Rank the FS Limited Editions

So recently we were talking about various LEs, and it seems like some are just a larger, more fancy reproduction of previous editions (such as LOTR, Ulysses, War and Peace). Others are undoubtedly beautiful editions, but can be very expensive (especially overseas) and in fact many FS LEs (such as The Holy Land and Egypt and Nubia for example) have been printed by other publishers (perhaps they are not as luxurious, but then again they are FAR cheaper)! So, anyway, I thought it would be interesting to see what people think are the best LEs, and why?

1)Night Thoughts
Why is this my #1 pick? "This is the only time all 537 of Blake’s watercolours have ever been published together in colour." Basically, you can't get anything like this anywhere else!

2) The Surinam Album
I have not seen this published anywhere else! Is this also a FS exclusive? Or are there other copies available by another publisher?

3)The Wind in the Willows -Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam-Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Although I'm not impressed with the latter (Rime), I will admit these are beautiful editions. They are signed by the artist, and hence truly limited (the way it should be)!

4)Moby Dick or the Whale
This book deserves a beautiful edition. The Rockwell Kent illustrations are gorgeous, and the price is reasonable.

Runner-Up)Alice's Adventures Under Ground
A beautiful book! You can find cheaper copies of this, but they are not leather bound, and many do not include the original illustrations. This is the least expensive LE I have ever seen from the FS. It's also a small book (since the original was small).

Those are my picks. I would love to hear what others have to say.

I don't have any of them so can't comment, but the illustrations of the Surinam album with a text in English, French and German were published loose in a portfolio by a Swiss bank several years ago (or at least some of them). I am just guessing but think they were probably given out as Christmas gifts - I leafed through one at a second-hand book sale in 2007 and have been kicking myself for not buying it ever since. I haven't come across it again, though I keep my eyes peeled.

I only have the Moby Dick LE but it is beautiful ... it feels beautiful too.

I own Moby Dick and Ulysses, of the two I'd say the Melville edition is definitely the superior production. It's a wonderful book.

Having said that, the Joyce edition occupies a special place in my affections because of the love and fascination I have for the book. I know it's a gimmick, but the publication on the centenary of Bloomsday is something I also like and think of as special. A final plus is that I got a flawless copy second hand from a seller who didn't seem to realise the market price for the book.

Of the other LEs, I was briefly interested in the War & Peace, but am put off by some of the comments here and now feel the 2-volume standard edition is a wiser investment. The Rime looks absolutely beautiful but is more expensive then I can support at present. Likewise Metamorphoses unfortunately.

I'm interested in The Aeneid and will continue to debate with myself over it....

I have 1) and 3) and agree with your ranking--I regret not having acquired the Surinam Album. The other LE I regret not getting is Johnson's dictionary. I would add the Pepys Diary which definitely should go before Moby Dick. I would also add the Kelmscott Chaucer that was bound in full leather (at the time back in 2000 it was priced for $1000 which is now looking like a great bargain--particularly with Rime being priced at $875 with no leather at all!). Finally, I like the LE Don Quixote although I kind of see it as a gimmick too like the Joyce as mentioned by ian_curtain.

>5 podaniel:

I agree with podaniel--the Complete Pepys is a wonderful production--not tarted up with glitz and bling, just solidly luxurious in its beautiful printing on superb paper, and a binding that is exactly right for the contents.

I also agree with the OP and others that Night Thoughts is pre-eminent. Could I afford it, I would also have added Johnson's Dictionary, The Surinam Album, and, most tempting of all, the Roberts Holy Land volumes.

1. Night Thoughts
2. Wind in the Willows
3. Johnson's Dictionary
4. Holy Land
5. Four Gospels

I'll rank the four I have:

1. Night Thoughts
2. The Canterbury Tales
3. Sonnets and Poems
4. Don Quixote

DOH! How could I forget the Four Gospels--that's a great production, too.

Based on the LE's I actually own, my top 5 ranking would be:

1. Johnson's Dictionary - It's big, it's beautiful, it sits by my side at my desk, and I use it all the time
2. Luttrell Psalter - Breathtaking facsimile if you are into this sort of thing. I probably don't need another one like it but I love this one.
3. Wind in the Willows - I've always loved this book. I love the illustrations and it is signed with tipped in illustrations. Nice.
4. Ulysses - Because it's one of my favorite books. Loses points for really being just a limited "state" of the trade edition but like the Bloomsday centenary gimmick as well.
5. Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit/The Silmarillion - Because it's always been one of my favorite cycles. Loses points for really being just a limited "state" of the trade edition but I do love the binding and slipcases.

But honorable mention to Don Quixote as I love the illustrations by Quentin Blake; and the Letterpress Shakespeare editions that I just find breathtaking for their marbled sides, the paper, letterpress printing, and the text layout.

If the book genie would give me three wishes to use on FS LEs I don't have, I would wish for Night Thoughts, Moby Dick, and Diary of Samuel Pepys

Of the LEs that I have, my rankings would be:

For beauty of the binding:

1. Kelmscott Chaucer (2002 leather binding) - (Superb weight, feel and decoration - the Rolls-Royce of Folio bindings)
2. Le Morte D'Arthur & The Life of Edmund King and Martyr (great tooling/stamping on both - the latter has parti-coloured leather)
3. Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in the Highlands (cloth, but rich and satisfying design)
4. The Benedictional of St Aethelwold (again, a sumptuous binding, although the contents were from a BL edition)
5. Queen Mary Atlas (beautifully smooth and red!)
6. Wind in the Willows & Rubaiyat (great design and exclusive Folio editions)
7. The Four Gospels and The Canterbury Tales (well up on the smell-ometer)
8. Johnson's Dictionary (Has a good, solid 18th-century look)
9. Moby Dick (there's something special about the feel of this binding) & Pepys' Diary
10. Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit & The Silmarilion (the contents may be standard fare, but these are the only Folio editions I know with tooled leather slipcases)

For interior (paper, printing, design, etc):

1. Night Thoughts (as has been said, a unique edition)
2. Kelmscott Chaucer (pretty close to the original and without the foxing!)
3. Our Life in the Highlands (smooth cream paper, beautiful black type, superb colour plates)
4. Four Gospels & Canterbury Tales (beautiful cream paper - high-quality facsimiles)
5. Johnson's Dictionary (pleasing paper)
6. Wind in the Willows & Rubaiyat (superb illustration and decoration)
7. Alice's Adventures Under Ground (again, the printing and paper are first-rate)
8. Benedictional of St Aethelwold & The Holkham Bible (well-chosen paper for medieval facsimiles)
9. Pepys' Diary (a reprint of the Bell edition, but on much better paper)
10. Night Thoughts (ok, I'm cheating, but it deserves repeating. As I've said before, the pages look as though the watercolour has only just dried)

As complete packages:

1. Kelmscott Chaucer (Exemplary)
2. Night Thoughts (What can I say?)
3. Johnson's Dictionary (Wonderful)
4. Pepys' Diary (Beautiful)
5. Wind in the Willows & Rubaiyat (Exquisite)
6. Queen Mary Atlas (Big)
7. Our Life in the Highlands (Fine)
8. Benedictional of St Aethelwold (some page corners fingermarked - but by medieval monks)
9. Alice's Adventures Under Ground (seems bigger than it is)
10. Moby Dick (washes over you like a warm shower)

Well for me it's Moby Dick...I mean honestly it is the most beautiful book (trade edition or no!!!) I've ever seen...and I've seen (and owned) some pretty books.

I really like my Liber Bestiarum which no one else has mentioned. My WITW & Rubaiyat head the list and the Aeneid goes on the bottom. I've decided to pass on Rime (bought the EP edition illustrated by Dore instead).

Damn all of you! I'm seriously considering buying Night Thoughts.

Well, kdweber, I have some sorta good news for you: out of the print run of 1000 copies of Night Thoughts, there's still about 115 left (according to the mailer I received the other day for Rime). Indeed, based on the mailer's numbers, there are plenty of copies of most of the LEs currently for sale. There are some running out, though. The Four Gospels had one of the largest print runs of 2,750 copies and already 2,670 have been sold--so, if you want a copy, that's the one I'd buy right away (it's gorgeous). The other LE about to sell out is The Luttrll Psalter with a print run of 1,480 copies and 1,405 sold.

If you really want accurate numbers as to how many LEs are left, you need to call the FS society. When I called, they said there are less than 10 Night Thoughts left. Of course, they may have been wrong, but nevertheless that is what I was told. As for the Kelmscott Chaucer, the reason I did not rank that among the best LEs is because Easton Press made an absolutely stunning LE of that book (limited to 425 copies, same as the original release) and the cost was LESS than the FS edition! In fact, to be honest, I compared the two and the EP edition appeared to be at least as good, if not superior, to the FS edition in every way. Did I mention that was quite a bit cheaper too?

FWIW, of the LEs I've got, my favourite is the Pepys - as said above, it's simple, no nonsense, but beautiful. Close behind is Moby Dick, followed equally closely by The Canterbury Tales. Les Miserables comes in last: I like it and am happy with it, but having sampled others since, I prefer the Rose translation, and whilst the illustrations are fine, those in the Moby Dick and Canterbury Tales are superb. But then it was also comfortably the cheapest!

>15 astropi: "As for the Kelmscott Chaucer, the reason I did not rank that among the best LEs is because Easton Press made an absolutely stunning LE of that book ... I compared the two and the EP edition appeared to be at least as good, if not superior, to the FS edition in every way."

I haven't seen the EP edition in the flesh, but while I'm sure it IS excellent in every way, are you comparing it to the recent non-LE Folio version or with the LE of 2002 pictured here?

http://yfrog.com/f/6ghpim3479j/

17: I was comparing the EP with the Limited FS version. I'm not saying that the FS Kelmscott is not wonderful, it's simply that there is (was, since it's sold out actually) an EP version which is no less amazing, and cheaper. On the other hand, there is only one complete version of Night Thoughts in color, ever published. Hence, that gets my #1 spot. So that's part of my reasoning in ranking the books. You can find various pics here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/76834

>11 boldface: Great collection, boldface. Glad to see Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in the Highlands mentioned, beautiful beveled buckram boards, a sentimental favorite for me as it was my first LE. I see a seller from Ohio has a well described copy for 100 on Abe or amazon, about half my original payment.

As for my choices based upon ownership:

Night Thoughts/Surinam Album, so unique
WITW/Rubaiyat, lovely designs, signed by artist
Four Gospels, love Gill's typography and art
World Classics series, Alice- just can't beat goatskin leather for aroma, attractive graining and suppleness, of course this applies to other FS LE's, other leathers can seem, well, second rate by comparison.
Journal of the Plague Year, a 1960 special leather binding, numbered and signed by the artist, Peter Pendrey, letterpress, woodblock, Abbey Mills watermarked paper, leather boards and spine stamped with pillars and skulls, striking.

I found some limited leather bindings of regular Folio editions last year and I'll mention the 1969 Decameron, 2 volumes bound in gold stamped cream leather, as being especially beautiful and amazingly fragrant after 40 years.

>15 astropi: Am confused by your 'reasoning', who cares if Easton Press made a similar Kelmscott 8 years after Folio did and what does it have to do with the stand alone beauty of the Folio edition?

Does anyone have pics of the Kelmscott Chaucer?

19: Why are you confused? It's really simple. If the FS makes a book that is absolutely unique, and can not be purchased elsewhere (such as Night Thoughts) then I consider that truly a special LE. On the other hand, if another company releases a similar book to a LE FS book (say the Kelmscott Chaucer) and it's just as good if not better than the FS edition, then clearly the uniqueness of the LE FS book goes down. I think the FS is fantastic, but I don't have to have everything that is made by the FS, nor do I think the FS is the only maker (nor the best) of fine-quality books. Also, my reasoning was not based on "stand alone beauty" it was based on the uniqueness of the LE.

>21 astropi: Well, you're right, yours is a really simple reasoning.

Looks to me that Folio produced a lovely work from which Easton Press borrowed some design ideas several years after the Folio edition sold out.

But my ideas on the appearance of the books are based upon pictures while you've held each version in your hands, right? Your apparently meticulous examinations resulted in the statement "In fact, to be honest, I compared the two and the EP edition appeared to be at least as good, if not superior, to the FS edition in every way". Would you please enlighten us all with the details and proofs of your comparisons, together with the production and materials costs?

The EP does absolutely nothing unique. They redo old editions and put old heritage press books in leather bindings. Having some of their editions may be nice, but there is nothing unique about them, even with their "limited editions."

The LE's that I wish I had purchased are:- The Kelmscott Chaucer, Johnson's Dictionary, The Surinam Album and Le Morte D'Arthur.

I do not doubt the opinion of Boldface when he rates the Kelmscott so highly - the binding is one of the most attractive I've seen (I have 'made do' with the cloth-bound version and value that highly).

Of the LE's I have I rate them:-

1. David Roberts 'Holy Land and Egypt', because I have always loved his romantic Victorian depictions of Egypt and The Holy Land and the FS have published a version that is exemplary in the quality of the reproductions and the size and presentation gives the volumes a presence and grandeur that takes your breath away (he is also Scottish!).

2. 'Night Thoughts' - Original, high productions values , a brave publishing decision and a great book.

3. 'The Four Gospels and 'The Canterbury Tales' - I could never contemplate affording the originals and to be able to own such well produced facsimiles dressed in attractive and appropriate bindings is wonderful.

4. 'The Luttrell Psalter'', 'Liber Bestiarum', 'The Fitzwilliam Book of Hours', 'The Life of Saint Edmund...', 'The Holkham Bible' - I love mediaeval art and manuscript art in particular and never thought I would be able to own my own copies of such well produced facsimiles of famous treasures. It is a joy to be able to spend time in my own house leafing through these, rather than see the odd page behind glass in a museum.

Here are my favourites, at least for the ones that I own:

1. The Pepys Diary. 11 volumes, beautifully printed and bound.
2. The Four Gospels. Typography and illustrations are marvellous. I think I will buy The Canterbury Tales edition from Gill as well.
3. The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám because of the quarter vellum binding and the tipped in illustrations.
4. The Liber Bestiarum because of the gold printed on so many pages and the commentary volume.
5. King Henry's Map of the British Isles, because of the beautiful presentation box.

Wishlist: all other LE's!

22: There really is no point in arguing, since I'm not claiming that FS books are not beautiful. As I said I was ranking LE based on uniqueness. Yes, I've examined both the FS and EP version, and I've decided that the EP is just as lovely if not more so. I'm wiling to bet that you did NOT examine the EP version. Furthermore, I don't see why this is an issue for you. I don't feel like going into details, since it's mostly a matter of taste, nor do I feel a need to defend my personal opinion.

23: they do reproduce a lot of volumes, however they do also produce books you can find anywhere else. First, Easton Press releases many signed limited editions which are unique to EP. Show me a signed copy of Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy that was released by Heritage Press or another company? How about a book signed by the President of the United States? EP has released volumes signed by Nixon, Ford, Carter, Bush, Reagan, Clinton. They also have released volumes signed by Nobel Laureates (Watson, Wiesel, Ebadi, etc). Every year EP releases "modern classics" signed by the author (such as Sophie's Choice, I the Jury, Inherit the Wind, Death of a Salesman, etc). Recently EP has started releasing what you might call classic Limited Editions. For instance, they reproduced the Kelmscott Chaucer, which sold out quickly. They are also releasing the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, using the 1909 version with artwork by Russell Flint. They are going to publish "History of the Indian Tribes of North America". The previous two books are not original, but they are still beautiful, and I don't know of any company that reproduced those works (at least not in high-quality and full color). So I would encourage people to look at EP (although they do have a terrible website, so be warned)!

The EP signed Modern Classics are priceless, I would advise all book lovers to purchase these.

I also don't see the point of arguing about the respective merits of EP and FS--with the rise of the e-book, booklovers should be happy to have both around!

chase, I don't think I need to remind you that although the EP does indeed mostly repackage great Heritage Press an LEC editions of yore, aren't the FS LE The Four Gospels and Gill-illustrated Canterbury Tales repackaging of the Golden Cockerel Press originals? The LE Rockwell-illustrated Moby Dick a repackaging of the Lakeside Press original? Even the much-debated Kelmscott Chaucer a repackaging job itself?

I see nothing wrong in a publisher doing an excellent job reprinting a classic edition. Frankly, I hope all these meet with enough success that the bookmakers will continue to do so. (Although I'm sure what you are addressing is that it seems that a true LIMITED EDITION should be an original work of the book designer's art with original artwork unique to it. Alas, I think we've seen the end of that--although the FS Rime, Rubaiyat and the Sandwyck-illustrated Wind in the Willows, sort of, certainly meet that criteria.)

28> I don't think we've seen the end of original book design with unique artwork. There are quite a few fine small presses producing great work. Unfortunately, these volumes generally have very small limitation numbers and very large price tags. I saw a lot of fine work at the Codex book fair in Berkeley last year.

>30 Django6924:

You're right--I should have qualified my statement: I think we've seen the end of fine original book design with unique artwork at affordable prices. I was researching the prices on the Limited Editions Club books from the 31st Series, and those books sold to subscribers for $15 each--adjusted for inflation, that would be comparable to $300 per volume today. For that you got a beautifully designed and produced book, with original artwork, signed by the artist. Even today's LEC can't match that value.The Arion Press comes closest, but a look at their price list is sobering to most of us: Don Quixote for $2000, The Age of Innocence for $850, Orlando for $900, Tono-Bungay for $750, undsoweiter. It seems like the price point for limited editions such as we are discussing is in the $500+ range and climbing inexorably to the $1000 mark.

How difficult would it be for the FS to produce, say the Fairy Books in a limited edition? They already commissioned the artist, why not have 2000 signed and numbered copies? Sell them at $300 a pop, the only difference between the limited and non-limited being the signature and limitation page, and it seems to me that the FS would make a nice profit, and those that really love LEs would get a nice collectible.

Also, it's worth mentioning that Easton Press commissions original artwork for many of their books. It does vary book by book, but as an example Dune contains both B&W sketches as well as full-color plates. It's a gorgeous book, and was actually going to be signed by Frank Herbert before he sadly passed away. Similarily, Subterranean Press released 2 volumes of the works of Robert Howard, and the are loaded with original (and beautiful) illustrations! Futhermore, the SP books are limited and signed by the artists. The retail price for each SP book is $150. It's not pocket-change, but it's affordable. So I think you can find good quality LE books at decent prices, at least some of the time :)

> 22

Well, you would lose the bet as I previously stated that I had seen pictures, those posted by boldface and SilentInaWay through the links provided in posts 17 and 18.

Right off the bat the pictures show the more detailed, more difficult and superior spine hub work of the Folio edition, 6 raised bands to 4. 'In every way'? No, your statement is false. If you missed this simple observation what else have you missed?

I see the limitation page for the EP edition identifies an upholsterer as the leather provider. What type of leather was used? What is the leather in the FS edition? When I, or anybody here, have asked boldface a question he has answered directly, without blathering. He is respected for that and his opinion is valued.

I see the limitation page of the EP edition shows Mohawk Ultrafelt as the paper. I like that the paper is excellent and that it is clearly ID'd and is not the generic 'acid-free, archival' stuff commonly used. What paper does the FS Kelmscott use?

You've expressed your opinion and it's been questioned, if you want to back down, fine, see ya'.

Astropi, don't give FS any ideas about the Fairy Books--I just received the mailing for the two new ones and they will be priced at $89.95 each (at the rate their prices are rising, they'll hit $300 in no time). Oh, my poor wallet.

31: I've mentioned before that I would welcome a LE Fairy Book and for some reason believe it will happen.

My hope (Folio Mole) is that the Fairy Book be in the tradition of the WITW/Rubaiyat/Rime...and as these are produced annually, will have to wait at least a year for its arrival.

I don't really want to add to any tetchy arguments, but for the record, the Folio Kelmscott is described thus:

Colophon: The facsimile of the Kelmscott Chaucer has been printed for The Folio Society, London, by Cambridge University Press and completed on the 20th day of February, 2002. The paper, Oxenford twin-wire laid, has been specially made at the James Cropper Mill at Burneside in Cumbria and supplied by John Purcell Paper. The binding design has been redrawn by David Eccles from a copy of the Kelmscott Chaucer bound by T.J. Cobden-Sanderson at the Doves Bindery in 1900. The binding of this edition has been executed by Smith Settle at Otley, Yorkshire, in full Nigerian goatskin, with handmade laid endpapers from the Fabriano Mill, Italy. One thousand and ten copies have been printed of which one thousand are for sale.

Issued with a booklet, bound in paper wrappers, entitled: "The Kelmscott Chaucer: An Essay by William S. Peterson, Reprinted to accompany the Facsimile published by The Folio Society 2002". This essay is a reprint from the author's history of the Kelmscott Press (1991).

Thanks for the info, boldface.