Vintage European Presses, or starting a collection
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1thfrgi
Hello everyone
I became infected with the bibliophile virus a month or so ago (no doubt having carried it dormant inside me a good while) and wanted to share the humble beginnings of my collection.
It has, by virtue of my being situated in Europe and not having the funds required by most modern presses, concentrated on vintage editions of European origin (I do have some Thornwillow offerings on the way to introduce some more contemporary editions).
I thought this might be of interest to others in order to show that you can get some quite nice books while spending relatively little money, and to help highlight some continental European presses on a forum that mostly caters to north America/the UK.
Maybe this could start a discussion about interesting vintage finds and where to find them.
I'll be posting one image of each book and then an imgur link to the rest so as not to overwhelm. Please excuse the smartphone-quality of the images.
Trajanus Presse, Äsopische Fabeln, 1968. An edition by Gotthard de Beauclair, who looms large in the German fine-press world. The included linocuts by Imre Reiner add some character and even comedy to the short fables.
Album: https://imgur.com/a/9v8YvpH
Next, two offerings of the Halcyon Press out of Maastricht in Holland. Responsible for that press was A. A. M. Stols, who I am informed was the pre-eminent dutch fine publisher of the first of the 20th century.
Lord Byron, Lyrical Poems, 1933
Album: https://imgur.com/a/Cd2ZPxm
Just a very fine little book all around, with some very nice poetry inside. Small and sturdy enough to be carried around for the occasional lyrical break.
Les Oeuvres de Francois Villon, 1941
Album: https://imgur.com/a/fu49G97
A somewhat rougher volume, perhaps due to the wartime/occupation situation? My copy has copious annotations by the previous (dutch) owner, which I find quite charming.
Now, coming from one of the most venerable of German presses, a very classical text:
Plato, Phaidros, Drugulin Presse 1939
Album: https://imgur.com/a/OVJPSHS
Just beautiful all around, this is a puristic as it gets. Austere, perhaps even severe, but fitting for the subject matter. Hand-printed, presumably hand-set and in this case in very fine condition. Of special note is the initial and title by E.R. Weiß, recently covered by the Incline Press in "The typography of an artist" (which I will get as soon as I have more money).
And now to my most recent acquisitions, which I got at an auction house for a very very low price, as it turned out.
First an unbound, very fine edition with a possible interesting provenience.
Les Erinnyes, Leconte de Lisle, 1912
Album: https://imgur.com/a/XKtbyzR
While my copy lacks the varying colour states that were normally part of the edition, the three loose chromolithographs are very fine and the page illustrations (etchings, I think) are a delight. I will be having this bound as soon as possible, as was originally intended.
An interesting surprise was finding that this copy bears the name of Paul Gallimard, who was an art collector and bibliophile of the first order as well as the father of the founder of today's Gallimard, one of the largest french publishers. It seems unlikely there would have been another Paul Gallimard in the Société des amis du livre moderne, who published this, so I assume this was indeed his.
Last but not least, something apparently quite valuable, although it was bundled up with other items for a rather cheap price.
A l'Est du Soleil et a l'Ouest de la Lune: Contes Anciens du Nord, 1919, H. Piazza
Album: https://imgur.com/a/HagiHPu
The first French edition of those tales illustrated by Kay Nielsen, one of the more famous illustrators of the time. I feel very lucky to have gotten this at a ridiculously low price, and it is a beautiful book, The illustrations are magical and the whole thing a very elegant package. Something I will definitely keep, and the binding is still very fresh, so that there is no need for action there either.
I hope this presentation has been of some interest and will encourage others to look for vintage treasures, be it online or in auction houses. There's much to be had of superior quality for only a fraction of the price of most modern offerings, if you're willing to deal with some signs of age.
I became infected with the bibliophile virus a month or so ago (no doubt having carried it dormant inside me a good while) and wanted to share the humble beginnings of my collection.
It has, by virtue of my being situated in Europe and not having the funds required by most modern presses, concentrated on vintage editions of European origin (I do have some Thornwillow offerings on the way to introduce some more contemporary editions).
I thought this might be of interest to others in order to show that you can get some quite nice books while spending relatively little money, and to help highlight some continental European presses on a forum that mostly caters to north America/the UK.
Maybe this could start a discussion about interesting vintage finds and where to find them.
I'll be posting one image of each book and then an imgur link to the rest so as not to overwhelm. Please excuse the smartphone-quality of the images.
Trajanus Presse, Äsopische Fabeln, 1968. An edition by Gotthard de Beauclair, who looms large in the German fine-press world. The included linocuts by Imre Reiner add some character and even comedy to the short fables.
Album: https://imgur.com/a/9v8YvpH
Next, two offerings of the Halcyon Press out of Maastricht in Holland. Responsible for that press was A. A. M. Stols, who I am informed was the pre-eminent dutch fine publisher of the first of the 20th century.
Lord Byron, Lyrical Poems, 1933
Album: https://imgur.com/a/Cd2ZPxm
Just a very fine little book all around, with some very nice poetry inside. Small and sturdy enough to be carried around for the occasional lyrical break.
Les Oeuvres de Francois Villon, 1941
Album: https://imgur.com/a/fu49G97
A somewhat rougher volume, perhaps due to the wartime/occupation situation? My copy has copious annotations by the previous (dutch) owner, which I find quite charming.
Now, coming from one of the most venerable of German presses, a very classical text:
Plato, Phaidros, Drugulin Presse 1939
Album: https://imgur.com/a/OVJPSHS
Just beautiful all around, this is a puristic as it gets. Austere, perhaps even severe, but fitting for the subject matter. Hand-printed, presumably hand-set and in this case in very fine condition. Of special note is the initial and title by E.R. Weiß, recently covered by the Incline Press in "The typography of an artist" (which I will get as soon as I have more money).
And now to my most recent acquisitions, which I got at an auction house for a very very low price, as it turned out.
First an unbound, very fine edition with a possible interesting provenience.
Les Erinnyes, Leconte de Lisle, 1912
Album: https://imgur.com/a/XKtbyzR
While my copy lacks the varying colour states that were normally part of the edition, the three loose chromolithographs are very fine and the page illustrations (etchings, I think) are a delight. I will be having this bound as soon as possible, as was originally intended.
An interesting surprise was finding that this copy bears the name of Paul Gallimard, who was an art collector and bibliophile of the first order as well as the father of the founder of today's Gallimard, one of the largest french publishers. It seems unlikely there would have been another Paul Gallimard in the Société des amis du livre moderne, who published this, so I assume this was indeed his.
Last but not least, something apparently quite valuable, although it was bundled up with other items for a rather cheap price.
A l'Est du Soleil et a l'Ouest de la Lune: Contes Anciens du Nord, 1919, H. Piazza
Album: https://imgur.com/a/HagiHPu
The first French edition of those tales illustrated by Kay Nielsen, one of the more famous illustrators of the time. I feel very lucky to have gotten this at a ridiculously low price, and it is a beautiful book, The illustrations are magical and the whole thing a very elegant package. Something I will definitely keep, and the binding is still very fresh, so that there is no need for action there either.
I hope this presentation has been of some interest and will encourage others to look for vintage treasures, be it online or in auction houses. There's much to be had of superior quality for only a fraction of the price of most modern offerings, if you're willing to deal with some signs of age.
2Lukas1990
As I live in Vilnius, Lithuania, I'm always happy to find some interesting private/fine press books from German sellers. I got a few books published by Julius Schröder Verlag or Officina Bodoni from there. I've recently acquired a nice facsimile of Hypnerotomachia Poliphili - one of the most beautiful books printed by Aldus Manutius. The facsimile was published by UK publisher Eugrammia Press. It was printed on mould-made paper and bound in full morocco by Zaehnsdorf.
3dlphcoracl
>1 thfrgi:
The clear standout amongst the private presses you have featured is the edition of Plato's Phaidros by the Drugulin Presse. The letterpress printing is outstanding and it bears more than a passing resemblance to its more famous Weimar cousin the Bremer Presse.
The clear standout amongst the private presses you have featured is the edition of Plato's Phaidros by the Drugulin Presse. The letterpress printing is outstanding and it bears more than a passing resemblance to its more famous Weimar cousin the Bremer Presse.
4thfrgi
>3 dlphcoracl: I'm aware of the Bremer Presse, but nothing from their catalogue especially interests me as a reader, and I make a point not to buy anything I wouldn't want to read. In that case that is easily achieved as those editions fetch very high prices...
But yes that Phaidros is fantastic. Not a single letter out of place...
But yes that Phaidros is fantastic. Not a single letter out of place...
5ChestnutPress
>1 thfrgi: Europe has always had a great wealth to offer fine press collectors. For myself, I am very partial to Dutch fine press, of which you have shown a couple of lovely examples. That period you are highlighting had so much beautiful work produced which can still be obtained without ransacking your bank account. The Drugulin Presse Plato is a gorgeous example of German typography of the period and I rather fancy getting myself a copy now! Thank you for sharing these works. I look forward to seeing more.
6dlphcoracl
>1 thfrgi:
>5 ChestnutPress:
If you appreciate beautiful German early 20th century typography:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/320406#7162977
https://booksandvines.com/2011/11/02/hamlet-by-william-shakespeare-1920-edition-...
https://booksandvines.com/2011/12/08/faust-by-johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-from-ju...
Remember: On the Books and Vines website, if you left-click once over a photo it will enlarge. If you then left-click a second time over the enlarged photo, it will enlarge further to give a macro photo view. This will enable you to fully appreciate the superlative typography.
>5 ChestnutPress:
If you appreciate beautiful German early 20th century typography:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/320406#7162977
https://booksandvines.com/2011/11/02/hamlet-by-william-shakespeare-1920-edition-...
https://booksandvines.com/2011/12/08/faust-by-johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-from-ju...
Remember: On the Books and Vines website, if you left-click once over a photo it will enlarge. If you then left-click a second time over the enlarged photo, it will enlarge further to give a macro photo view. This will enable you to fully appreciate the superlative typography.
7ultrarightist
>1 thfrgi: Thank you for expanding my European fine press horizons
8ChestnutPress
>6 dlphcoracl: That's a beautifully printed volume!
9thfrgi
A new acquisition fit for this thread:
Die Lässliche Sünde, by Honoré de Balzac translated into German by Walter Widmer, Birkhäuser Verlag, 1951 Basel, first of the "Baseler Drucke".
The book was designed by Jan Tschichold, one of the great German typographers of the 20th Century, perhaps best known for designing Sabon or working for Penguin books. His long and storied career is best learned about elsewhere.
This small book is bound in full parchment with a lovely texture
The binding is somewhat wrinkled/wavy and cut very close to the text block on the back side, but I imagine this is due to both age and the difficulties of working with as organic a material as vellum when trying to meet a fairly large limitation (680 total).
The paper is a lovely Bütten from Hahnemühle and together with the vellum binding makes for an extremely pleasant tactile experience. This is the softest book I own, both fluffy and crinkly at the same time, if that makes sense.
The text is clean and sober, with the interesting quirk of having the first word of the next page "previewed" at the bottom, something I had not yet experienced. This makes it easier to read the book aloud to someone else, as I have found while reading this very funny story to my partner.
The initials are from Tschichold and give the text a fittingly medieval touch.
I am also in possession of a 1926 copy of the French original this is excerpted from, the Contes Drolatiques, 30 comedic stories Balzac wrote in an astonishing pastiche of Old French (and dealing with medieval matters on the whole), which caused quite a stir at the time.
The German translation is, unavoidably perhaps given the linguistic nature of the original, very free and does not attempt to replicate a similar medieval jargon, though it is rich in unusual and sonorous vocabulary.
Last but not least are the 5 multicoloured woodcuts by Felix Hoffmann, of which I here reproduce but two:
They are a joy to behold and very skilfully done given the compact format. They complement the mood of the story excellently as well, being of an ironic bend, rich in details and joyful in their depiction of colourful medieval scenes.
Overall a lovely little book. The slipcase it comes with is entirely pdestrian and I will endeavour to replace it with something more appropriate.
The other "Baseler Drucke" of the Birkhäuser Verlag did not sing to me so far, but perhaps there is another small gem such as this one to be found.
Die Lässliche Sünde, by Honoré de Balzac translated into German by Walter Widmer, Birkhäuser Verlag, 1951 Basel, first of the "Baseler Drucke".
The book was designed by Jan Tschichold, one of the great German typographers of the 20th Century, perhaps best known for designing Sabon or working for Penguin books. His long and storied career is best learned about elsewhere.
This small book is bound in full parchment with a lovely texture
The binding is somewhat wrinkled/wavy and cut very close to the text block on the back side, but I imagine this is due to both age and the difficulties of working with as organic a material as vellum when trying to meet a fairly large limitation (680 total).
The paper is a lovely Bütten from Hahnemühle and together with the vellum binding makes for an extremely pleasant tactile experience. This is the softest book I own, both fluffy and crinkly at the same time, if that makes sense.
The text is clean and sober, with the interesting quirk of having the first word of the next page "previewed" at the bottom, something I had not yet experienced. This makes it easier to read the book aloud to someone else, as I have found while reading this very funny story to my partner.
The initials are from Tschichold and give the text a fittingly medieval touch.
I am also in possession of a 1926 copy of the French original this is excerpted from, the Contes Drolatiques, 30 comedic stories Balzac wrote in an astonishing pastiche of Old French (and dealing with medieval matters on the whole), which caused quite a stir at the time.
The German translation is, unavoidably perhaps given the linguistic nature of the original, very free and does not attempt to replicate a similar medieval jargon, though it is rich in unusual and sonorous vocabulary.
Last but not least are the 5 multicoloured woodcuts by Felix Hoffmann, of which I here reproduce but two:
They are a joy to behold and very skilfully done given the compact format. They complement the mood of the story excellently as well, being of an ironic bend, rich in details and joyful in their depiction of colourful medieval scenes.
Overall a lovely little book. The slipcase it comes with is entirely pdestrian and I will endeavour to replace it with something more appropriate.
The other "Baseler Drucke" of the Birkhäuser Verlag did not sing to me so far, but perhaps there is another small gem such as this one to be found.
10ChestnutPress
>9 thfrgi: Magnificent!!!
11originaux
>9 thfrgi: Magnificent, indeed! I will have to pick up a copy. Hoffmann's Thomas Mann - Magic Mountain is one of my favourite LEC's.
A French edition of your book, by Sylvain Sauvage, is a little gem that is available on the market at an affordable price:
Please also see: https://www.librarything.com/topic/329975
A French edition of your book, by Sylvain Sauvage, is a little gem that is available on the market at an affordable price:
Please also see: https://www.librarything.com/topic/329975
12thfrgi
Thank you originaux for this useful addendum!
This is now on my list, though I try to avoid duplicates (especially in the same language, it is easier to tolerate translations), as I really like the style of the illustrations.
I can't say i agree with most of Sauvage's output, a lot of it being rather dated stylistically, in my personal opinion, but he certainly made some remarkable books.
As an aside, can you recommend any good French resources/websites for these sorts of editions? I spend a lot of time on Abebooks/zvab but these seem to have a bit of a blind spot sometimes when it comes to French works/editions. Would be especially interested in reputable auction houses with a focus on books.
Les périls d'avoir quitté la France il y a longtemps, on n'est plus au fait de ce genre de détails...
This is now on my list, though I try to avoid duplicates (especially in the same language, it is easier to tolerate translations), as I really like the style of the illustrations.
I can't say i agree with most of Sauvage's output, a lot of it being rather dated stylistically, in my personal opinion, but he certainly made some remarkable books.
As an aside, can you recommend any good French resources/websites for these sorts of editions? I spend a lot of time on Abebooks/zvab but these seem to have a bit of a blind spot sometimes when it comes to French works/editions. Would be especially interested in reputable auction houses with a focus on books.
Les périls d'avoir quitté la France il y a longtemps, on n'est plus au fait de ce genre de détails...
14ChestnutPress
>11 originaux: Absolutely gorgeous volume. That will be added to my 'books to get in the new year' list!
UPDATE: Blow waiting; copy ordered!
UPDATE: Blow waiting; copy ordered!
