Tudor Black Press

I'm curious if anyone here has experience with Tudor Black Press. I didn't find a thread about them, nor a listing in the wiki, but they seem like a fine press from a cursory read. I'm interested in a number of their titles, particularly The Blessed Damozel, so would appreciate any insights into them.

Also, they debuted The Tragicall History of Doctor Faustus at the Oxford FPBF, so I wonder if anyone who attended got a chance to see that.

Thanks!

I've been collecting Tudor Black books for years now! They're lovely, and getting better with each one. Definitely recommend.

>1 Shadekeep: I had the opportunity to see and handle Doctor Faustus and The Blessed Damozel yesterday and both were lovely copies though I didn't end up purchasing them as there were other books I wanted yesterday.

>2 grifgon: I trust your judgement, thank you!

>3 Praveenna_Nagaratnam: Super, thanks. I will ask if any copies of Faustus are available as well. Also interested in Yardley Oak.

Prospectuses for Lohengrin: A Tale of the Swan Knight are likely going out now. I've written to Hugh to see if he is taking reservations yet. Here's the page for the book, with a preview of one of the woodblock capitals.

https://www.tudorblackpress.co.uk/about-3

>5 Shadekeep: Thanks for posting this! I have reserved one

This is looking great. Tudor Black is shaping up to be a very notable private press. I'm quite pleased with myself for having ordered its three earliest publications back in 2014, when they were possible to acquire, and only cost something like $15 each.

>1 Shadekeep: >5 Shadekeep: Thanks for making me aware of the Tudor Black Press. Ordered one of the Special copies of The Tragicall History of Doctor Faustus and reserved a copy of Lohengrin: A Tale of the Swan Knight 😊

>8 Dr.Fiddy: Very good! I am quite please with Faustus in the ordinary edition, so that one should be superb.

Why is only part of the colophon in Dr Faustus centered? I hope one day to find one single new private press book without any amateurish mistakes, but I'm unfortunately not optimistic.

>10 originaux: That looks deliberate to me, based on the length and content of the parts of text. Doesn't strike me as erroneous or visually dissonant, at least.

>10 originaux: This is deliberate on my part. I did think that someone might bring this up. I had researched beforehand as to wether it would be correct for the text to be centred or aligned with the body of the text under a centred colophon. I found that some of the major UK Private presses used alignment to the right and left margins, also centred for any note under the colophon. So I proofed the text centred, left and right aligned and found what I did here to be visually better.
Thank you for your comment.
Hugh

>12 TudorBlackPress: It looks fine to me. I fail to see what there is to complain about. The text at the bottom is, to my mind, not part of the colophon itself, just a publisher's note regarding the text.

>13 Glacierman: +1

>9 Shadekeep:
By ordinary, do you mean the "scholarly" state? How is that bound, if you don't mind my asking? (Doesn't seem to be any info on the press' site.)

>15 kermaier: My mistake, I actually do have the Special edition (#14). Here's a photo from a book fair that shows both editions.

Thank you for turning me onto this press.

Received the prospectus for Lohengrin today, very fine it is. This is one of the titles I am most keenly anticipating in the near future, alongside Ebenezer Le Page from Extraordinary Editions and Enūma Eliš from No Reply Press. The prospectus also teases some future works, with an upcoming one being The Lamentable and True Tragedie of M. Arden of Feversham in Kent. I already know that I will be writing Hugh to reserve this one too.

Lohengrin: A Tale of the Swan Knight finished printing on the last day of 2022 and is being bound. Hugh is collecting pre-order payments and plans to start shipping by the end of this week.

>19 Shadekeep: I got an email from Hugh yesterday saying the same. I'm really looking forward to receiving it. It’ll sit very well next to Dr Faustus :)

I don't know too much about The Lamentable and True Tragedie of M. Arden of Feversham in Kent yet, but based on what I have seen so far from Tudor Black Press, it can't be anything but great! So, I reserved a copy of it 😊

>20 Dr.Fiddy: Excellent! Pretty much any TBP release now is a must-have for me. The forthcoming title is a medieval work with the full title of The lamentable and true tragedie of M. Arden of Feuersham in Kent Who was most wickedlye murdered, by the meanes of his disloyall and wanton wyfe, who for the loue she bare to one Mosbie, hyred two desperat ruffins Blackwill and Shakbag, to kill him. VVherin is shewed the great malice and discimulation of a wicked woman, the vnsatiable desire of filthie lust and the shamefull end of all murderers.. They really liked to let you know what a story was about back then. 😁

Received the prospectus for Arden. Given the materials and construction involved, had to go for the special.

>22 Shadekeep: Thanks for posting this as I haven’t received the prospectus yet. I totally understand that you’re going for the special. Due to several preorders lately, I'll be going for one of the 45 ordinaries myself though 😊

Edited to add: just received the prospectus too :)

I see from the website that all specials of Arden have been reserved now. Looks like ordinaries are still available.

Came across this article today about the Arden play:

https://crimereads.com/the-murder-case-in-arden-of-faversham-the-greatest-shakes...

According to Hugh Macfarlane, work on M. Arden of Feversham is progressing nicely. The rate-limiting factor will be the completion and arrival of Hugh Ribbans' linocuts, which will begin arriving in early September. Assuming the full set is completed and in Macfarlane's possession be end of September, it is not unreasonable to expect that this may be completed before the end of the year. It will be one of my collecting high points in 2023, an edition I am looking forward to. Tudor Black Press has quickly become one of my favorite private preses.

The next Tudor Black Press (TBP) edition from Hugh Macfarlane, 'The Lamentable and True Tradgedie of M. Arden of Feversham in Kent', is on schedule (more or less). It is a small limited edition of XII special copies with quarter leather and laced on oak boards bindings and 45 ordinary copies with quarter leather with Fleur de Lis marbled paper made by Papiers Prina in Brussels.

Hugh will bring two copies of the special edition to the Oxford Fine Press Book Fair on December 9 and 10, then begin shipping out copies in early 2024. It is illustrated with linocuts from Hugh Ribbans, who also provided linocuts for The TBP edition of Dr. Faustus. All twelve copies of the special edition are sold but copies of the standard edition remain available. The book is 275 x 200 mm (10.8 x 8 inches) with 70 pages of text, all printed on an 1833 Albion handpress with bindings crafted by hand. The price for the standard edition is a very reasonable 200 GBP pre-publication, increasing to 240 GBP after publication.

If past is prologue, this is a book worth serious consideration. Hugh's most recent editions, i.e., The Blessed Damozel, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus and Lohengrin The Swan Night, have been excellent, with a steady increase in both quality and complexity. Link below.

https://www.tudorblackpress.co.uk/about-3-1

If there no hitches, I expect collecting my copy of Arden of Feversham to be a highlight of my visit to the Oxford fair.

My special edition of Arden of Feversham has arrived today and I have to say it is even more spectacular than I imagined. All of the elements have come together beautifully here. It’s a real high point for my collection.

>29 Rabbitknitter: congrats! I am on the list, but haven’t been asked to pay yet. Has anyone else?

>30 RRCBS: I'm also on the list (for an 'ordinary') and haven't been asked for payment yet either. Probably he's been getting the specials ready first to show at the Oxford Book fair this weekend.

Thank you for your patience everybody.
All the copies needed signing by Hugh Ribbans so the sheets and the bound ordinary copies had to be brought to the UK. I only managed to get 4 special copies ready before leaving for the fair, two were posted out and two will be on display at the Oxford Fine Press fair tomorrow and Sunday. Don't worry if I have not contacted you as yet. When I return home on Wednesday 13th, the billing and shipping of the ordinary copies will commence and the binding for rest of the specials will hopefully be completed and shipped by the end of January.
Hugh
Tudor Black Press

>33 TudorBlackPress: Thanks for the update.

Hugh Macfarlane has added several photos of his Tudor Black Press exhibit at the Oxford Fine Press Book Fair this past weekend (see link) which includes all previous TBP editions. The special edition of Arden of Feversham with quarter tooled leather and oak boards, best seen in the second photo with one copy standing upright on an easel support and another copy opened to the title page in its marbled paper clamshell box, is quite special indeed.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0oTGHiMjQo/?hl=en

>35 dlphcoracl: Looks great! Reminds me of Grabhorn's The Voiage and Travaile of Sir John Maundevile.

>35 dlphcoracl: Teasing us with a book that is no longer available? It does look great but I’m sure I’ll be happy with my standard edition.

>37 kdweber: I can see some ordinary editions piled up at the back too - marbling looks lovely. The one showing the foldout is also an ordinary I think. And - using my Sherlock magnifying glass - I can spot that the 2024 title has been announced as 'Prometheus the Firegiver'.

I collected my standard copy at the Oxford fair at the weekend, and I'm pleased with it - every inch a well-crafted book. I glanced at the special, but mostly I prefer plain versions, so I have no useful comments on its special features.

The text is largely a literatim reprint of the 1597 edition, with all the typographical idiosyncrasy that implies. There is none of the presentational structure that we're used to in more more modern play publishing, such as a list of characters, and a breaking into scenes, let alone page and line numbers. If you believe the play's the thing, you're probably going to need the help of a modern edited version to read alongside the C16 text. I'm using the New Oxford Shakespeare: Complete Works, which is also useful for pointing out which bits are by Shakespeare.

I have a flyer for Prometheus the Firegiver. Robert Bridges is not high on my list of favourite poets, so I'll wait for the promised prospectus before deciding whether to give Hugh's new edition the chance to change my mind about him.

Edited to add a touchstone

I managed to collect my special edition from Oxford this weekend. I have only just finished reading it, but I was very impressed. The play feels modern, even though the spelling isn't. Upon seeing the first page I was a little hesitant, but it reads very well and is gripping.

The paper used is wonderful, and the binding fits incredibly comfortably in a hand whilst reading. My only criticism would be that the solander case doesn't have the title displayed (Hugh considered this a virtue, however I wouldn't view it the same way!). I would rank this as one of the best books of the year, possible better than the special Lohengrin as I think that this will enjoy more re-reads. I would highly recommend it.

>39 affle: Oh, i havent heard of this Aeschylus flyer. Is it available on line?

>41 wooter:

Not Aeschylus, Robert Bridges - and it's just a single half sheet, indicating 'a forthcoming book for 2024'

>41 wooter: If you mail me I will put a copy in the post, my email is on the website. Hugh

Paid for my standard edition today. Really looking forward to receiving the book in a few weeks!

I received my copy of Arden today after a bit of postal hiccups, but it was really worth the wait. Once again, TBP shows such incredible and beautiful craftsmanship. What a great way to start the fine press year :)

>45 Dr.Fiddy: Yes a beautiful book. What author do you use when cataloging the work?

>46 kdweber: I don’t know if it’s correct, but I chose “Unknown”

Received my special edition of Arden as well as the card for the upcoming Prometheus the Firegiver by Robert Seymour Bridges. Hugh also mentioned in his accompanying letter that his next book will be a history of the Pear Tree Press of James Guthrie. Prospectuses of that title should be available soon. Interested folks may wish to request the prospectus and/or be added to the reservation list for Prometheus.

TBP's newest title James Guthrie & The Pear Tree Press is available for pre-order now. Twenty specials and thirty standards in the limitation.

Just received the prospectus for Promethevs The Firegiver. It's available for reservation now, and indeed the highest state is already fully reserved. Let me know if you want to see scans of the prospectus, it's quite a nice little booklet.

>50 Shadekeep:

Hugh Macfarlane’s special editions are just that - quite special indeed. Can’t go wrong with either of the two special editions/ higher states above the standard. Highly recommended.

>50 Shadekeep: Yes please to prospectus scans, many thanks!

>51 dlphcoracl: Indeed! I'm hoping my email reaches Hugh in time to secure a second tier copy.

>52 BorisG: Will do! I'll try to get some decent cellphone snaps. I don't know why I can get good pictures with a DSLR but not a cellphone, usually cellphones are the easiest for folks.

>52 BorisG: Here you go, I hope this is adequate. I can share a PNG version with you if you prefer, it's a bit too large filesize-wise for the image folders here. I didn't include the back of the prospectus as it's blank, but can put that in for completion sake if desired.

>53 Shadekeep: I think the second tier state appears to be outstanding value

>48 Shadekeep: Thank you! I likely would have been none the wiser and missed my chance to place an order if not for your PSA.

As a latecomer to the Tudor Black Press, I have only been able to support Mr. Macfarlane's standard edition of Lohengrin, which is well-printed and pleasing to read. His unfussy and academic approach towards legendry is a strong match for the deep well of Greek myth. I am optimistic that this will be the Press's finest work yet.

>55 DMulvee: I quite agree. I was leaning towards it initially, and the fact that the first tier was already gone settled it for me. The half-vellum cover has me intrigued, as does the typeface Pastonchi. I don't know of any other work that uses that face, though would be delighted to hear of such.

>56 a.friend: A pleasure! Yes, Hugh's work is typically in quite small limitations and highly in demand among those in the know, so it really pays to get in early. I'm glad you were able to take part. And kudos on having Lohengrin, it's one of his most brilliant works.

>57 Shadekeep: The Limited Editions Club Little Flowers of Saint Francis uses Pastonchi. According to the monthly letter, first use of the type in English. A wonderful book, printed on a very nice Magnani paper. If you search on the George Macy Devotees page you will find quite a bit of well deserved praise for this book.

>59 PBB: Thank you, I'll check that out!

EDIT: And the TBP page has been updated to reflect that both the de Luxe and Special editions of Promethevs are now fully subscribed.

>60 Shadekeep: Thanks for posting about this. The prospectus has not yet made its way to me but thanks to the heads-up I managed to reserve one of the Special editions.

>61 Redshirt: Glad to hear it!

>57 Shadekeep:

Barbarian's The marriage of true minds is in Pastonchi, cast by the Bixlers from the press's own matrices.

>63 affle: Indeed! It’s a fine use of a handsome typeface, although I have to admit that I find the quirky ff ligature is a little bit distracting.

>64 ChestnutPress:

Yes, I think the typeface helps make this a successful book. I agree about the ligature although it recovers its balance in the ffi; it's the upper case R in the main text size that trips up my eye...

I'm hesitating about this offering from the Tudor Black Press because I'm not entirely sure the quality of Bridges poetry is quite up to the quality of book-making, though I daresay I'll end up with it.

>63 affle: Nifty, thanks for that! I'm looking forward to seeing it in the flesh, so to speak, with the TBP book.

>65 affle: Bridges was poet laureate and his poetry is easily up to the quality of any bookmaker

Just received an invoice for Prometheus, said it’s shipping soon.

It’s sold out but if someone doesn’t follow through on their rez I imagine copies could become available.

Update: the standard edition is actually available.

>68 greenwald1: Exciting! Which edition are you expecting?

Where it all began:

>68 greenwald1: Is the standard edition also sold out? The website only shows the de Luxe and Specials as fully subscribed

The Special edition seemed particularly good value.

>71 AdPacem: I stand corrected, forgot there was the special edition so only noticed the first two as sold out.

The standard is indeed available

>69 GardenOfForkingPaths: I just got the standard

>70 duncjl: Nice! I wasn't aware of this piece and had assumed that The Lay of Leadenhall or Yardley Oak was the first offering. Interesting to see the actual genesis, thanks for sharing!

It’s nice that even the standard comes with a slipcase. Trying to make them for these tall thin books is a pain.

>70 duncjl: Humble beginnings indeed! The first book from the press. This was a very low budget book using off-cuts of Zerkall and Wookey Hole paper, the text was squeezed in, hence the very narrow margins, I even rubbed the label to make it look old, the boards were covered in various different coloured papers. I think there is a box somewhere with some remainders, if anyone is interested I may dig it out. All the early books were self funded, so were small and short. But thanks to all your support the press has grown and I have enjoyed the whole process. Hugh