1hcm68
Greetings from Awen Press in Scotland. I wanted to let you know the fine press book I have been working on is now complete and available at www.helen-moss.com in the shop.
Last November, I found a couple of scruffy boxes of wood engravings in the Incline Press archive as I was unpacking. They turned out to be by the English artist Enid Marx, who had worked with Graham on a number of books. On contacting her family who manage her legacy and copyright, they encouraged me to print them again, and so here is Some Birds and Beasts and Their Feasts, 32 engravings and one zinco plate, printed on an 1846 Albion press. The paper is rather curious and bought from a fellow printer in London, it is a handmade Barcham Green paper from the Hayle Mill, probably pre-war or even older. The owner of the mill could not identify it from its unusual owl watermark, even after trawling through all his own records and reference books, so its a bit of a mystery and I doubt there is any more left in the world elsewhere. It was rather glorious to print on after dampening overnight in layers of fabric and a big plastic sheet, and the blocks are great fun.
I also found a few other blocks in drawers, including one that I printed, scanned and had made up into a photopolymer repeat pattern to decorate the cover paper. I'm pretty pleased with the result and feel like I might have a chance at this crazy adventure called private press publishing!
I have a couple of other projects in the pipeline, including a large multi colour lino book carved by artist Nick Wonham, who made them for a book he planned to make with Graham but it never got started - mostly because Graham preferred the Autovic press to any kind of flatbed work, which this will need. Also a pamphlet in some very unusual wax resist paper.
Helen
Last November, I found a couple of scruffy boxes of wood engravings in the Incline Press archive as I was unpacking. They turned out to be by the English artist Enid Marx, who had worked with Graham on a number of books. On contacting her family who manage her legacy and copyright, they encouraged me to print them again, and so here is Some Birds and Beasts and Their Feasts, 32 engravings and one zinco plate, printed on an 1846 Albion press. The paper is rather curious and bought from a fellow printer in London, it is a handmade Barcham Green paper from the Hayle Mill, probably pre-war or even older. The owner of the mill could not identify it from its unusual owl watermark, even after trawling through all his own records and reference books, so its a bit of a mystery and I doubt there is any more left in the world elsewhere. It was rather glorious to print on after dampening overnight in layers of fabric and a big plastic sheet, and the blocks are great fun.
I also found a few other blocks in drawers, including one that I printed, scanned and had made up into a photopolymer repeat pattern to decorate the cover paper. I'm pretty pleased with the result and feel like I might have a chance at this crazy adventure called private press publishing!
I have a couple of other projects in the pipeline, including a large multi colour lino book carved by artist Nick Wonham, who made them for a book he planned to make with Graham but it never got started - mostly because Graham preferred the Autovic press to any kind of flatbed work, which this will need. Also a pamphlet in some very unusual wax resist paper.
Helen
2Another_Bibliomane
Ordered! Thank you!
3Shadekeep
>1 hcm68: This one looks splendid and I had to get a copy with slipcase. Also looking forward to your collaboration with Nick Wonham, his work is very pleasing. Kudos, Helen!
5hcm68
>2 Another_Bibliomane: Thank you, much appreciated. You are helping fund the next one!
6pcdude
I also have ordered a slipcase edition. My wife teaches 8 year-olds and a subset of my collection is alphabet books and this one looks great.
9ensuen
Congrats on the launch, it's very cool to see new runs on those blocks. Excited to see it in person.
10EdwinDrood
Slipcase edition ordered. My wife is a retired elementary school teacher who loves alphabet books. Always happy to support artisans in the country of my ancestors.
12hcm68
>6 pcdude: Thank you, I hope the children enjoy it. The images and text are most curious.
13hcm68
>7 wcarter: Thank you so much. I'm packing right now!
14hcm68
>11 grifgon: That is very kind, thank you. Joy is a wonderful thing to attempt to make.
15hcm68
>10 EdwinDrood: Thank you, I am very pleased with how it came out, and I am most grateful for the support.
16hcm68
>9 ensuen: Yes, it has been a really fun discovery, and Marco's family are so encouraging.
18hcm68
>3 Shadekeep: Thank you, I had fun with it, but I'm also looking forward to the next one. Colour tests on paper first, and there is a new Albion press coming to the building...(its a project!)
19Shadekeep
>18 hcm68: An Albion, how fun! Hopefully this one will be easier to wrangle inside than some other presses, too.
20LT79-1
It's nice to see new presses in the UK releasing books too. I'd love to see more new UK based presses. Especially ones doing the binding and printing themselves.
21michuspiez
I'm so happy that I managed to order a slipcased edition of this pretty little book: Some Birds and Beasts and Their Feasts! I'm really looking forward to it. One left last time I looked...
22hcm68
>19 Shadekeep: I hope so too!
23hcm68
>20 LT79-1: Thank you, it has taken a long time to learn all the various skills required. The collectors are key!
24hcm68
>21 michuspiez: I am really, really pleased with how well it has sold. It is always a gamble, but I think people really love Enid Marx so I have been very lucky this time.
