1gmacaree
Until a week or two ago I was totally ignorant of a stand-alone fine press edition of Billy Budd, the great Herman Melville's final work. Melville is, of course, fertile ground for private presses, with Arion's versions of Moby-Dick the most impressive of a fantastic collection. Billy Budd appears in the LEC corpus, bundled unceremoniously alongside Benito Cereno in one of their less inspired efforts, but I had never seen it solo. And then ...
Allow me to introduce the Married Mettle Billy Budd (1988). It's bound in bronze and teak, letterpress, with handmade paper printed in multiple colours, and some fairly smart woodcuts. (Click the photos to go to a full-size link)
The binding and the presswork is spectacular. But get this: in the brochure that accompanied my copy, it is revealed that the whole project was done by two people. And not just in Allen Press style of printing and binding. Husband and wife team Ben and Deborah Alterman did everything for this edition. They learned how to make paper:
"It took several years for us to learn hand papermaking, set up our own paper, and develop the skills needed to operate it. After mastering the basics, we made more than six hundred trial sheets before finding the paper that we wanted for Billy Budd. When the pulp was prepared one way, it had great tear resistance but poor folding strength; when prepared in another way, these characteristics were reversed. We searched for the optimum method."
Ultimately the Altermans settled on a mixture of three quarters linen to one quarter cotton rag, with yarn beaten into the pulp to give their paper a grey-green colour. I have never heard of a fine press manufacturing their own paper for a project before. And this is a team of two.
Deborah was responsible for the woodcuts, having studied wood engraving when the Altermans acquired their first printing press. Ben did the metallurgy for the bronze binding, experimenting with eighty(!) different types of patina before making the selection for this edition. And, of course, they learned water marbling for the endpapers too. If at this point I'd been told that they'd cast their own type, I wouldn't have been surprised (they didn't).
The resulting edition is, unsurprisingly, extraordinary, a perfect fusion of the many different crafts which go into creating a great fine press book. It was, also unsurprisingly, extremely costly, both in time and money. In a letter that accompanied my copy, the Altermans apologised for not including the glass slipcased as planned, not having the time available to become master artists in yet another new medium. They also mentioned that they had been forced to raise the price for new buyers, going from $620 to $1200, as they found the project far more expensive than planned. (The original owner of my edition had their $620 order honoured.)
I strongly suspect that Billy Budd is Married Mettle's only edition. I haven't been able to find any other information about their imprint, and considering this project took ten years, it's difficult to imagine them having an extensive, undiscovered back catalogue. But it's also difficult to imagine any press exceeding this effort in creativity, hard work and raw artistry. If you're a Melville fan, be on the lookout!
Allow me to introduce the Married Mettle Billy Budd (1988). It's bound in bronze and teak, letterpress, with handmade paper printed in multiple colours, and some fairly smart woodcuts. (Click the photos to go to a full-size link)
The binding and the presswork is spectacular. But get this: in the brochure that accompanied my copy, it is revealed that the whole project was done by two people. And not just in Allen Press style of printing and binding. Husband and wife team Ben and Deborah Alterman did everything for this edition. They learned how to make paper:
"It took several years for us to learn hand papermaking, set up our own paper, and develop the skills needed to operate it. After mastering the basics, we made more than six hundred trial sheets before finding the paper that we wanted for Billy Budd. When the pulp was prepared one way, it had great tear resistance but poor folding strength; when prepared in another way, these characteristics were reversed. We searched for the optimum method."
Ultimately the Altermans settled on a mixture of three quarters linen to one quarter cotton rag, with yarn beaten into the pulp to give their paper a grey-green colour. I have never heard of a fine press manufacturing their own paper for a project before. And this is a team of two.
Deborah was responsible for the woodcuts, having studied wood engraving when the Altermans acquired their first printing press. Ben did the metallurgy for the bronze binding, experimenting with eighty(!) different types of patina before making the selection for this edition. And, of course, they learned water marbling for the endpapers too. If at this point I'd been told that they'd cast their own type, I wouldn't have been surprised (they didn't).
The resulting edition is, unsurprisingly, extraordinary, a perfect fusion of the many different crafts which go into creating a great fine press book. It was, also unsurprisingly, extremely costly, both in time and money. In a letter that accompanied my copy, the Altermans apologised for not including the glass slipcased as planned, not having the time available to become master artists in yet another new medium. They also mentioned that they had been forced to raise the price for new buyers, going from $620 to $1200, as they found the project far more expensive than planned. (The original owner of my edition had their $620 order honoured.)
I strongly suspect that Billy Budd is Married Mettle's only edition. I haven't been able to find any other information about their imprint, and considering this project took ten years, it's difficult to imagine them having an extensive, undiscovered back catalogue. But it's also difficult to imagine any press exceeding this effort in creativity, hard work and raw artistry. If you're a Melville fan, be on the lookout!
2MobyRichard
Beautiful. Too bad I have no interest in 'Billy Budd' :p.
I would point out that Bromer Booksellers has a copy for sale on their website for $850, assuming that's not the one you just bought.
I would point out that Bromer Booksellers has a copy for sale on their website for $850, assuming that's not the one you just bought.
3gmacaree
>2 MobyRichard: I didn't buy that one, but it is now gone.
4MobyRichard
>3 gmacaree:
Nice! People move fast.
Glass slipcase, hmm....the only other time I've seen a glass (plexiglass) slipcase was when I got Karger's English translation of Vesalius' de fabrica corporis humani.
I ended up shipping it across the country when I moved and FedEx broke it so...I can say a glass slipcase is more fascinating in theory than in practice.
Nice! People move fast.
Glass slipcase, hmm....the only other time I've seen a glass (plexiglass) slipcase was when I got Karger's English translation of Vesalius' de fabrica corporis humani.
I ended up shipping it across the country when I moved and FedEx broke it so...I can say a glass slipcase is more fascinating in theory than in practice.
5kermaier
>2 MobyRichard:
Yes, I'd noticed that copy on Bromer's website a couple of days ago but, while $850 seems quite reasonable for a hand-made book of that quality and exoticism, my interest in Billy Budd doesn't quite extend far enough to pay it.
Yes, I'd noticed that copy on Bromer's website a couple of days ago but, while $850 seems quite reasonable for a hand-made book of that quality and exoticism, my interest in Billy Budd doesn't quite extend far enough to pay it.
6astropi
A glass slipcase is a terrible idea. Sure, a novelty, but a fairly useless one in my opinion. Sooner or later, it will get dropped and break. All that said, I really do like glass :)
Reminds me a bit of the Fahrenheit 451 LEC slipcase which was made from aluminium. An inspired, although ultimately rather insipid. Got bent, scratched, damaged, far too easily...
Reminds me a bit of the Fahrenheit 451 LEC slipcase which was made from aluminium. An inspired, although ultimately rather insipid. Got bent, scratched, damaged, far too easily...
7kermaier
>6 astropi:
The Lakeside Press edition of Moby Dick came in an aluminum slipcase too.
Then, of course, there was the clear plastic slipcase for the LEC Looking Backwards, which typically shrank with age, to the point where it was impossible to remove the book. :-)
The Lakeside Press edition of Moby Dick came in an aluminum slipcase too.
Then, of course, there was the clear plastic slipcase for the LEC Looking Backwards, which typically shrank with age, to the point where it was impossible to remove the book. :-)
8dlphcoracl
Absolutely gorgeous book and, sadly, this was a "One-and-Done" - the only book printed and published by the Married Mettle Press.
9gmacaree
>8 dlphcoracl: At least they hit it out of the park with this one :)
10astropi
7: Ah true. Although the Lakeside Press edition (which is amazing, wish I had it!) was decently thick. The LEC slipcase (and cover too) are so thin that people bent the thing just by holding it!
11elladan0891
>1 gmacaree:
Wow, what a find! Congratulations!
Would you mind sharing some snapshots of typography and illustrations?
Wow, what a find! Congratulations!
Would you mind sharing some snapshots of typography and illustrations?
12gmacaree
>11 elladan0891: I'll get more photos when work and children permit.
13booksandbeers
>1 gmacaree: :
"I have never heard of a fine press manufacturing their own paper for a project before."
Well, a few are:
Melchior Lechter (Einhorn Presse)
Aristide + Gaspard Maillol/Harry Kessler (Cranach Presse)
Dard Hunter
Richard Årlin (Stigberget)
and I believe that there is a woman somewhere in India that is doing it right now, but I have forgotten her name.
"I have never heard of a fine press manufacturing their own paper for a project before."
Well, a few are:
Melchior Lechter (Einhorn Presse)
Aristide + Gaspard Maillol/Harry Kessler (Cranach Presse)
Dard Hunter
Richard Årlin (Stigberget)
and I believe that there is a woman somewhere in India that is doing it right now, but I have forgotten her name.
14gmacaree
>13 booksandbeers: Oh dear, a sad display of ignorance on my part. I've never heard of any of these! More research to do ...
15dlphcoracl
>14 gmacaree:
Dard Hunter is, by far, the most famous and important of those mentioned above by >13 booksandbeers:. He devoted his life to traveling about the world, spending years in far-flung places observing, studying and documenting the history of hand made papers in a variety of ancient cultures. He published 8 or 9 books on his work with numerous tipped-in paper specimens from his visits that he gathered, collected and then brought back with him to the States, publishing under the name Mountain House Press. Hunter made all of his own papers for these books. His magnum opus is "Papermaking by Hand In America" , one of the greatest private press books of the twentieth century.
Dard Hunter is, by far, the most famous and important of those mentioned above by >13 booksandbeers:. He devoted his life to traveling about the world, spending years in far-flung places observing, studying and documenting the history of hand made papers in a variety of ancient cultures. He published 8 or 9 books on his work with numerous tipped-in paper specimens from his visits that he gathered, collected and then brought back with him to the States, publishing under the name Mountain House Press. Hunter made all of his own papers for these books. His magnum opus is "Papermaking by Hand In America" , one of the greatest private press books of the twentieth century.
16gmacaree
>15 dlphcoracl: Ah, of course. I didn't have much interest in paper-making until about two days ago, so it had never occurred to me to look into Papermaking by Hand in America despite its reputation. Now I'm becoming a convert. Dangerous!
>11 elladan0891: Some more photos, as requested. I apologise in advance for my total lack of photographic competence.
>11 elladan0891: Some more photos, as requested. I apologise in advance for my total lack of photographic competence.
17mr.philistine
>13 booksandbeers: ...and I believe that there is a woman somewhere in India that is doing it right now, but I have forgotten her name.
In case anyone is wondering, the woman from India might refer to Gita Wolf who founded Tara Books in 1994. The Handmade Books series are typically 'silkscreen-printed on paper recycled from cotton waste'.
https://tarabooks.com/product-category/books/handmade-books/
One book has been reviewed on this forum here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/323076 and another recommended here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/321152#7182993
In case anyone is wondering, the woman from India might refer to Gita Wolf who founded Tara Books in 1994. The Handmade Books series are typically 'silkscreen-printed on paper recycled from cotton waste'.
https://tarabooks.com/product-category/books/handmade-books/
One book has been reviewed on this forum here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/323076 and another recommended here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/321152#7182993
