Coraline by Neil Gaiman - LYRA’S PRESS 2023

Coraline by Neil Gaiman - LYRA’S PRESS RED THREAD LIMITED EDITION 2023

A PICTORIAL REVIEW

No. 72 of 200 copies
Signed by Neil Gaiman, Rovina Cai and Richard Tong.
Letterpress printed in black and red throughout.
Seventeen tipped in colour plates and black and red silhouettes by Rovina Cai.
Bound in black Morocco goatskin blocked with a red thread pattern and gilt spine title..
Grey endpapers printed in black with images and a red thread, different front and back.
Page tops stained red.
Black silk marker ribbon.
Red cloth capped slipcase with a wrap of black marbled paper and a gilded picture of keys on front.
Loosely inserted black card mirror printed in red with “Help us”.
Deliberate correction of Coraline for Caroline on title page, being a plot characteristic.
25.8x18.4cm.
201 pages
£600

One of the most anticipated fine press books of 2023.

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An index of the other illustrated reviews in the this series can be viewed here.

Is the colophon an intentional joke?

>2 Lukas1990: Yes.

>1 wcarter:

As always, beautiful work Warwick.

As one can see from your extensive set of photos, this work from Richard Tong and Lyra's Press is (imho) the equal of his much more popular and sought after edition of 'Stardust'.

>4 dlphcoracl:
Stardust is reviewed here.
Another book by Lyra's, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is reviewed here.

>4 dlphcoracl: While the binding on Lyra’s leather Stardust is a stunning design, I think the interior and text block of Coraline are definitely a step above it.

>4 dlphcoracl: Not sure on what basis you make the assertion that Stardust is 'much more popular'. For both books the demand was far higher than the supply, though the numbered Coraline had double the limitation of the numbered Stardust.

>7 Levin40: Probably secondary market prices, which are stratospheric for the numbered Stardust.

>7 Levin40: Maybe because of the price. Stardust will cost you three times as much to purchase as Coraline, if you can even find someone to sell it. But it only had 100 copies.

>8 Nightcrawl: >9 What_What: I understand that Stardust goes for more. But linking prices directly to 'popularity' is flawed. I mean, the lettered would go for far more, doesn't necessary follow that it's more popular. Coraline numbered has double the limitation of Stardust, which is probably the critical factor here. The only copy of Coraline numbered I can currently find on ebay is for $2724 (though admittedly from a seller who overprices); double that and we're in Stardust territory. Also, Coraline has only just been released, meaning that scalpers who bought to sell have recently been 'flooding' the market. A fairer comparison would be to wait and see what Coraline is going for in 3 years time, the current age of Stardust.

>10 Levin40: Coraline is a good story, and the Lyra’s edition is a triumph, but I think they were able to double the limitation because of the success of Stardust.

And one wonders what the market price for either book will be in ten years.......