveal a treasure trove of affordable, beautifully illustrated books. A list of their books can be found in the links below.

http://www.ternpress.co.uk
http://www.ternpress.co.uk/bibstart.htm

18. Thornwillow Press: The Thornwillow Press is an outstanding source of letterpress books at exceptional prices. The calling card of the Thornwillow Press is the imagination and taste of proprietor Luke Ives Pontifell, with an uncanny ability to publish classics with a new approach or wrinkle, e.g., the collection of Edgar Allen Poe tales illustrated by a notable tattoo artist, Beauty is the Beginning of Terror, etc. Aside from presenting older classics with a fresher outlook, Thornwillow has also published important works by authors not well represented in the fine & private press literature, larger books that only the Arion Press is capable of publishing.

The books with stiff paper wrappers and cloth bindings represent outstanding value, especially if purchased during their Kickstarter campaigns. Once the Kickstarter campaign ends, the Thronwillow prices increase dramatically. Finally, the Thornwillow series of Monthly Dispatches, with several tiers of subscription and quality of books, is yet another source of interesting literature at affordable prices.

19. Tudor Black Press: Originally founded in England in 2005, Hugh Macfarlane's Tudor Black Press now operates in rural France (Marne). The printing is done on an 1833 Barrett Albion handpress using a number of proprietary and rare types. The printing is flawless and fine papers are used. Wood engraved initial letters and woodcuts have been used to further enhance the editions already published. Prices range from 75 to 195 GBP and the editions are issued in very small limitations, typically fewer than 50 copies. The editions are steadily increasing in size and complexity and the recent titles have featured classic works. This is a press to keep on your radar screen because the Black Tudor Press books rapidly go OOP.

https://www.tudorblackpress.co.uk/new-books

20. Vamp & Tramp booksellers: Vamp & Tramp is both a physical bookstore and an extensive website owned and operated by Vicki Stewart and Lindsay Garrett in Birmingham, Alabama. They specialize in finding the most obscure small private presses, a total of nearly 100 presses in all, and they have discerning taste. It is all but guaranteed you will encounter books and private presses you have never heard of. Many are presses specializing in artist's books in which the book design is more important than the literature or poetry itself, not something usually to my taste. The price range of books on the V & T website range from under $100 to several thousand dollars and, unfortunately, there is no easy method to screen for books in a given price range. Patience is needed to wade through the various private presses on V&T but it will be rewarded.

My suggestion: call or e-mail the proprietors directly and ask them to recommend private presses in your specified price range. You can then narrow your search on the Vamp & Tramp website to find a book that registers with you.

http://www.vampandtramp.com/html/home.html
http://www.vampandtramp.com/finepress/index.html

21. Whittington Press: Did he really say "The Whittington Press"?? Yes, I did, and here is where thinking outside the box pays dividends for the serious collector. The Whittington Press needs no introduction to the LTFPF. John and Rose Randle have published outstanding private press books for a half century and have also published the outstanding Matrix Series - a series of thirty-six books covering and discussing all aspects of the modern private press scene. The finest and most important Whittington Press books are issued in three states: an "A" (super-deluxe) edition, "B" (semi-deluxe) edition and a "C" (standard) edition. Their is an enormous difference in cost to go from the "C" state to the "A" and "B" states but what is frequently overlooked is that the standard "C" edition almost always represent outstanding value.

The quality of the Whittington Press letterpress work is a given and topnotch mould made and handmade papers are used. Surprisingly, many of the standard editions from the early Whittington Press years (1971-1990 are still available for under $250. A simple search on viaLibri.net or Abebooks.com can be done using the Advanced Search features on both websites. Type in 'Whittington Press' for Publisher, use a date range from 1971 to 2021, a price range of $50 to $250, then specify that the books be listed 'Lowest price first'. 'Voila!!' - over 600 entries will appear, the vast majority of which are Whittington Press. If one searches carefully, there are at least 5 or 6 true Whittington Press gems that remain in this price range. Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It (see link) is to do your homework to find the Whittington Press books that are currently buried treasures awaiting repatriation into your library.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TiqXFssKMY

By now, it should be readily apparent that you can create a meaningful fine & private press collection on a limited budget, one that will provide hundreds of hours of enjoyable reading. Patience, creativity, diligence, and a bit of luck are all necessary ingredients but the information contained above will provide a running head start.

dlphcoracl

>1 dlphcoracl: I’m quite pleased to see the Aliquando Press included on your list!

They check many collecting boxes for me, including fantastic text selections, expressive handset typography, and creative use of fine materials, yet continue to offer their books at low prices.

While it’s recently out of print, I highly recommend anyone who hopes to sample this press track down a copy of Poe’s “The Lighthouse.” That said, they have plenty of other great works readily available.

A link to this very useful thread has been placed on the Fine Press Forum wiki at https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Groups:Fine_Press_Forum#Interesting_Blog...

Very interesting and useful. Thanks.

I'm interested in picking up the folio society books and I'm wondering how do their books compare to limited editions club? I've noticed that I can get my hands on a lot of limited editions club books for under 50 dollars and they have decent materials, signed and such.
How much better is folio society? I'm interested in the Dune title but it's much more expensive in the U.S, so like does it have better materials or something else?

>5 Benjamin314:
For Folio Society information go to https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Groups:Folio_Society_Devotees

This is a very helpful post, thanks for all the details.

>1 dlphcoracl: Your post is an oracular gem - thank you.

>1 dlphcoracl: Excellent post.

As one of the forum's resident Whittington Press collectors, I'm glad to see it made the cut. I'd add that Whittington are in the process of publishing "probably" their last letterpress book. But the baton has been taken up by their son, Pat Randle, who publishes books of a similar style and quality under the Nomad Letterpress imprint.

I add my praise to that above!

>4 venkysuniverse:
>7 yolana:
>8 ultrarightist:
>9 ubiquitousuk:
>10 GusLogan:

Thank you for the kind comments. There truly are some gems described above at very affordable prices. Look carefully at the non-Matrix series Whittington Press books under $250.

Happy hunting!

Excellent post, and you hit a number of those presses which I collect. (And apologies about The Light-house, I obtained the last two of those, one to gift to the local Edgar Allan Poe museum. #50 is in my own collection.)

A couple of others I would add are The Fleece Press and The Old Stile Press. The former press is still actively releasing titles, though will be wrapping up after a few more books. The latter is only selling off remaining stock. While many of their titles skirt around the edge of affordable as defined here, there are some exquisite titles available at a reasonable price.

I would also mention the up-and-coming Rooksmoor Press, which has largely produced broadsides and pamphlets so far but which will soon be entering the realm of books. They are currently working on Minstrel’s Song from Ælla, and also printed the forthcoming Letters from Titanic from The History Press.

Anyway, superb resource, and I heartily concur that these are great imprints to start or continue one's fine press collecting with.

I hope my additional suggestions were okay, and I'll remove my post if you prefer to keep the thread limited to the original list.

I also wanted to point out that the current sale at Oak Knoll has a lot of offerings from some of the presses mentioned, including a large selection of Clinker Press and Limited Edition Club titles. Sale ends tonight.

https://www.oakknoll.com/searchResults.php?action=browse&cat_conj=or&cat...

Mark Askam here, dlphcoracl, and I take issue with what you wrote about me. For starters, you write as though you know me, which you don't. You make assumptions about me and my collecting that rather miss the mark and your description of me as being a 'nibbler' is frankly just wrong.

>14 ChestnutPress:

My apology if you found my comments offensive. I have rigorously rewritten that section to avoid any misinformation or conflict. If it remains inaccurate, please repost.

>15 dlphcoracl: I appreciate that. Cheers

In addition to your fine listings, I would add that one of the most underrated 'easily affordable' (for want of a better phrase) fine presses out there is Mike Peich's Aralia Press. His editions (usually small volumes of poetry, which is absolutely my thing) are typically very well printed in beautiful types on fine hand and mould made papers, and often obtainable for very modest costs.

>14 ChestnutPress: >15 dlphcoracl:

To add a bit: In my opinion, Mark's instagram feed is the single most important ongoing resource for private press collectors looking to expand their horizons. I have about 20 private press publications on my shelves as a result of following his collection; I'm basically an Askamite.

It's worth getting an instagram account, just to follow him.

His Chestnut Press publications (I have about five) are also topnotch in every way.

>17 ChestnutPress: +1 on this; and I only started collecting Aralia's books after following you Mark.

I particularly recommend Washington Square as a great start.

>16 ChestnutPress:

No problem. Pleased to note that the revision is both agreeable and accurate.

>19 grifgon: Aralia is another press that's well represented in the Oak Knoll sale! Looks like they have over a hundred books available, though quite a few are duplicates or different states of the same editions.

>18 grifgon: Thank you Griffon. That's very kind!

>19 grifgon: That's a pleasure to hear. 'Washington Square' is my favourite, too. Do you have their Valéry 'Cemetary by the Sea'? It's an all-but perfect printing of that beautiful poem.

>21 NathanOv: Oak Knoll acquired Mike Peich's inventory when he decided to shut shop. I bought quite a few pieces when I found out!

>23 ChestnutPress: I don't. I have the Corvus Works edition, and it's always fun to compare, so I'll be on the lookout. Grazie gracias danke Mark!

Edit: That was quick. Bought it from Oak Knoll just now, along with 5 other Aralia titles.

>19 grifgon:
>23 ChestnutPress:

Re: Paul Valéry's 'Cemetary by the Sea.........

Christopher Wakeling (Corvus Works), one of the private presses mentioned in my original post >1 dlphcoracl:, published a beautiful edition of this poem in 2021, bilingual and large quarto (325 x 250 mm) format. Link below.

https://corvusworks.co.uk/order-publications/le-cimetire-marin-the-graveyard-by-...

For folks who are placing an Oak Knoll order, I highly recommend this pamphlet. Beautifully made, designed and illustrated by John DePol, and criminally underpriced.

https://www.oakknoll.com/pages/books/63708/robert-e-levy/log-five-days-aboard-th...

EDIT: And I am awaiting Corvus's Le Cimetière Marin alongside their next title. Also a fan of their take on The Pied Piper, and very much recommend The Lambton Worm as well if you can find it.

>25 grifgon: Attaboy! It's so different to the Corvus Works edition (and Officina Bodoni one).

>26 dlphcoracl: Chris' edition is a lovely production. His printing is very fine and Alfonso's abstract screenprints are stunning.

>12 Shadekeep:

The Old Stile Press (OSP) is an embarrassing omission on my part since I own many of their titles and they should have been included. I will add them to the original post in >1 dlphcoracl: later today.

I wrote a brief post with specific recommendations one year ago on the OSP following the sudden death of Nicolas McDowell. Link below.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/334467

>30 dlphcoracl: Cheers! And thanks very much for including Black Tudor Press, I've been quite enamoured with their releases and look forward to each new title with relish.

>17 ChestnutPress: >25 grifgon: Y'all are some enably people. I just ordered a half-dozen Aralia titles from Oak Knoll as well. At 50% off they seem unmissable bargains. We'll have to compare our pull lists later, grifgon.

If we're including the Folio Society, I think we should include their American counterpart which is Easton Press. Although not printed letterpress, their editions are all bound in genuine leather, mostly pig, sometimes cowhide. The prices range from $50 to much more for their Deluxe Editions. That said, their books still tend to be far cheaper than the Folio Society - the FS charges USA customers much more than buyers in the UK and the FS has not explained why this is. My view, and that of many, is that they are just milking us for what they can - At any rate, back to Easton Press, one thing they do which I have not seen any other publisher do, is print numerous author signed editions. Some of these are "basic books" with the author's signature, others are limited editions. Over the years they have printed hundreds of such books, with some now costing thousands of dollars, and others, still basically original price. If you're new to book collecting or just looking for something very affordable, or something different, or perhaps a nice gift, they are worth checking out
https://www.eastonpress.com/home

>1 dlphcoracl: Excellent post!

If I may suggest another (affordable) Canadian private press - Gaspereau Press (link below). Although they publish a number of trade editions, Andrew Steeves' letterpress books are of a very high quality and are (mostly) very affordable (majority of the books are in a $25 to $200 range, these are Canadian dollars, by the way). I would high recommend taking a look.

http://www.gaspereau.com

>34 vadim_ca: I second Gaspereau! Say what you will about Thoreau, but their "Henry" series is delightful. Many sold out recently, but those still available are well worth it on their won.

>34 vadim_ca:
>35 NathanOv:

The omission of the Gaspereau Press was deliberate. Problem with their website is that for every beautifully printed and crafted Gaspereau fine press edition there are ten generic editions printed on 'trade paper' which are not appropriate to fine & private press collecting.

May I suggest a post in which both of you list the Gaspereau Press chapbooks and editions which are representative of their finest work?

>36 dlphcoracl:

A fair point - one should be aware that majority of books published by Gaspereau Press are trade editions (i.e., printed offset); however, they do have a separate webpage that only lists limited editions printed letterpress. Please see link below.

http://www.gaspereau.com/NewLetterpress.php

I would also recommend for anyone interested in their work to follow them on Instagram. Andrew usually posts about upcoming letterpress books a few days before they appear on the website.

As mentioned by >35 NathanOv:, some of the books are now out of print. If anyone is interested in purchasing some of their books, I would suggest sending an e-mail to Gary Dunfield gary@gaspereau.com to inquire. You can also place an order directly with Gary via e-mail.

Also, for anyone who would like to learn more about Gaspereau Press' limited edition letterpress books, they have published two bibliographies - links below. (Note that these are trade editions printed offset.)

http://www.gaspereau.com/bookInfo.php?AID=0&AISBN=9781554471799
http://www.gaspereau.com/bookInfo.php?AID=0&AISBN=9781554472352

I am yet to come across a book published by Gaspereau that I didn't like; however, if one would like to give them a try, I would recommend "Harry Ploughman" by Gerald Manley Hopkins (only $40) and "Machines vs. Handwork" by D.B. Updike (only $50). Another great example is "Dogberry Charges the Watch, Being A Snippet from His Comedy ‘Much Ado About Nothing’" with a wonderful wood engraving by Wesley Bates (although a bit more expensive, still affordable at $200).

Also, I would add Suntup Press. It looks like Suntup is pushing to have more true fine press (letterpress) publications, and the prices are just fabulous! Of their last four publications THREE were printed letterpress! Also, every Suntup Press publication is illustrated with original illustrations. You could always argue about the quality of the illustrations, but in general I think they are wonderful. For example -



https://suntup.press/

>37 vadim_ca:

Now THAT'S what I was looking for!!!!!!!!

No one is questioning the fine/private press quality of their limited editions, the only problem is finding them on their semi-useless website. I will add Gaspereau Press to my original post tomorrow with direct reference to your very informative post. A feature of the Gaspereau Press I particularly like is their apparently close relationship with the Papeterie Saint-Armand.

A suggestion. Editore Tallone's non-English publications could easily be the best bang-for-buck in fine press.

Here's La Genesi for €170:

https://www.talloneeditoreshop.com/tallone/en/catalog/69-la-genesi.html

Here's Il Cantico Dei Cantici for €120:

https://www.talloneeditoreshop.com/tallone/en/catalog/93-il-cantico-dei-cantici....

Here's Principi Della Constituzione Italiana for €110:

https://www.talloneeditoreshop.com/tallone/en/catalog/187-principi-della-costitu...

These are highway robber prices for some of the finest books produced anywhere in the world period. If they were English titles, they'd go for ten times the price. Even for collectors who "Only collect books I intend to read" (and who don't read Italian), these deals are too good to pass up. If you care about the art of the book or typography or craft outside of their implications for a pleasant reading experience, these are incredible opportunities.

>36 dlphcoracl: There is a specific (and thankfully pretty obvious) 'Letterpress Books & Broadsides' banner on the home page of the Gaspereau website that leads to a page of just the letterpress work.

>37 vadim_ca: I too have yet to come across a Gaspereau publication that I didn't like. I love 'Harry Ploughman'!

>41 ChestnutPress:

Duly noted, and included. Gaspereau Press threw me a curve ball by prominently displaying a link to their finest work (Letterpress Books and Broadsides) in broad daylight. It is inevitable that a few outstanding fine & private presses will be undeservedly overlooked at the first go-round but that is easily corrected. Better late than never.

I do agree with >12 Shadekeep: that the Fleece Press should be included. With works available on the secondary market starting from £50, for those interested in wood engravings there is no better publisher to follow

I ordered a few Aralia Press titles from Oak Knoll: September 1 1939, Washington Square, Cemetery By The Sea, and the two C.P. Cavafy titles Three Poems and Four Poems. (Thanks >17 ChestnutPress: for bringing up Aralia Press!).

I am very grateful for all the information here. Thanks to >1 dlphcoracl: for starting this thread and everyone who has posted with more advice and recommendations. Speaking as a relative newbie to Fine Press collecting - and one who fits into the 'collecting on a budget' category - these threads are much appreciated. Looking forward to exploring the other presses mentioned here.

>12 Shadekeep:
>17 ChestnutPress:
>34 vadim_ca:
>35 NathanOv:
>44 DMulvee:

The original post >1 dlphcoracl: has been revised to include Aralia Press, Fleece Press, Gaspereau Press and the Old Stile Press, all worthy and appropriate inclusions for budget-conscious collectors who want the finest in letterpress. Thanks to all for helpful and worthy suggestions.

>46 dlphcoracl: Wonderful, thanks for the additions and updates! An eminently useful resource.

Oh, and my Aralia haul from Oak Knoll.

Being Boring
Catching the Mer-Mother
Cleft in the Wall
Extravagant Captivities
Juno Plots Her Revenge: Act One of Hercules Furens
She-Devil Circus

>43 dlphcoracl: Always better late than never!!

>45 GardenOfForkingPaths: Always a pleasure to spread the word. I just hope that you'll enjoy your introductory haul!

>15 dlphcoracl: What I didn't say, which I really should have done and need to rectify here, is THANK YOU for considering and mentioning my Instagram account. It's decent of you and much appreciated. Any exposure that spreads the word of fine press is a great thing.

>51 ChestnutPress:

Thank you!

Inclusion of your Instagram page(s) for my post >1 dlphcoracl: was automatic. As grifgon noted >18 grifgon:, it is a unique source of ideas for collectors interested in the finest typography. Similar to grifgon, I have followed your Instagram posts for several years and it never fails to uncover something wonderful, a small fine press or a marvelous chapbook or edition previously unknown to me. It remains a wealth of knowledge and taste for both novice and experienced collectors.

>52 dlphcoracl: That's a very kind thing to say and I appreciate it hugely. I'm pleased that others discover new pieces of interest from my posts, particularly if someone has bought something because of them, therefore helped this wonderful but shrinking scene. It's a very pleasurable circle to be part of.

I would also add TOC (https://www.toc.berlin/) to the list. I think their books are quite affordable and they have quite an interesting selection of titles.

>37 vadim_ca: Thanks for the recommendation of Gaspereau Press, I'm negotiating an order with them for some choice titles.

Another message to thank dlphcoracl for this thread (by the way, I have to admit I can't work out the dlphc reference in your username). Several small publishers in the list that are new to me and great to expand my horizons. Picking up a great book by Clinker Press (Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Nature") and two interesting poetry collections from Larkspur Press.

>56 LBShoreBook:

https://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/7_p1.html

https://www.thecollector.com/oracle-of-delphi/

>57 dlphcoracl: Ah, got it. Cheers.

I'd like to draw attention to Cheap Street Press, a husband and wife team that specialized in short, contemporary works of science fiction and fantasy in the 1980s and early 1990s. The press has long since closed up shop (the proprietors passed away in 2003), but works are widely available on the secondary market, many for less than $100. All are printed letterpress, with states running from softbound pamphlets to quarter-bound leather editions in custom tray cases. They're not generally elaborate productions, but they're made with great care and craftsmanship. Authors included Gene Wolfe, Kim Stanley Robinson, Anne McCaffrey, Ursula K. Le Guin, Fritz Leiber, and Andre Norton. A complete list of works and authors is available at https://isfdb.org/cgi-bin/publisher.cgi?287.

>59 ambyrglow: Whoa, very cool!

>59 ambyrglow:
Enabled!!
The Adventure of Cobbler's Rune, a book written and signed by Ursula Le Guin.

>59 ambyrglow: Wow, thank you! I'll have to hunt something up from them. What a great line-up of authors! And it's cool that they seem to have been based here in Virginia.

>59 ambyrglow: Thanks again, I've picked up an "instant collection" of their chapbooks. Here's the listing:

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22751059828

This will probably delist soon now that I've bought it, so here is a comparable listing of the items.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=656842007

It's a slew of great authors, with Zelazny at the top of my list in this set.

>63 Shadekeep: Hah! I think you might have gone beyond the "on a budget" theme, there. But I hope you enjoy them.

They were based out of rural Virginia, yes. Fair warning to you or anyone else who wants to dig deeper into the history of the press: it's not a story with a happy ending.

>64 ambyrglow: It were a bit of a wallet wallop, but what I paid breaks down to less than $100 per chapbook, so I still consider it a bargain. Especially for letterpress signed by so many illustrious authors! I thank you for enabling, even if my bank balance does not. :)

>59 ambyrglow: Thanks for the introduction to this press, which was previously unknown to me. I love finding out about 'new' presses!

>65 Shadekeep: Gotta love a great haul! I've always been amused by the idea that slight items and chapbooks equal cheap when many on my shelves have cost me loads! Here's to becoming poor in the obtaining of the good stuff!!

>59 ambyrglow:

The Cheap Street Press is an excellent suggestion and I have added it to the original post in >1 dlphcoracl:. It was inevitable I would omit several notable private presses representing great value. By now, no one should be donning sackcloth and ashes bewailing the paucity of beautiful private press books at very affordable prices.

>59 ambyrglow: Amazing. I love genre fiction, but I was unaware of this press. I'm not sure they're widely available. When I entered Cheap Street Press in a vialibri search only two titles appeared.

Edit: An Abebooks search revealed more titles. I'm not sure why viablibri missed them.

>67 ChestnutPress: Likewise! I have a special penchant for chapbooks, and some of them have been rather dear in price compared to "regular" book purchases. But many of them are exemplars of the craft as well.

>69 SDB2012: Same with Abebooks, but if you enter just "Cheap Street" in quotes, you'll get more hits (204 at the moment). You'll have to weed through some false positives, but the ISFDB bibliography should help you zero in on the desired ones. There are some nice chapbooks titles in fine condition as low as $15.00.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?bi=0&bx=off&cm_sp=SearchF...

EDIT: I see you've had more success now. Happy hunting!

>1 dlphcoracl:

A quick addendum and F/U regarding Andrew Moorhouse/Fine Press Poetry in my initial post. Aside from publishing some of the finest small private press editions of outstanding poetry, you will not find a more conscientious or responsive private press proprietor. If you have had the 'misinfortune' of missing out on some of his prior editions you may have a keen interest in, he will diligently search for available copies that may become available - copies that do not appear on Abebooks - which he has recently done for me. Specifically, he found an unsigned copy of a prior edition I had unsuccessfully been searching for, then arranged to have it signed by both author and artist. He also included a slipcase (gratis) for another prior OOP edition he had sent one month earlier.

Even if you are not a poetry lover, acquiring a Fine Press Poetry edition for your collection is strongly recommended. Great poets, beautiful books, all at a very modest price.

>71 dlphcoracl: Andrew Moorhouse is indeed an absolute gent! I totally agree that fine press collectors should have at least one of his publications on their shelves.

>17 ChestnutPress:
>21 NathanOv:

I received a package of Aralia Press editions purchased during the Oak Knoll Books -50% off sale and these are uniformly impressive. This is a sterling recommendation and addition to 'Book Collecting on A Budget' and the steep discount from Oak Knoll made it doubly so. Thanks to both!

>73 dlphcoracl: Very glad they are to your liking. I have a great deal of Michael Peich’s work, going right back to his earliest productions. From simple ephemera to his larger books, his productions have always pleased me. It is very satisfying to introduce others to his work as I think it deserves a much wider recognition.

>73 dlphcoracl: Likewise, I picked up a half-dozen Aralia titles in the Oak Knoll sale and am pleasingly impressed with the work. At half-off they were virtually a steal.

Also received my Gaspereau Press order today and am very happy with the quality level on those. Thanks to vadim_ca for going to bat for them!

Lastly, received the Cheap Street chapbook set a few days ago. I was stunned to discover this is literally an untouched set - every chapbook is in its original envelope AND glassine sleeve, packed just as the day it left the studio. I am going to try to get some photos done to post in the dedicated Cheap Street thread.

>75 Shadekeep: Great-sounding haul there, particularly the untouched Cheap Street chapbook collection. What Aralia ans Gaspereau items did you pick up?

I love this list. But I'm wondering if folks could add some fine presses which are no longer publishing.
For example, The Imprint Society was a press out of Boston, I believe, which produced perhaps 50 titles during the early-to-mid 1970s, all limited editions with slipcases.

>76 ChestnutPress: Thanks! From Aralia I picked up:

* Being Boring
* Cleft in the Wall
* Extravagant Captivities
* She-Devil Circus
* Catching the Mer-Mother
* Juno Plots Her Revenge: Act One of Hercules Furens

The last two are especially nice hardbounds, and all the titles have a pleasing bite and nice deckles.

From Gaspereau Press I obtained:

* Calmly, Intelligently, Persistently
* Wherefore Wildlife Ecology?
* The Figure a Poem Makes

I overpaid since I sent my payment in USD instead CAD, so they kindly threw in a copy of Shadow Blight as well. It's a trade book, not fine press, but something I am interested in all the same.

>77 SteveJohnson: The thread on The Imprint Society was recently revived and generated some fresh interest here. I have a few of their titles, of which Daphnis and Chloe and Novelle Cinque impress me the most.

Further discussion: https://www.librarything.com/topic/87373

>78 Shadekeep: A fine haul indeed! Strangely, I only have the Seneca out of those Aralia (their larger volumes are particularly nice). I do have the Gaspereau's though, barring Shadow Blight (I do, however, have her excellent Gaspereau 'Murmurations'), and particularly love 'The Figure a Poem Makes'. I shall look into 'Shadow Blight' as I am not averse to the Gaspereau trade editions. They are seriously well designed and produced, and as close to fine press as trade editions come (in my humble opinion). I have a few on the shelves and can highly recommend 'Smoke Proofs', 'Sixty over Twenty' and 'Ab Incommodo' if you don't have them already.

>75 Shadekeep: My pleasure! I am very glad that you like the books.

>80 ChestnutPress: I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of Gaspereau's trade editions. It is worth noting that a number of the covers for their trade editions are printed letterpress and on wonderful paper (often on Saint-Armand paper). I second "Smoke Proofs" - a very enjoyable read http://www.gaspereau.com/bookInfo.php?AID=0&AISBN=9781554471416 , as well as the other books you listed.

Another book (also a trade edition) that I think would be of great interest to this group is "In the Suicide’s Library: A Book Lover’s Journey" by Tim Bowling http://www.gaspereau.com/bookInfo.php?AID=0&AISBN=9781554470891 . This books is now, regrettably, out of print, but worth a search.

Also, in case you missed it, here is a link to last year Alcuin Society's Lecture Series with Andrew Steeves (Gaspereau Press) and Wesley Bates (a wonderful Canadian wood engraver and frequent illustrator of Gaspereau's books): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvAzEoJMi1s&t=1s

By the way, for anyone not familiar with the Alcuin Society https://alcuinsociety.com , you might be interested in their regular online lecture series - available to everyone free of charge (just need to register). You can find them under 'Events' on their website. You can also find previous lectures on their YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/AlcuinSociety/videos .

A fine line of info for the members of this forum, Vadim. The Tim Bowling book is a great mention.

>80 ChestnutPress: Thanks for the recommendations! I can see myself getting more from this press, the quality is quite excellent, both in book production and choice of authors.

>81 vadim_ca: That's a good point about the trades, the cover of Shadow Blight is nice indeed, and reminds me a little of Thornwillow's paper covers. Pleasing to the touch.

>83 Shadekeep: I simply cannot fault Gaspereau Press publications, whether their fine press or their trade. I honestly think Andrew Steeves is one of the finest book designers and typographers out there today. And his writing (with Smoke Proofs a great example) is exceptional.

>84 ChestnutPress: His IG feed is awesome too. A little glimpse into a backwoods pressman's life...

>85 jveezer: Isn't it just!

Many thanks to >1 dlphcoracl: and to everyone else who has contributed to this list. It's proving incredibly useful to this novice collector.

>1 dlphcoracl: "...the Tern Press is disrespected by some of the supposedly fine & private press cognoscenti..."

I'd be curious to know what reasons they give for this attitude. Tern Press were already on my radar because of their wonderful range of Old English, Middle English and Celtic literature. I love the variety in the papers, typefaces and bindings that the Parrys used. And I love how resolutley handmade each book is. They seem to have been highly regarded by other press prioprietors as well.

>87 SyllicSpell: I have picked up the same attitude from some about Tern Press - its their loss as I have a huge regard for their books. Nicholas and Mary were such warm and delightful people and I miss seeing them at events. There is also a warmth to their handmade books and their partnership puts me in mind of Lucien and Esther Pissarro and it is no coincidence that I treasure both Tern Press and Eragny Press and recognise that both can lean towards art rather than the very finest printing. I was so pleased when Crispin chose Nicholas Parry's "Tiern" for the display typeface in Barbarian Press' Sudden Immobility.

>87 SyllicSpell:
>88 AndyEngraver:

The discrepancy between the opinion of several private press critics and the actual beauty of the Tern Press editions is inexplicable. As a result, most of the Tern Press editions sell at very reasonable prices and I have purchased nearly all of the titles of reading interest. Noticing this type of discrepancy and taking advantage of it is an important component of building a wonderful private press collection at very reasonable cost.

>1 dlphcoracl: I would point out another option for any collector on a budget: making a deal directly with the press. Many of us who run literary fine presses are most delighted by readers who show an interest in our editorial mission. We have budgets ourselves and understand the collector. You never know what sort of 'packages' a printer's inventory can afford to unburden from its stores when the right interested party tickles the web. While I look at diminishing stacks of older volumes from Sutton Hoo Press, I also see plentiful numbers of more recent volumes I printed that I am even more anxious to see distributed. And while I don't want to suggest that book pricing is arbitrary and inflated, I would point out that a sole proprietor is in total control of that inventory and it's pricing. While there are some books from my list I have to keep a tighter fist on, mostly, I would love to see a burgeoning, hungry collector be able to have three titles rather than one or none. I know this to be true for several other literary fine presses, not just mine.

>90 SuttonHooPress:

Frankly, this is quite a surprise to me.

I am, of course, aware of arrangements in which an avid collector will subscribe to a private press by promising to purchase all forthcoming editions at a -30% discount, e.g., Arion Press, Barbarian Press, Foolscap Press, etc., but I would not have thought about directly approaching a private press proprietor to put together a package of goodies at considerable savings. Frankly, I have been a bit embarrassed to contemplate doing so because the profit margins for small private presses is so small and this has always struck me as being greedy and exploitative. I would certainly feel more comfortable about this if a private press proprietor approached me with this sort of offer, i.e., as a collector known to the proprietor, one who has already demonstrated considerable interest in their work through prior purchases.

>91 dlphcoracl: I remember a talk that the great American potter Warren Mackenzie gave in which he talked about pricing. Here is one of the greatest living potters, who studied with the legendary Bernard Leech, in an age when even his former students were charging $4o for a cup. His cup, bought from him directly, was $8. On Ebay the next day, it was over $120. He pointed out that 1--clay does not cost that much, 2--glaze does not cost that much, especially when amortized over the number of pots it can be used on, 3--energy to fire a batch of pots, divided by the number of pots in the kiln, is not that much. What you have in the pot is your time. Two things come to mind in this regard: 1--you can trim your time with technique and shortcuts to also trim "the cost" of time, 2--you can acknowledge that, even if you crushed the pot, or if no one bought it, you spent your time making a thing that taught you something and brought you pleasure and spiritual enlightenment. In essence a craftsman has all his fun making the object, after which he does not need it further. If someone was then to come to him and show an interest in the craft and process that meant enough to the craftsman that he spent his life and energies on it, then all the benefits of making are amplified, and return to him in a rush. What is the value of that? and what can it 'cost'?

I, indeed, acknowledge that earnings from the press have been an important part of whatever money I have to carry me into my dotage. Earnings are important and must be considered, yes. Meetings of mind and heart over the art and intricacies of handicraft are the life-blood.

Consider the offer extended.

Chad

A little late to the party but I wonder if George Macy's Heritage Press makes the cut, in particular the HP-exclusives discussed here: https://georgemacyimagery.wordpress.com/heritage-press-exclusives/

An example of a Signed LE HP - Ink & Blood by Arthur Szyk (1946) reviewed here: https://booksandvines.com/2011/09/25/ink-and-blood-arthur-szyk-heritage-press-li...

Here are some threads from the GMD forum discussing examples of preferred HP editions - sometimes over their LEC counterparts:
The Kid Brother: https://www.librarything.com/topic/178109
The Kid Brother--redux: https://www.librarything.com/topic/193965
The Kid Brother Rises Again: https://www.librarything.com/topic/241067
Heritage Press Favorite: https://www.librarything.com/topic/266944
Favorite Heritage Press books?: https://www.librarything.com/topic/139119
Favorite Heritage Press titles--per request: https://www.librarything.com/topic/156730
Heritage Press Exclusives: https://georgemacyimagery.wordpress.com/heritage-press-exclusives/

Also...

Peter Pauper Press and Imprint Society - both with dedicated threads on this forum.

Incline Press: https://booksandvines.com/2013/10/12/the-incline-press/

ETA: Few more threads..

>94 mr.philistine: Heritage Press is indeed wonderful and absolutely, for the most part, falls into the "book collecting on a budget" -- that said, Ink & Blood is far from cheap. I love Szyk, but I believe of all the LEC and HP offerings, that is far the most pricey. I don't think I've seen a decent copy go for below $1000, but I haven't searched for a copy recently.

>95 astropi: ...Ink & Blood is far from cheap. I love Szyk, but I believe of all the LEC and HP offerings, that is far the most pricey.

The above link to the B&V review mentions as much. However, Abebooks has copies from $560 onwards. Regarding being the most expensive among LEC and HP titles, I doubt that. The Robert Frost 2-volume LEC or the Picasso-signed Lysistrata LEC easily cross the $1000 mark; not to mention the Shiff-era productions.

>95 astropi: Yes indeed, to get a nice copy at a better price I bought a copy for $224 with a completely disintegrated spine but perfect text block and had it in rebound in full Nigerian goat leather for another $495. This book was another example of a Macy book bound in sheepskin that did not age well.

>97 kdweber: ".....a Macy book bound in sheepskin that did not age well."

As a rule, sheepskin makes poor bindings, as does calf. Goat & pig work much better, but pigskin should be left at full thickness, not split, otherwise it will loose its strength.

>98 Glacierman:

My experience regarding various types of leather bindings is a bit different. I agree that sheepskin (an unfortunate Gregynog Press specialty) is a wretched choice and goatskin, especially Nigerian or Oasis goatskin, is ideal. However, I have found high quality bookcalf, especially from J Hewit & Sons Ltd., to be a fine choice which wears well over time. Ony problem with smooth calfskin bindings is that they scuff and scratch easily and must be protected with a clear Dura Lar dustwrapper.

Pigskin is not a leather that works well in my experience and many fine bookbinders and binderies will avoid it unless their customer or commission insist upon it. Whether split thickness or full thickness, pigskin has an unavoidable tendency to darken and/or fox (unsightly brow spots) with age. The GCP magnum opus edition of Eric Gill's 'The Four Gospels' and the Arion Press 'Ulysses' are notorious examples of this.

A challenge to the LTFPF faithful: I defy anyone to find a copy of the GCP 'The Four Gospels' published in 1931 that does not have a white pigskin spine that has darkened, dried, cracked or foxed. Good luck! 😀😀

>98 Glacierman:
>99 dlphcoracl:
And the LEC/Eric Gill “Hamlet” (1933) was bound in pigskin (of course!), which has rarely survived in decent condition.

>99 dlphcoracl: Alum tawed (white) pigskin is another matter entirely. It will change tone over time to ivory, as can be seen in copies of the Kelmscott Chaucer so bound, which, to my eyes, is rather attractive. I prefer vegetable tanned pigskin which results in a natural color (shades of brown or tan), full thickness. I have used this material in my own bindings for 40 years, and have not had a problem with discoloration. It is strong, durable and wear-resistant. One of my books so bound even survived being used as a scratching post by one of my cats with only minimal damage to the spine, hardly noticeable today. And, as opposed to alum tawed pig, vegetable tanned pig can be dressed. I use an ointment of 50% anhydrous lanolin and 50% neatsfoot oil. This works wonderfully well on tanned book leather.

Calf, if not split or pared to excessive thinness as was once the fad, is durable enough, but as you noted, is prone to wear and scuffing, thus requiring protection, which some may see as a flaw. I think that is entirely in the eye of the beholder. And I agree that if one wishes to use calf, then that from Hewit is to be preferred.

>96 mr.philistine: I assume the prices being discussed are classic LEC, as their current offerings all land north of $1K.

http://limitededitionsclub.com/list-of-books/

>96 mr.philistine: Regarding being the most expensive among LEC and HP titles, I doubt that.

I meant the most expensive of the LEC and HP Szyk titles :)
In terms of the most expensive of all LEC and HP titles, the answer is the SIGNED Ulysses. Originally Joyce was supposed to sign all of the books, but at the end only a couple hundred were signed by him. Therefore, if you have one of those editions signed by both Joyce and Matisse (and in my opinion the Matisse illustrations are hideous), it's in the ballpark of $10,000 making it easily the most expensive of all the LEC publications.

>102 Shadekeep:

Pretty sure that’s just a reseller website. I do not believe LEC is an ongoing business anymore.

>104 copperstatelawyer: I believe that Shiff's wife is just selling off the remaining stock with no plans to resurrect the publishing program.

>104 copperstatelawyer: That is the "official" LEC web-site where new old stock is sold. It is run by Louise Scalia, Sid Shiff's daughter-in-law and she is wonderful to do business with.

>106 Sport1963: Sid Shiff's daughter-in-law

I was close!

Ah, thanks all! Wasn't sure if the current LEC was still an ongoing concern or not. Would still love to pick up the Zora Neale Hurston book...

>103 astropi: In terms of the most expensive of all LEC and HP titles, the answer is the SIGNED Ulysses.

I once again refer to B&V review here: https://booksandvines.com/2013/09/19/ulysses-by-james-joyce-illustrations-by-hen...

It is amazing that even after 10 odd years, Chris's estimates are still accurate today - and not just for expensive or exotic productions but even standard/ classic productions from the LEC!

Excerpts from the above link:

Of the 1,500 copies of this edition, about 250 are signed by both Joyce and Matisse. The remaining 1,250 are signed by Matisse alone.

Tracking down a fine condition edition signed by both Matisse and Joyce can be done, but will cost you (typically) at least $25,000, making it by far the most expensive LEC to try to add to your collection. A fine condition edition signed by only Matisse looks like a relative bargain next to this, usually costing around $6,000 or so.

The most expensive copy currently listed on Abebooks for $35K has both signatures, the slipcase, 4-page prospectus and announcement for the book plus (quote) 'an additional postcard announcement of shipment addressed to its first owner, in which the purchaser is informed that she was one of the fortunate Limited Editions Club members who are being shipped a copy signed by both Matisse and Joyce. The postcard goes on to describe how the Club tried to handle the imbalance between the number of members who wanted the Joyce signatures and the number of copies Joyce agreed to sign.' (unquote)

While the above quoted 'additional postcard announcement' is addressed to a more fortunate subscriber, the following letter dated 22 October, 1935 (( reposted from: https://www.librarything.com/topic/323546#7746995 )) is addressed to a less fortunate one...