Archive for July, 2011
Perhaps you’ve seen them in museums or in a display in exhibitions.  Usually made in limited quantities, fine press books elevate publishing to an art form. They are highly sought after by art lovers and book collectors alike.
A Quick History of Fine Press
By the turn of the twentieth century, bookmaking had become both inexpensive and common. Offset printing meant that books could be manufactured in bulk, and most publishers had abandoned hand binding, opting instead for cheap adhesive or staples.
Enter William Morris, an Englishman who sought to recapture the beauty of handmade books. Morris really wanted to recapture the golden age of bookmaking. One of the first books he created was the Kelmscott Chaucer. Others soon emulated his work, and soon fine presses began popping up both in Britain and in the US.
Though fine press took a dip in the 1930’s (considered too expensive for the Depression), the industry has enjoyed a resurgence and continues to thrive.
Characteristics of Fine Press Books
Fine press books are generally made in very small numbers, using high quality materials. Paper is often handmade, and the bindings are done by hand as well. Fine press books showcase not only illustrations, but also ornate fonts and other decorative touches. Different techniques such as painting or woodblocks may be used to create the illustrations.
Books are printed using the letterpress technique. This method was introduced by Gutenberg, who first used it to print the now-famous Gutenberg Bible. The printer places movable type into a bed and locks it. Then ink is rolled over the type, and the page is either rolled or pressed against the inked surface. The raised letters leave imprints on the page.
Usually the author, illustrator, and printer collaborate very closely on every aspect of a fine press book. Although a good number of fine press books are actually about the art of fine press, virtually any book can be published via a fine press.
Some fine press books go beyond mere literature and present wonderful pieces of art. For instance, the WunderCabinet, from Heavenly Monkey [hyperlink to Heavenly Monkey web-site], is not only a book, but also a lovely and whimsical “cabinet” that holds a variety of beautiful objects.
Collecting Fine Press Books
As with any type of book collecting, collect what you like and buy the best you can afford. Some collectors suffer a bit of sticker shock when they venture into fine press. But remember that all these books are made by hand out of the finest materials. The craftsmanship is what gives fine press books their extraordinary value.
- You may want to focus your collection around one author, such as Charles van Sandwyk or Harold Pinter.
- Consider collecting a specific genre, like poetry or even books about book making.
- Choose a specific style or technique you love, and look for fine press books that use that technique.
What attracts you to fine press books? And if you could own an edition of any fine press book, what would you choose?
July 27th, 2011
Today marks the anniversary of the first manned lunar landing. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin left Michael Collins to man the Columbia and took the Eagle to the surface of the moon. Think you know all about the Moon and the lunar landing? Bet you hadn’t heard of these tidbits.
- The computers used for the Apollo mission had less power than a contemporary cell phone.
- Before heading to the Moon’s surface, Aldrin privately took Communion, a fact he didn’t share till years later. At the time, an atheist had petitioned that astronauts not be allowed to practice religion during missions.
- The door of the Eagle had no outer handle. When Aldrin joined Armstrong on the Moon, he had to be careful to leave the door ajar.
- Armstrong reported that walking on the Moon was “easier perhaps than the simulation….It’s absolutely no trouble to walk around.”
- While Armstrong and Aldrin walked the Moon’s surface, the unmanned Soviet vessel Luna 15 prepared to touch down. That mission was the Soviet Union’s third attempt at retrieving lunar soil.
- Mission Control was afraid that Armstrong would run out of fuel before landing on the Moon. If so, he would have crashed on the Moon’s surface.
- Aldrin accidentally broke the circuit breaker to turn on the Eagle’s main engine, potentially stranding the astronauts on the Moon. He and Armstrong used a felt tip pen to flip the switch.
- In addition to the iconic American flag, the astronauts left scientific instruments, a gold olive branch, a silicon memory disc, and a few other items.
- The silicon disc held recordings of Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon, along with messages from 73 other world leaders.
- Armstrong and Aldrin had trouble planting the flag in the Moon’s surface. The flag actually toppled over, thanks to the exhaust from the ascent stage engines.
Check out We Choose the Moon, an interactive reenactment of the mission. Some of us are lucky enough to remember the landing. Share your memories here in the comments!
July 20th, 2011
Book collecting is an incredibly accessible pastime—collectors can spend as much or as little as they’d like, and there is plenty of information available to inform their choices. Some rare books, however, are so scarce that only the most elite can afford them. Here’s a look at some of the rarest books in the world.
How’s That for a First Edition?
The first item that Gutenberg printed on his revolutionary invention was, naturally, the Bible. As you can imagine, the first edition of the world’s first book is a pretty hot commodity. Several hundred copies were printed, and of course many of those were ruined or destroyed. Intact copies go for $25 to 35 million.
The 1456 Gutenberg Bible is also one of the few books that still retains high value even when incomplete. It was originally printed in two volumes, and a single volume sold for $5.5 million 25 years ago. Imagine what that would be today, with inflation! Meanwhile, individual pages have been valued at as much as $25,000. Even Bibles with an original page of a Gutenberg Bible tipped in have extraordinary value.
Bill Gates purchased Leonardo da Vinci’s manuscripts for $30 million almost three decades ago, and experts estimate they’d now be worth over three times that. Meanwhile the first edition of Shakespeare’s complete works (printed in 1623) sold for $6 million.
Rarities from the New World
Across the ocean inNorth America, the seeds of a new country were slowly sprouting. Early Pilgrims swore on “A Freeman’s Oath,” Although there is plenty of documentation that the book was printed, not a single copy is known to survive. If one were to surface, it would likely be worth at least $1 million.
Skip forward a few years; imagine the Founding Fathers introducing the Declaration of Independence. Once the document was ratified, copies were printed inPhiladelphia and distributed throughout the colonies. These first editions don’t have signatures, but the last one sold went for $80 million.
Another rarity from theNew Worldis Edgar Allen Poe’s first poem, “Tamerlane” (1827). The poem itself is actually pretty terrible–which may be why Poe didn’t put his name on it! Instead, the byline reads only “By a Bostonian,” so many less experienced collectors don’t recognize the work’s value. But a copy recently sold for $198,000.
But these older books aren’t the only ones that have high value. Plenty of modern first editions are quickly gaining value. How closely do you follow the value of books in your collection?
July 13th, 2011
How much is a baseball worth? Maybe a dollar or two, right? Get that same baseball signed by Alex Rodriguez, and you have a collectible item. If that baseball happened to be a homerun ball, you’ve hit the jackpot!
Signatures and autographs in books work much the same way. The rarity of both the book and the signature help determine the value of a book.
Signatures v Inscriptions et Al
Not all signatures are created equal. In fact, signatures (autographs) and inscriptions fall into a few different categories.
- A book described as “signed” has a signature on a page of the book itself. It has no personalization, such as “To Susan.”
- If a book is “inscribed,” it is personalized, addressed to a specific person. If the person isn’t closely associated with the author, the inscription often isn’t considered to add too much to a book’s value.
- An association copy is usually an inscribed book that is addressed to a specific individual connected to the author.
- An autopen signature is often seen with presidential materials. An autopen is a machine used for the automatic signing of a signature. Bottom line: it isn’t really a signature and doesn’t do anything to the value of the book.
Signatures naturally tend to be more common than inscriptions and/or association copies. Contemporary authors often do book signings when they go on tour, thereby increasing the number of signed books available and decreasing the value of signed copies.
Authenticating Signatures
Of course, only an authentic signature has value. Experts certify that a signature or inscription is authentic by comparing the handwriting to other known samples of the author’s writing. The authenticity of signed books and signatures in particular is the number one element of the trust a reputable seller of autographed books is hoping to establish and maintain with their customers.
Can you truly “certify” a signature?  Only if you have seen the author sign the book and if you never let the book out of your sight. If you just see the signature, you can’t; nobody can. You can rule out fakes but cannot do the opposite. You can only confirm that it is highly likely for a signature to be authentic by comparing it with existing signatures.
For a number of signatures available for comparison purposes, see our collection of reference autographs and signatures.
July 6th, 2011
When you think of controversial authors, what names come to mind? Perhaps Karl Marx and Charles Darwin, or maybe Ayn Rand and JD Salinger. But the original “kings of controversy” came much earlier. America’s founding fathers penned two of the most influential—and revolutionary—documents in history: the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.
As we head into July Fourth weekend, it’s the perfect time to learn a little more about American history and these influential men who went on to become presidents, luminaries, and statesmen.
Who Were the Founding Fathers?
President Warren G. Harding was actually the first to use the term “founding fathers,” in his 1916 keynote speech at the Republican Convention. The term was popularized when he used it again in his 1921 inaugural address.
Although many men could qualify as founding fathers, historians generally agree that seven men were truly key figures.
- Benjamin Franklin is known as a Jack of all trades for his contributions to politics, science, and letters. Franklin earned the title of “first American” for his early and passionate campaign for American independence.
- George Washington led American troops to victory during the Revolutionary War and presided over the composition of the Constitution. Washington was unanimously nominated first president.
- John Adams participated in the writing of both the Declaration and the Constitution. He served as Washington’s vice president and the second president.
- Thomas Jefferson, primary author of the Declaration of Independence, defeated John Adams to become the third president. Jefferson is consistently ranked as one of the greatest US presidents.
- John Jay presided over the first Continental Congress and later served as ambassador to France and Spain. Jay adamantly opposed slavery and paved the way to make New York the first state to outlaw slavery.
- James Madison, fourth president, is known as the “father of the Constitution.” Madison also drafted the Bill of Rights and supervised the Louisiana Purchase.
- Alexander Hamilton served as Washington’s most trusted aide-de-camp during the Revolutionary War. Hamilton later founded the Bank of New York and penned the still influential Federalist Papers.
The founding fathers and their compatriots celebrated the first Independence Day with gun salutes and a double ration of rum. Since then, the holiday has grown into one of the biggest traveling weeks of the year. How will you celebrate this Independence Day?
July 1st, 2011
