Recent Publications | November 9, 2010

New Bibliography from Old Stile

The Old Stile Press . . . the next ten years a Bibliography 2000-2010

We can safely assert that our first Bibliography (The Old Stile Press . . . in the twentieth century) was very well received when it was published ten years ago and is still highly regarded. Its aim to be entertaining and fun, as well as to contain all the information a librarian or bibliophile would need, was enthusiastically welcomed and it will not be surprising that, for this new volume, the same principles apply. This time, however, the whole book (as well as Clive Hicks-Jenkins’ fabulous cover painting!) is printed in full colour.

Each of our books that has appeared since the last Bibliography was completed in 1999 here has two double page spreads with its bibliographical details and images photographed and printed in colour so that the bindings are shown as well as the interiors. Nicolas writes about each, with anecdotes and dramas of their production or of how they came into being.

He also contributes a short look into the future of books which may become! Frances writes about what happens to all these books once they arrive in the house from the binders - finding and keeping customers, providing them with information and generally ‘delivering the goods’.

Nancy Campbell has written an Introductory essay on the work of these ten years, with a great appreciation of the ethos in which the books come into being, the commitment of the artists and writers (where the text is contemporary) with whom the Press has worked, and then the books themselves. As a poet and creator of her own artist’s books she has understood what goes into every stage of the making of such objects . She is a freelance reviewer whose writing has appeared in many major newspapers and magazines and has also worked at Bertram Rota, the Covent Garden Bookseller in London, where she was responsible for
contemporary artists’ books. That role also amply qualified her to achieve the detailed work of producing, for this record, the bibliographical account of each book.

136pp, 288 x 215mm. Joanna type, litho-printed on Leseebo
paper by J.W. Northend, Ltd. Designed, set, photographed and laid out by Nicolas McDowall. Sewn and bound with all-over printed card cover, the design being from a painting by Clive Hicks-Jenkins.
ISBN: 978-0-907664-85-7
1000, numbered copies.

The first 250 copies come with a small ‘present’ loosely inserted. This takes the form of a printed jeu d’esprit being Welcome to Spring by Gavin Douglas (c.1510). The sheet also has one of the border decorations from Eric Gill’s Troilus and Criseyde (Golden Cockerel Press) printed directly from the block.

Prices:

The new book (The Old Stile Press . . . the next ten years) is £45 (plus £4 p&p in UK).

A limited number of copies of the earlier book (The Old Stile Press . . . in the twentieth century) remains and these are £40 (plus £4 p&p in UK).

If you do not have a copy of the first book, you may like to have a copy of both books . . . at a special price of £75 (plus £6 p&p in UK).

There are 15 Special (or Archive) copies. These will include pages or spreads from almost all the books together with many other items. The selection is still being made and the box is still being designed but some copies have already been spoken for. The price of this Special Edition is £850.

The two photographs below are designed to give some feel of what the portfolios within the Special Edition copies will contain. The box that will hold all this, together with a copy of the book, cannot be photographed yet as it has not been made. Please note, however, that there are only 15 copies of this edition, some are already reserved and we shall allot the remaining copies on a ‘first come, first served’ basis!

If you would like to reserve a copy of the Special Edition or to purchase a copy (or copies) of the Main Edition, simply contact us using any means below and we will do the rest.

Frances & Nicolas McDowall at The Old Stile Press,
Catchmays Court, Monmouthshire NP25 4TN, UK
01291 689 226 oldstile@dircon.co.uk www.oldstilepress.com