In their broadest sense, the book arts are at the core of our inventory. To be sure, the category encompasses the specialties that you see on our homepage, such as Fine Printing, Fine Binding, and Illustrated Books. However, it also includes such things as writing books and calligraphy, fore-edge paintings, books on papermaking, and leaf books.
Read more about one of the book arts, Fore-edge Painting
(Northampton, MA: Gehenna Press, 1967). Quarto. (31)ff. One of 250 copies, this one inscribed in pencil from Leonard Baskin to Ben Tighe, a well-known bookseller in the Northampton area. The inscription is curiously dated "1947" in Baskin's hand. Using the collection of type ornaments owned by Bruce Rogers, Baskin has..... More
(Northampton: Gehenna Press, 1969). Octavo. 25ff., housed in paper wrapper. One of 250 copies. With 21 woodblock illustrations of creatures fantastic and familiar printed in a variety of colors on nine different oriental papers, each print signed by the artist, Wang Hui-Ming. Box shows some rubbing, but sheets all pristine..... More
1924. On paper measuring 6 1/4 by 5 3/8 inches (159x137mm), mounted to a bifolium sheet. One of six copies signed by Gill in graphite at the lower corner. This is one of eight of Gill's delicate white line engravings that is featured in Enid Clay's Sonnets and Verses, published..... More
Pinner: Private Libraries Association, 1991. Two octavo volumes. 184pp; (26)ff. From an edition of 1650 copies, this is one of three special copies printed for the authors, signed by Morris Cox and with a second volume of twenty-six specimen leaves. Inscribed by Colin Franklin. Contains a selection of the writings..... More
Berkeley, CA: Pacific Film Archive, 1973. Broadside measuring 24 by 18 1/4 inches. One of 500 copies. Designed by California artist David Lance Goines and printed in 10 colors, this advertisement for a film series at the Pacific Film Archive features an image of Veronica, daughter of Solome, who took..... More
Oakland, CA: Karl Kardel Co., 1974. Broadside measuring 24 by 18 1/4 inches. One of 1,850 copies. Designed by California artist David Lance Goines and printed in 8 colors, this advertisement for Karl Kardel Co. features a bumblebee over an ochre background. The design was inspired by an unknown philosopher's..... More
(Minneapolis): Gonfalon Press, 1996. Quarto. Accordionfold, dos-à-dos. One of forty copies, signed by the printer, Michael Fallon. Doris Adams's traditional tale is adorned with glittering illustrations of the story's heroic rabbit, Cufe, while Kate Taluga's essay is dotted with images of corn, shells, and wildflowers. Compiled and printed by Michael..... More
San Francisco: Cartoon Art Museum, 1993. Square octavo. (8)pp. Signed by Gorey. A catalog of Gorey's works shown at the Cartoon Art Museum from April to September of 1993, along with a brief biography and summation of his books and art. Fine in gray printed wrappers with price sticker on..... More
Minneapolis: Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 1985. Quarto. (2)ff. + (1)ff. insert. Signed by Gorey. Upper cover illustrated with a woman reading in bed. A selection of Gorey's books and drawings. The insert provides the "Gorey Details" of the themes and patterns of the exhibit. Slight bumps at corners else near..... More
1980. Original artwork. Pen, ink, watercolor, graphite, and wash on stiff card. The bereaved gather around the deceased's coffin as the undertaker pulls back a veil to reveal a will, taped as a video message. The mourners are a typically Gorey-esque cast of characters, including a shrouded widow, a man..... More
NY: St. Martin's Press, 1977. 16mo. Single-folded card inviting the recipient to a celebration of the publication of Allegra Kent's Water Beauty Book at a club at One Lincoln Plaza. Illustrated by Gorey with a woman and a frog floating along, with the frog also on the upper cover supporting..... More
NY: Graham, 1975. Oblong 16mo. Single-fold advertisement for an exhibition of Gorey's work in December of 1975. Signed by Gorey. Fine in original envelope. More
Boston: Bromer Booksellers, 1996. Small quarto. 26 pp. From an edition of 2,000 copies, this is one of 200 copies signed and numbered by Edward Gorey. Bromer special holiday catalog with previously unpublished, full-color cover design by Gorey, who created the artwork originally for a Nieman Marcus holiday catalogue. When..... More
NY: Gotham Book Mart, 1984-1996. Thirteen distinct postcards issued by the Gotham Book Mart, each featuring a characteristic Gorey figure: dancers, bears, cats, and people in robust turtlenecks, among others. All clean and fine. More
NY: Gotham Book Mart, 1985. Hand-pulled collograph, signed by Gorey. One of a stated fifty copies, though only forty were completed and signed before Gorey's death. A serene and ghostly image, after Gorey's telltale style, highlighting a cat framed in a window gazing at an enormous moon. Matted and framed..... More
c. 1964. Four sheets, three of which measure 8 1/2 by 11 inches; the single sheet of text is smaller, measuring 8 by 6 inches, and is on blue paper. The pages reveal the unfolding of Gorey's creative process in developing the story and preliminary illustrations for his book, The..... More
NY: Abrams, 1996. First edition. Contains an interview with Gorey, analysis by art critic Karen Wilkin, and 200 illustrations. Very fine in illustrated dust wrapper. More
NY: Abrams, 1996. First edition. One of 300 copies, signed by Edward Gorey, Karen Wilkin, and Clifford Ross. Contains an interview with Gorey, conducted by Ross, with analysis by art critic Wilkin and 200 illustrations of Gorey's work. Fine in an illustrated dust wrapper. Housed in a black cloth slipcase..... More
San Francisco: Word Play Publications, 1996. First edition. One of 226 copies signed by Gorey and by the authors. This illustrated reference work includes ephemera and collectibles, dramatic productions, a list of pseudonyms, and more. The first true Gorey bibliography. Annotated in pencil throughout, front endpaper creased. Bound in cloth-covered..... More
San Francisco: Word Play Publications, 1996. First edition. One of 226 copies, signed by Gorey and by the authors. This illustrated reference work includes ephemera and collectibles, dramatic productions, a list of pseudonyms, and more. The first true Gorey bibliography. Bound in cloth-covered boards. Fine in near fine dust wrapper..... More
(N.p.): Press of the Woolly Whale, 1934. 32mo. 18pp. Signed and dated by the author. A short treatise on the essentials of book design. Bound in blue paper over boards with title stamped in black. Some toning to spine, else near fine. More
(Newtown): Gregynog Press, 1929. Quarto. 189pp. One of 225 copies. Ornamented throughout with initial capitals, calligraphed by Horace Bray, printed in red and blue. Four of the psalms, as well as the title-page, show extra decoration by Bray, with wood-engraved flowering vines printed in red and black. Bound in half-morocco..... More
NY: Harrison of Paris, 1932. Octavo. 43pp. One of 595 copies. A collection of literary and philosophical quotations, poems, and short essays, presented using creative typography. This was the eleventh publication of Harrison of Paris, designed by Monroe Wheeler. Some fading to spine and trace edgewear, else near fine. More
(Northampton and Cambridge, MA): Catawba and Kat Ran Press, 2011. Small octavo. 24ff. One of 300 copies. With an Introduction by David Bourbeau, to whom this work is a tribute. Noting its fertile ground for book artists, Bourbeau attributes much of the fecundity of the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts to..... More
Letchworth, Hertfordshire: G. W. Russell and Son, (n.d.). 16mo. 16pp. An introductory pamphlet to the process of marbling paper, with four line drawings of a young marbler at work, and two samples by William Chapman of Douglas Cockerell and Son. Number five in a series of pamphlets about the art..... More
