 | The Kelmscott Bookshop's
April 2026 Newsletter | | Greetings,
Our April newsletter went out during two major religious holidays periods and also when it was spring break for many academic institutions. Perhaps you missed it while you were engaged or on leave, so we are sending it again to bring it to the top of your mailbox. Our first ever sale of Private and Fine Press books was very popular in March, so we are continuing it through April. To pique your interest, we have placed a number of additional items on sale, especially within our higher-priced inventory. This is a great opportunity to obtain 15% off of some major and quite exquisite works. If you looked at our sales listings from last month, be sure to look again for these new offerings. Private Press books priced at $90 or less are still 30% off; those priced at greater than $90 are 15% off. The sale does not include new arrivals, books on consignment, and most artists' books. As usual, we highlight a number of new arrivals, which are described below. Works by artists such as Islam Aly, Dorothy Krause, Marina Soria, Carolyn Shattuck, and Carol Schwartzott are included. To see our full list of 200 new arrivals, please visit our New Arrivals page. Also, continuing our effort to highlight book artists, we are featuring works from several international book artists whom we represent. This supplements our March presentation of works from 6 Latin American artists. To see all of the works from these international artists, as well as the works of our many US-based artists, visit our Artists' Books page. | Books on Sale | | On sale this month: books from Private and Fine Presses. Many books in this section that are priced at $90 or less are 30% off. In addition, an expanded selection of titles that are priced at more than $90 are on sale for 15% off. To view a full list of our books on sale, please visit the sale page on our website.   |  | | Robinson, Alan James; Laurie Block.
An Odd Bestiary, or a compendium of instructive and entertaining descriptions of animals, culled from five centuries of travelers' accounts, natural histories, zoologies, &tc., by authors famous and obscure, arranged as an Abecedary. Designed and illustrated by Alan James Robinson text compiled and annotated by Laurie Block. 2 Volumes.
Easthampton, MA: Cheloniidae Press, 1982. Hardcover. UNIQUE COPY WITH A SET OF THE 26 ORIGINAL PENCIL DRAWINGS BY ALAN JAMES ROBINSON. There were 300 copies of this book published; 200 were regular copies, 50 were deluxe copies with quarter leather binding and 50 others bound in full leather. The deluxe editions were issued with a set of proofs of the wood engravings and a set of proofs of the line-cut initials, with a large calligraphic manuscript initial beneath each image. The wood engraving proofs are lettered and signed by Robinson, and the line-cut proofs are signed both by Robinson and the calligrapher, Elizabeth Curtis. This copy shows some variation from the copies described in the prospectus. The colophon has been signed and numbered VI of L and internally seems to be a straightforward copy of the deluxe full leather edition. The binding varies somewhat from that pictured in the prospectus but uses many of the same elements. Also, the chemise is thicker that the regular chemise because it contains the 26 pencil drawings. This may have been a special copy prepared by Robinson for a particular subscriber/collector. This wonderful abecedary illustrates each letter of the alphabet with a masterful wood engraving by Robinson. Each animal is described at the bottom of its page in texts chosen primarily from the earliest first-hand accounts of the animal depicted. The descriptions are printed in red. The printed source of each text is identified, and at the end of the book there is a detailed and useful bibliography of these sources. A page with a small, different illustration of the animal precedes each animal’s page, with the calligraphic letter written in red by Curtis. The animals depicted are often wondrous and strange, and some, such as the basilisk, may never have actually existed. This is a two volume folio (including a chemise containing an additional suite of illustrations, and the group of original pencil drawings). The bound volume is in full red morocco, done by David Bourbeau of the Thistle Bindery. The covers have a large central, slightly sunken panel, with the title in red and black and with a Sea Turtle device blocked in blind (Cheloniidae is the name for a species of sea turtles). The proofs contained in the chemise are unbound as issued within the original red morocco-backed, linen cloth covered boards. Both volumes are housed in a red morocco-backed cloth covered box, with the spine lettered and dated in gilt and a small Sea Turtle device in blind. “The blocks were cut by the artist at the Cheloniidae Press & printed by Harold P. McGrath in the summer of 1982.... Mackenzie-Harris set the types in monotype with some hand-setting by Arthur Larson. The text was compiled and annotated by Laurie Block. The hand calligraphy is by Betsy Curtis. The paper is Rives lightweight” (from the colophon). The 8-page prospectus is laid in. A remarkable production from this press. Fine. (#25652) Price: $5,300.00 save 15% $4,505.00 | | | |  | | | Howard, Ben; E. L. Mayo, introduction; David Sellars, binder.
Father of Waters: Poems 1965-1976.
Omaha: Abbattoir Editions, University of Nebraska, 1979. Number 156 of 235 copies. Ben W. Howard] (1944 -), Emeritus Professor of English at Alfred University, is an American poet, essayist, scholar, and critic. He is the author of twelve books, including three collections of essays on Zen practice, six collections of poems, a verse novella, and a critical study of modern Irish writing. Over the past four decades, he has contributed more than 250 poems, essays, and reviews to leading journals in North America and abroad.
This copy is unique, with a stunning custom designer binding by renowned English bookbinder David George Sellars (1949-2015). Sellars started his bookbinding career at the age of fifteen and quickly became most interested in the artistic side of binding. He had a varied professional life that included setting up his own studio, teaching, and serving as the President of Designer Bookbinders. By the end of the 1990s, Sellars focused on creating design bindings on commission, special designs for limited editions for small presses and publishers, one-off commissions for authors and special presentation bindings for publishers. His work is represented in most major libraries in the world and many private collections. This beautiful leather binding marries different green and brown shades and varied textures of leather along with copper strands of thread to express the movement of water. The title and author are debossed on the spine. The page edges have a decorative pattern. With suede pastedowns, and Sellars's monogram on rear pastedown. Housed in a custom clamshell box covered in black cloth with white title label to spine. In fine condition. Book measures 5 x 7.5 inches. Fine. (#34648) Price: $2,500.00 save 15% $2,125.00 | | | | | | |  | | | Strouse, Norman H. and John Dreyfus.
C-S The Master Craftsman.
Harpers Woods, MI: The Adagio Press, 1969. Hardcover. INTERESTING ASSOCIATION COPY WITH RELATED MATERIAL LAID IN. This beautiful copy is inscribed by author John Dreyfus to noted Chicago book collector and philanthropist Samuel R. Rosenthal, "for Sam R Rosenthal after a splendid evening John Dreyfus 16 December 1978 Chicago." Rosenthal and his wife, Marie-Louise, had a pre-eminent book collection that concentrated on livres d'artistes, illustrated books, and private press. This is 39 of 75 folio copies issued with one vellum leaf and one handmade paper leaf laid in from books printed at the Doves Press. There were 329 copies originally printed of this Adagio Press edition (although fewer than 180 were offered for sale), each with two Doves Press leaves: 12 with both Doves Press leaves printed on vellum; 75 with one leaf on vellum and the second on handmade paper; and 242 with both leaves printed on handmade paper. This copy has an octavo vellum leaf from Goethe's "Faust," issued in 1906, and a folio double leaf on paper with Leviticus 16-22 from the famed Dove's Bible. The Adagio Press was founded in the late 1950s by Leonard Bahr, who signed the colophon. In Roderick Cave's The Private Press, second edition, he cites the Bible as the most substantial title printed by the press. In 1970, Strouse had sent two letters to Rosenthal, included with this copy, offering C-S The Master Craftsman. Strouse said that he would make Rosenthal's copy "a little special" by putting in a double leaf from the Bible. Two letters dated 1978 are laid in from Dreyfus to Rosenthal and his wife. These letters and the 1978 inscription indicate that he got to know Rosenthal around this time. In one letter, Dreyfus expresses his appreciation for their expressions of sympathy over the tragic death of his son. There are a few handwritten additions to the text of Dreyfus's essay in this copy, which may have added when he inscribed the book, but this is conjecture. The book is hand sewn and bound in quarter vellum with Cockerell marbled paper covered boards and gilt title to spine. It is printed in red and black Palatino Roman and Pascal types on handmade Tovil paper. In addition to the Doves Press leaves, laid in are the prospectus, a mounted photograph of Cobden-Sanderson with Emery Walker developed from the original negative, a smaller copy of the photo, and a pamphlet issued in 1971 titled "A Letter from Stella." This pamphlet reprints the text of the last letter written by Cobden-Sanderson to his daughter, Stella, a few hours before he died, with an introduction by Strouse. [54 pages.] Fine. (#21561) Price: $1,400.00 save 15% $1,190.00 | | | | |  | | | Rose, Thomas; Wilber H. "Chip" Schilling.
Arthur & Barbara.
Minneapolis: Indulgence Press, 2011. One of 20 copies. Arthur & Barbara is a portrait of art critic/philosopher Arthur Danto and artist Barbara Westman as seen reflected in the space of their New York City apartment on Riverside Drive. This book embodies their life and work in symbolic forms of thoughtful play. Arthur & Barbara is a collection of simple objects, images and “games” referring to both Duchamp’s Boîte-en-valise and to Fluxus Collections. The box contains laser-etched glass with a plan view of the apartment. Beneath the glass, separated spaces hold a DVD with images of Arthur, Barbara and their apartment, a hand-bound codex filled with photographic illustrations and brief text, a glass block laser-etched with an illustration by Barbara Westman, two chairs, handmade dice, and a spinner. A drawer holds a folio of letters written by Sean Scully, Shirin Neshat and Barbara Westman, and an introduction by David Carrier. A fascinating way of documenting the lives and personalities of this interesting couple. In fine condition. Size: 13 x 12 x 7 inches. (#24739) Price: $1,200.00 save 15% $1,020.00 | | | | | |  | | | Fairchild, B.H.; Jean Gillingwators, book artist; Anna Alquitela, illustrator.
Beauty.
Upland CA: Blackbird Press, 2007 [Distributed in 2010]. Hardcover. Number 40 of 100 copies. Signed by the poet, the book artist, and the illustrator. A poem about the word and concept of "beauty", which is applied to a homoerotic experience witnessed in a machine shop. Writes Gillingwators, "When I first read B. H. Fairchild’s poetry collection The Art of the Lathe, I knew I wanted to publish the opening poem “Beauty” as a letterpress limited edition book. The poem has book characteristics–narrative structure and four, chapter-like divisions–and its visceral, lyrical appeal motivated me." Fairchild's poetry has been widely published and he has been the recipient of numerous awards. The Art of the Lathe was described in the LA Times as "a contemporary classic...finely crafted and perfectly pitched." The book artist continues: "I knew from the initial reading that my book edition would have metal covers, reminiscent of the corrugated-metal buildings that often house machine shops [where the poem takes place]. The making of the book took three years as the book artist and illlustrator learned how to make the tiny metal hinges for the book and how to age the thin aluminum used for the book covers. Each step required research, test trials, and practice. Printed with Centaur and Arrighi monotype on Zerkall Book paper, with linocuts by Alquitela. Housed in a grey clamshell box with title and author in red to spine. 7 x 11". Unpaginated. [11 pages] Fine. (#28076) Price: $750.00 save 15% $637.50 | | | | |  | | | Rubottom, Sibyl.
The Water Book: Lanes of Thought.
San Diego: Bay Park Press, 2010. Hardcover. Number 4 of 10 copies. Book artist Sibyl Rubottom grew up on Long Island Sound where Esther Williams was her hero. She grew up watching her movies trying "to relive the fabulous water ballet sequences." As an adult her love of water continued and she began swimming in La Jolla Cove near her home and later in an olympic sized outdoor pool in Mission Valley. She dedicates this book to La Jolla Cove, one of her regular swimming spots when the water is warm enough. Illustrated with six etchings and three unique oil paintings on mylar. Printed on Fabriano Rosapina Bianco paper using letterpress and intaglio prints, some with chine colle. Set in Bernhard Modern. Oblong folio. Housed in a blue clamshell box. Unpaginated. Fine. (#26111) Price: $900.00 save 15% $765.00 | | | | | | |  | | | Hänni, Romano [Hanni, Haenni].
Worte Machen das Unendliche Endlich VII, VI, V. Words Make the Infinite Finite VII, VI, V.
Basel: Romano Hänni, 2018. Hardcover. A set of three books in the Words Make the Infinite Finite series. Volume VII is limited to 290 copies, Volume VI is limited to 187 copies, and Volume V is limited to 86 copies. Swiss book artist and typographer Romano Hänni (1956 - ) has been experimenting with unusual compositions of letter forms and symbols since the early 1980s. His intricate designs can seem somewhat whimsical but often are reactions to society, politics, and traumatic events. Creating things manually with the participation of all of the senses is very important to him. A master of visual poetry, he enjoys teaching to pass on his knowledge and skills. Each of these books was hand composed and hand printed in black, red, yellow, and blue ink. All are accordion structures with stiff paper illustrated wrappers, which when removed, allow the twelve pages of the contents to be unfolded into one continuous strip. With a paper band closure for the folded book. Includes a four page supplement featuring the title of the work and the colophon in both English and German. A small set in a slipcase measuring about 3.25 inches wide by 5 inches tall by 1.25 inches thick. Unpaginated. Fine. (#32601) Price: $295.00 save 15% $250.75 | | |  | | | Pitts, J. Martin (illustrator).
Gymnopaediae.
Oldham, England: The Old Stile Press, 1989. Hardcover. 145 of 220 copies. Signed by the illustrator. The Gymnopaediae was an ancient Greek festival at which nude young boys would dance, sing, and display their athletic abilities to honor Apollo. Includes a brief textual introduction and the remainder of the book is filled with linocut illustrations of nude male athletes in various poses. Bound in quarter black cloth with blue paper covered boards. Black title to spine and terracotta illustration of a Greek sculpture of a nude boy to the front cover. Printed on Saunders HP mould-made paper in Joanna and Perpetua Light Titling type. Housed in a beige cloth covered slipcase printed in terracotta with a series of figures. [80 pages]. Fine in Fine Slipcase. (#26043) Price: $120.00 save 15% $102.00 | | | | | | | | | | | New Arrivals | View all 200 new arrivals on our New Arrivals Page. If you would like to be alerted about new arrivals in your areas of interest, please sign up for our New Arrivals Notification.
|  | | | Aly, Islam.
Harf.
Cairo, Egypt: islam Aly, 2025. Number 25 of 50 variant copies of a fascinating and complex new work by this esteemed book artist. Islam is a book artist and lecturer of bookbinding at the German University in Cairo. He earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Art Education from Helwan University, and later pursued an MFA in Book Arts at the University of Iowa, where he refined his artistic focus. He went on to complete a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning with a concentration in Art Education at the University of Iowa. His practice lies at the intersection of culture, technology, and aesthetics. Drawing on historical bookbinding traditions and integrating digital technologies, Islam reimagines the role of the book in contemporary art. His work pushes the boundaries of book art, offering innovative approaches to how history and technology can coexist on the page. Islam states: "As a book artist, I am drawn to the unique and versatile nature of the book form. Whether old or new, the book has always captured my imagination and challenged me to explore its physical properties and content in new and innovative ways. Through my work, I use book art to reflect on our contemporary time and explore the intersections between past and present. Books have a rich legacy in approaching social justice issues and giving voice to marginalized groups, and I strive to create books that promote empathy and belonging.
He writes about his work: "The traditions and history of bookbinding inspire my artistic practice, and I am constantly exploring new ways to incorporate these techniques into contemporary book forms and ideas. I am passionate about studying the construction, materials, and techniques used in traditional bookbinding. I frequently experiment with laser cutting, waxing, stitching, and paper dyeing to create visually stunning and conceptually complex artworks. Ultimately, my goal as a book artist is to push the boundaries of contemporary book art while remaining true to the rich legacy and traditions of the book form. I am constantly engaged in the process of discovery and learning. I am deeply committed to creating artwork reflecting our collective past while promoting a more just and equitable future."
Harf means “letter” in Arabic, highlighting the work’s focus on individual letterforms. The piece consists of two compartments. The first compartment contains an artist’s book that visually explores Kufic geometric script, one of the oldest and most architecturally structured forms of Arabic calligraphy. Each section of the book presents a single, letter rendered in a geometric Kufic form, celebrating the letter as both a linguistic symbol and a sculptural element. The book is composed of individually folded sections, with each folio featuring a different type of paper, including handmade sheets, decorated surfaces, and handwritten or textured varieties. This variation in material enhances the contrast between the crisp geometry of the letters and the rich tactile and visual qualities of the paper. The variation of paper types adds layers of meaning, emphasizing the uniqueness and rhythm of each letterform. At the same time, it evokes the historical layering of script and ornament found in Islamic manuscripts, drawing from traditional Islamic visual language while reinterpreting it through a contemporary lens. The use of papers reinforces the book’s material presence and highlights the elegance and expressive power of Kufic calligraphy as a visual art form. The second compartment contains laser-cut letterforms made of plexiglass, echoing the designs featured in the book. A stand is included, allowing viewers to interact with the letters, displaying them individually or arranging them into visually engaging compositions using the geometric forms. Cloth-covered box with plexiglass components. Coptic-bound book with laser-cut and laser-etched plexiglass covers. Materials include handmade and aged paper, decorated paper, linen thread, book board, and museum board. Box size: 12.5 x 4.5 x 4inches, Book size: 3.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches. Fine. (#38305) Price: $2,800.00 | | |  | | | [Marquand Editions] Byrne, Chris; Scott Newton, designer.
The Magician.
Seattle: Marquand Editions, 2013. One of 20 copies plus 5 artists proofs. This copy is one of the artist's proofs. This complicated and fascinating artist's book was described and exclaimed over by a number of reviewers and critics at its publication. Most simply, it is a magician's case of graphic story books, but in reality it is much more than that. Chris Byrne's obsessional graphic novel took a decade to realize and another two years to produce. He and designer Scott Newton worked with Paper Hammer Studios in Seattle to construct an audaciously ambitious bit of publishing magic. The Magician is an epic graphic novel, a bookmaking tour de force, a mesmerizing art object, and the completion of over a decade-long obsession of author Chris Byrne. This enigmatic box of wonders houses a dozen separate publications, printed and hand bound using a variety of techniques. Although individual works, they are considered parts of the whole. The twelve books include Theogony, Handmade, Down the Head, Mountain Man/She-Wolf, Letterpress Flipbook, 4-Ply Toilet Paper, Moleskine, The Magician Manual, M'Phase, Unfinished Versions, Colophon, and Curtains [From Marquand Editions website]. The magician's large case measuring a foot long and foot wide is custom-built with plywood and metal and sits atop casters. It is painted black and decorated by a white rope pattern that crisscrosses its width.
Wrote art curator and critic Dan Nadel in 2013 about this production: "There is no single apt reference point for Chris Byrne's ingenious The Magician. It is a wunderkammer, a Cornell-ian box, a visual novel, a conjurer's tool kit. Above all it's a moving, multi-faceted graphic narrative. There's never been anything quite like it."
From writer and editor Christina Geyer's review in FDLuxe in 2014: " [Chris Byrne] is indeed the author. In this case, though, author is a loaded word - and means much more than one who writes a story. For The Magician, which Byrne began working on as an undergrad student in 1987, it refers to conceptualizing, illustrating, designing and storytelling. The novel - actually 12 stylistically different books in one box - sprang from Byrne's longtime fascination with semiotics and the language of signs. Thus began the idea of creating an alternative comic strip of sorts. It is, in short, a story about a hermaphroditic magician who was conceived in a public bathroom and who eventually creates the universe. 'It's an exploration of the realms of the unreal,; Byrne says. 'It may even be a goof on the creation myth.' The books and their many visuals, illustration and symbols are meant to be read. interacted with and interpreted deeply by the reader....The result is a high-design book and a collectible art object."
Extra shipping costs will apply.Fine. (#38306) Price: $15,000.00 | | |  | | | Soria, Marina, book aratist; Diego Moyao, book binder.
Tuco III.
Buenes Aires, Marina Soria, 2024. One of eight copies signed and numbered by the book artist. Number 7 of 8 copies, signed by the artist. A beautiful recent artist's book by notedArgentinian calligrapher, Marina Soria, featuring a sensory poem about cooking with her grandmother.
Accordion bound with a rainbow of hand-embroidered lines on one side and vibrant watercolor with pasted down calligraphic text (in English) on the verso. The text is digitally reproduced on hot press paper. Printed on Rives BFK paper. slides recycled with illustrations by the artist are inserted on the top of each of the eight panels. Bound in linen covers by Diego Moyano. Accompanied by a hand sewn green paper pamphlet with the colophon and full text of the poem in both English and Spanish. A single bead adorns the binding of the pamphlet. The book and pamphlet fit into a hand sewn fabric pouch made from an antique linen curtain with handmade lace from the artist's grandmother. The pouch has a few stains and small holes as a mark of time. In fine condition.
Text of the Poem (in English):
“The mixture crackles in the pot.
The smell rises and gets into my nostrils
and explodes in my face.
The red brilliant tomatoes
with the sparkling onions.
The evergreen parsley
chopped by skillful hands.
The shiny silver blade and
those twisted fingers due to age
are nevertheless handy
for dumping the mixture into the boiling oil.
Finally, the carrots are sliced and
chopped to form orange cubes.
All of them will take their place
in the bubbling preparation.
When there was some mix left,
Granny used to delicately put the carrots,
the tomatoes and the parsley in a glass jar,
just like the little jars
loaded with different colored earths,
souvenirs from the North of Argentina.
The preparation took its place in the fridge
waiting for the next tomato sauce.
These memories of colors, smells and
flavors will forever be named Abu
even when today the hands,
the pan and the fridge are others”
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Marina Soria is a seasoned artist and educator with degrees in Fine Arts and Graphic Design. Not content to just immerse herself in learning calligraphy at international conferences, and through courses with renown calligraphers, she studied Eastern principles of Beauty in sumi-e (Japanese painting). She distilled and blended these principles with her rich experience and background in the fine arts, typography and graphic arts, employing unique approaches and techniques. She has also dabbled in the textile arts, creating a metaphor for weaving; letters as stitches and text as if it were a textile. Her works, vibrating with a love for nature and exploding with life and color, can be found in calligraphy collections in museums, universities, and libraries in the U.S., Europe, and South America. Marina has received numerous national and international awards and has been featured widely in calligraphic arts publications. A prolific artist, experimental calligrapher, book artist, and educator, her goal is to mingle diverse disciplines to challenge the limits of conceptual art and technique.
Size: 8 x 3.25 inches, closed; 27 x 8 inches, open. Fine. (#38304) Price: $1,850.00 | | |  | | | Soria, Marina, book artist; Claudia Soria, co-author.
The Welsh Cake.
Buenes Aires: Marina Soria, 2025. Hardcover. One of five numbered copies. This charming and engaging book written in both English and Spanish tells about the planning and making of a wedding cake as told by the cake itself! Marina and Claudia Soria say the the story was inspired by true events and is in loving memory of Abu.The elaborate and pivotal creation of the cake for the wedding - the Welsh cake - is related over four pages. First in English followed by the text in Spanish. It describes the role of the grandmother of the bride, called Abu, who insists on making the cake, and the involvement of her granddaughters, Marina and Viviana. The story of the cake's creation is followed by the traditional recipe, with the ingredients on one page and the instructions on the facing page. There are short notes at the bottom of the ingredients page on how to make and store the cake successfully. It also notes that the top tier of the cake is saved by the couple and consumed once a month during the first year of marriage to symbolize enduring sweetness through life's challenges. Following the English text is a delightful pop-up paper four tiered wedding cake with a small flower attached to the cake with a white ribbon. Inserted is a small page with a color photograph of a Welsh cake with the words This was my wedding cake 1991 in English and Spanish. The book was created in honor of the grandmother Abu's artistic gifts. She was Amelia Cuello de Cantarini (1903-2001). The book's design, calligraphy, and embossing are by Marina Soria. The embossing was printed at the workshop of Paz Tamburrini. Bound in white antique linen fabrics. Printed on Canson Edition and Ingres papers using typefaces Goudy Old Style and Gill Sands. Paper engineering by Diego Ismael Moyano. The book is in fine condition. Housed in a white cloth covered box. Measures 12.5 x10.25 x .25 inches. Unpaginated. Fine. (#38297) Price: $3,500.00 | | | | |  | | | Krause, Dorothy Simpson.
Baba Yaga.
Pompano Beach: Dorothy Simpson Krause, 2025. Baba Yaga embodies powerful, independent femininity outside patriarchal norms, representing wild nature, intuition, and boundary-setting; she's a complex archetype who tests heroines, demanding self-reliance and rejecting submissive roles, often linked to ancient earth goddesses feared by rising male-dominated societies. Her connection to the wild, her refusal to be simply "good" or "evil," and her role as a powerful force in folklore make her a symbol for re-evaluating womanhood beyond traditional, exploitable models. She controls her own domain, and operates by her own rules, unafraid of male authority.She challenges the "selfless, ever-caring" woman trope by being terrifying, consuming, or demanding, forcing growth through fear and introspection.Her deep link to the forest, often seen as an ancient Earth goddess figure, resonates with ecofeminism, highlighting the inseparable bond between women and the natural world. She empowers heroines through intense trials, forcing them to develop inner strength, cunning, and intuition (like using a magic doll), making them worthy and independent.
According to Dot Krause, "With some interesting research and a bit of poetic license, a folk-art sculpture, found in a thrift store, became the prototype feminist, Baba Yaga. My research was transformed into her words, and placed into a concertina book cascading from her hands. It reads:
'I am Baba Yaga. I help some and devour others. I rage without apology, enjoy solitude without shame, and wield power without justification. I do not exist to model virtue—I exist to endure. I challenge the cultural demand that women—especially older women—exist primarily as caregivers. I am not nurturing or gentle, and I refuse to soften the wisdom I offer. It’s not about being nice; it’s about truth, transformation, and survival. Rather than disappearing, I have aged into myself as an old, powerful, sharp-tongued woman, uninterested in approval. I do not ask to be liked, saved, or redeemed. As a woman alone in the woods, I am not lost—I am at home. I am Baba Yaga.'
It made sense to let her hold a book, let it be a concertina no longer than the table and no wider than the space between her face and hands. I selected a compatible colored paper, printed the text, folded it to fit and used a braided leather thong for holding the book closed."
Baba Yaga is a found wooden folk sculpture, 11”x8”x4”. It was minimally repainted and a book, in two parts, was added, 1"x3/4” each, closed and 1”x11” each, open. Open, the concertina falls to either side of the sculpture, closed it is held in place with a braided leather thong. Fine.(#38296) Price: $1,200.00 | | | | | | |  | | | Orwell,George; Nora Cornell and Mark Lintott, designers and letterpress printers; Judith Rothchild, linocut illustrations.
2026 citations.
Octon, France: Editions Verdigris, 2026. Softcover. Number 8 of 28 copies signed by the printers and illustrator. This handsome and compelling new work from the esteemed Verdigris press addresses the impact that the current American presidential administration has made on our society and culture. These visionary quotes by George Orwell, taken mainly from 1984 and Animal Farm, were chosen for their worrying pertinence in 2026. They invite us to consider the links betwee fiction, reality, and the ways that history will repeat itself without proper intervention (from the colophon).The book was designed by Nora Cornell, Mark Lintott, and Judith Rothchild. Nora Cornell and Mark Lintott created the typography and printed the book in letterpress, and Judith Rothchild the linocuts. Mark Lintott created the slipcases that are covered with the black and gray image of a hand. adorned with the linocuts. The 28 copies were printed on gray Rives BFK paper primarily in Univers with additional French wooden characters. on a Vandercook press in the Editions Verdigris workshop in January 2026. In fine condition. Measures 7.5 x 9 inches. Unpaginated. Fine. (#38302) Price: $1,400.00 | | |  | | | Corbeto, Albert, text and editing; Josep Ramoneda, introduction; Dustin Guerri, translation from Catalan to English; Elies Plana, illustrator.
Freedom of the Press.
Barcelona: Associacio de Bibliofils de Barcelona, 2023. Hardcover. Number 10 of 50 copies of the English edition, of which twenty-two are numbered 1 to 22. There were three deluxe copies marked as A, B, and C; There were 25 copies numbered 26 to 50 for the Catalan edition. This is a powerful and ever relevant history of the development and evolution of the concept and adoption of the tenets of freedom of the press. "The French Revolution led to modern democracy. Terms like left-wing and right-wing, revolutionary and counter-revolutionary movements, freedom, censorship, and silencing intellectual discourse were introduced and remain relevant. The texts of Condorcet (1776) and Bonald (1826) allow us to comprehend the debate that occurred in those times. Historian Albert Corbeto provides a background for the facts and contrasts them, recounting from a neutral standpoint the historical events that had a substantial impact on French and European society. There are many parallels between the past and present controversies. In today's geopolitically volatile world, there is a renewed and disturbing discussion about the nature and limits of various liberties, including freedom of the press.The French Revolution led to modern democracy. Terms like left-wing and right-wing, revolutionary and counter-revolutionary movements, freedom, censorship, and silencing intellectual discourse were introduced and remain relevant." [Stanford University Library]
Albert Corbeto is a professor of Typography and Book History in the Postgraduate degree on Advanced Typography and Typographic creation in Design Degree. He is in charge of publishing and other cultural activities at the Reial Academia de Bones Lletres de Barcelona, and also cooperates with the Associació de Bibliòfils de Barcelona. He has published several articles and monographs on Spanish typography as well as on other aspects of printing and book history. The illustrator Elies Plana is a Barcelona based book artist and printer who has been working in the field for the last 15 years. After studying fine arts at the art school of Olot, he joined the workshop of his father, Miquel Plana. He learned the craft and the different techniques by helping and assisting his father in the production of over 100 fine books. He not only learned the love for the books but also for the craftsmanship involved in every stage of producing them. In 2008 he started his own projects that vary from editions book, prints and special commissions. He works with different techniques, from linocuts and woodcut to etching, and uses lead and wood types to print the texts
Bound with marbled paper boards with brownish orange spine and cover edges. Title in black to spine and with a title lable affixed to the front cover. The book is printed on Fredigoni paper at Gràfiques Marti. The text has been composed with the font families Linotype Didot and Adob Garamond. Housed in a slipcase covered with the same orange cloth as the book's spine which is in turn housed in a brown cardboard folder with brown fabric ties. Measures 8.8 x 13 inches. 160 numbered pages. Fine.(#38300) Price: $600.00 | | |  | | | Shattuck, Carolyn, book artist.
VAX.
Rutland, VT: Carolyn Shattuck, n.d. Hardcover. Number 1 of 5 copies signed and numbered by the book artist. This is another inventive work from well-known artist Carolyn Shattuck that displays her skill in using various book structures to convey meaning and context in the books she creates. In addition to artists' books, she is a painter and creator of paper art. Carolyn exhibits her work nationally in numerous juried exhibitions and has received many awards. Her books have been collected by a number of special collections libraries at universities throughout the country. She teaches book art workshops in New England and Florida.
VAX was created by Carolyn because of her deep concern over the controversy regarding necessary vaccinations, the lack of immunizations administered, and the resulting threat to children's health. Her concern is expressed through this complex book's structure and messages. When the book is opened, there is a pop-up thin strip of paper spriralizing across the two pages. On it she lists the various immunizations and the diseases they address. Underneath this spiral is a foldout stating "Vaccinations allowed me to have a long life." She has another long foldout that has the text of Roald Dahl's "heartbreaking letter about losing his daughter in 1962." She died of measles at the age of seven. Bound in paper with a multi-colored grid design with a black cloth spine. Signed title label affixed to front cover. Housed in a black paper covered slipcase with titling on white paper label on front. In fine condition. Measures 9 x 11 inches. Fine.(#38299) Price: $1,200.00 | | | | | | |  | | | Schwartzott, Carol, book artist.
Haiku Poems Two.
Freeville, NY: Carol Schwartzott, 2025. Hardcover. Number 1 of 4 copies signed and numbered by the book artist. Carol Schwartzott is an American book artist renowned for her limited-edition artist's books and miniatures, which blend typography, handcrafting, and thematic explorations of history, nature, and literature. She is known for creating intricate, miniature, and sculptural books featuring handmade elements, unique structures, and themes often related to nature, art, and culture, such as Japanese textiles or Josef Albers' color theories, using various printing and embellishment techniques. Schwartzott creates intricate assemblages using techniques such as letterpress printing, collage, stencil work, dyeing, and binding with materials like Japanese papers and custom boxes. Her works often function as journeys, layering facts, memories, and objects to evoke curiosity and intuition.
This elegant and complex work is a new and enhanced edition of a book Carol originally made in 2004. The lovely haiku poems she features are bound in the book along with beautiful decorated papers done in various designs, colors, and patterns. It has an accordion fold structure that has multi-colored decorated covers with a title label on the front. The book is housed iin a slipcase covered with beautifully patterned paper in green cream and light brown. The slipcase is held closed by a thin plastic tube that is laced through three small apertures on the top of the case. In fine condition. Book measures 4.5 x 4.25 inches. The slipcase measures 4.5 x 5 inches. Fine. (#38288) Price: $600.00 | | | | | | |  | | | Fitzgerald, F. Scott; Anna and Elena Balbusso, illustrators; William E. Cain, introduction.
The Great Gatsby.
Philadelphia: Beehive Books, 2022. Hardcover. This beautiful book from Beehive Books is an elegant production of Fitzgerald's masterpiece, The Great Gatsby. It is one of 2500 copies from the standard edition. The Italian illustrators Anna and Elena Balbusso, known as the Balbusso Twins, take on F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, bringing out the rich satire and sorrow that suffuses this saga of wealth and love. Featuring more than fifty stunning full-color illustrations that combine jazz age decadence with a sleek modern sensibility, this stunning edition brings us into Gatsby's world and Gatsby into ours [from the publisher's website.] The illustrators, Anna and Elena Babusso are sisters also known as the Balbusso Twins. They are an international recognised award-winning Italian artist duo living in Milan. Their work has been published by major international publishers and companies through out the world on various media. They've illustrated more than 50 illustrated books, including the luxury limited edition of The Great Gatsby for Beehive Books, the deluxe Folio Society editions of The Handmaid's Tale, Pride and Prejudice, and Atlas Shrugged. The book features an introduction by literary scholar William Cain. Cain is a professor of English at Wellsley collegel. He is an expert in nineteenth and early twentieth century American literature; Shakespeare; and modernism in the arts. His scholarly interests include nineteenth and early twentieth century American literature, African American literature; and literary theory and criticism..
This is a hardcover volume bound with elaborately illustrated covers in shades of green, gold,and black with titling to spine. The book is accompanied by a loose copy of a print used at the end of the volume. It is a dazzling illustration of Gatsby walking down a staircase to join a dance floor filled with dancers. The image is decorated with a sparkling array of stars. The interior is printed on creamy, acid-free heavy-weight 140gsm uncoated paper. The text is set in Ten Oldstyle, Art Deco, and Baskerville types. The book is housed in an elaborately embossed and debossed gold die-cut slipcase, silk-screened and foil-stamped with artwork. The slipcased book is in turn held in a black and white box with the title and bibliographic informationon the cover and a black and gray illustration of a woman's face on the back. In fine condition. The book measures 12 x 9 inches. 168 pages. Fine. (#38286) Price: $200.00 | | | | | |  | | | LeFanu, Joseph Sheridan; Rosemary Valero - 0'Connell, illustrations; Poppy Z. Brite, introduction.
Carmilla.
Philadelphia: Beehive Books, 2025. Numbered by the illustrator as 234 of 400 copies. This is a stunning work published by Beehive Books as one of their ongoing Illuminated Editions series of oversized book reinventions of classic literary works. From their website: "Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s magnetic and sinuous 1871 novella introduced one of the iconic anti-heroines of gothic fiction, pioneered depictions of queer longing in European writing, and would go on to inspire Bram Stoker's Dracula. Today, Carmilla is considered a landmark work recognized for its major contributions to vampire fiction and queer gothic literature." Carmilla is a foundational vampire story that predates Dracula and explores themes of female desire and gothic horror.Sheridan Le Fanu (1814 - 1873} was an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels. He is considered by literary critics to be among the greatest ghost story writers of the Victorian era, as several of his works were central to the development of the genre.Le Fanu became a key figure in the dark romanticism movement during the 19th century, and had a major influence on later vampire and horror fictions such as Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897), among others. While several of his short stories, fictional novels, novellas, and horror pieces proved popular in his lifetime, he remains a central figure in vampire fiction largely due to the significance of Carmilla. Since his death, the novella has become one of the most influential works of vampire literature, having been adapted for films, operas, video games, Halloween plays, comics, songs, cartoons, and other media. Sheridan Le Fanu’s novella introduced one of the iconic anti-heroines of gothic fiction, pioneered depictions of queer longing in European writing, and would go on to inspire Bram Stoker's Dracula. Today, Carmilla is considered a landmark work recognized for its major contributions to vampire fiction and queer gothic literature.
This copy is from the standard edition. It is described as a stunning, oversized, illustrated edition of Le Fanu's classic vampire novella. The standard edition is an oversized 9 x 12 inches hardcover, cloth-bound in sewn signatures and housed in an elaborately embossed and debossed die-cut slipcase, silk-screened and foil-stamped with artwork.
The interior is printed on creamy, acid-free heavy-weight uncoated paper and includes dozens of full color illustrations, illuminated letters, and special design pieces.This title features intricate artwork by graphic novelist Rosemary Valero-O'Connell and an introduction by Poppy Z. Brite, it's a collector's edition housed in a decorative slipcase. Valero-O’Connell contributes a tender and menacing portfolio of original illustrations that picture the complex legacy of a landmark piece of horror fiction suffused with unfulfilled yearning between two young women. This startling new vision of Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1871 classic, featuring an exclusive introduction by the acclaimed novelist Poppy Z. Brite (Exquisite Corpse). Accompanied by a loose print of one of the illustrations and an illustrated book mark, The book in its slipcase is in turn housed in a black and white paper covered box with bibliographic information on its front cover. In fine condition. (#38287) Price: $200.00 | | | | | | | | | | Featured International Artists | | New works from international book artists Islam Aly, Marina Soria, Edition Verdigris (Judith Rothschild, Mark Lintott, and Nora Cornell), and Elies Plana and his colloborators can be seen above in the New Arrivals section. To see other works by these artists, peruse our Artists' Books section.
We also want to feature the works of other international book artists whom we represent. A sample of each artist's work is shown below. Again, you can see all available works by these artists in our Artists' Books section. |  | | | Haby, Gracia and Louise Jennison, book artists.
Because I like You.
[North Vitzroy, Victoria, Australia]: Gracia Haby and Louise Jennison, 2016. Number 7 of 10 copies. This is a fascinating and particularly inventive book from these two talented and committed book artists. They state: "We have been collaborating for over twenty years, making artists’ books, zines, collages, prints, and drawings. Besotted still, it appears, with paper for its adaptable, foldable, cut-able, concealable, revealing nature, using an armoury of play, the poetic and familiar too, with the intention of luring you into our A(rtists’ books) to Z(ines). Gracia & Louise: "’Because I Like You’ is based on the concept of a love letter to ten mammals. Each of the edition is housed in a black fabric Solander box with inlaid windows featuring one of the ten mammals enclosed. Each page has one mammal lemonwood block print portrait and one mirrored original collage of the portrayed mammal. The mammals featured range from a Greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) to a Sea otter (Enhydra lutris) by way of a Royal antelope (Neotragus pygmaeus) and a gruff Polar bear (Ursus maritimus).
"This artists’ book has been over a year in the making, based on a back and forth notion we have been toying with more and more (a collage in response to a print this time). The printed portrait shows nature, as intended (close to), and the collage shows the animal in different (and often less than ideal) surrounds. It is also our first book to feature woodblock prints."
Animals featured, in order of appearance:
Greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis)
Black-and-gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya)
Rufous mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus)
Polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
Royal antelope (Neotragus pygmaeus)
Californian sea lion (Zalophus californianus)
Snow leopard (Panthera uncia)
Greater stick-nest rat (Leporillus conditor)
Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
Sea otter (Enhydra lutris)
The Sea Otter Letter displays their creative take on these animals and the letters to them: “The loose patch of skin under your forearms serves as a pocket for rocks and other tools and it is primarily why I like you. I could be talking about a Sea otter (Enhydra lutris); I could be talking about you.”
The book is comprised of 11 loose leaves (1 title plus 10 with text and images). There are 10 individual woodblock engravings by Louise Jennison and 10 unique state collages with pencil and paint additions by Gracia Haby. Printed on Fabriano Artistico 640gsm traditional white hot-press paper. It is housed in a black linen Solander box with an inlaid print and collageon the top cover. Bound by Louise Jennison. In fine condition. Measures 5 x 8 inches. Unpaginated. Fine. (#38095) Price: $800.00 | | | | |  | | | Merike van Zanten, book artist.
Love's Truest Language.
The Netherlands: Double Dutch Design, 2024. Hardcover. This is an exquisite unique artist's book from the highly regarded book artist, Merike van Zanten. Merike focused on book arts, letterpress design and printing in the United States beginning in 2003 in the US, but re-established studio in The Netherlands around 2020. She has participated in numerous exhibitions, residencies, and workshops during her career. Her work can be found in a number of libraries, including the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, The Walker Library of the History of Human Imagination, Boston Atheneum, Stanford University, Baylor University and the University of Miami.
Merike is an accomplished artist using eco printing techniques. Eco printing is a process whereby only natural materials are used such as leaves and flowers that transfer their pigments onto a substrate when subjected to heat and pressure. The process produces exceptionally beautiful designs and colors. This work, which she describes as an eco printed book displays the beauty of this technique, which creates various designs without the use of paints and ink.
Bound in sheepskin covered boards with printed images of leaves and flowers and hand-lettered title in black ink to front board. The interior consists of eco prints on Arches Aquarelle and baking paper. Some of the prints have been embellished with gold leaf. Handwritten quotes relating to gardening are interspersed throughout the book. The quotes are by authors including Park Benjamin, Pablo Neruda, Shakespeare, Aristotle, Saadi, Aeschylus, and Lord Byron. A lovely book in fine condition. Measures about 8 x 6 inches. Unpaginated [26 pages] Fine. (#37868) Price: $1,350.00 | | | | |  | | | Kirkup, James, verses; Naoko Matsubara woodcuts; Alan Flint, printer; Martyn Ould printed the text; Masao Seki, paper for woodcuts.
tokonoma.
Seaton, U.K. The Old School Press, 1999. Number 64 of 85 copies offered for sale. Twenty lettered copies were done for the collaborators. This was indeed a collaborative project with striking results. For something rather different, the Press collaborated with Canadian artist Naoko Matsubara in the making of an editioned piece that presents a collection of twenty haiku and tanka by James Kirkup, whose collection of poems Figures in a Setting we published in 1996. Each verse has been printed letterpress in large foundry Perpetua on a sheet of Japanese hand-made paper specially made by Masao Seki and accompanied by a striking woodcut by Naoko Matsubara. The images have been printed in one, two, or five colours by fine art printer Alan Flint in Canada under Matsubara's supervision. In issue 5 of "Parenthesis" Reiko Yamanouchi wrote about this work: "The result is brilliant and beautiful, deeply satisfying to the senses. Martyn Ould is to be congratulated for having published . . . such a sumptuous work, embodying the best of handwork and a perfect harmony of art and poetry, and also presenting a world in which European and Japanese cultures are subtly and happily merged."
The verses are complemented by a short essay on the writing of haiku and tanka by James Kirkup and on the concept of tokonoma itself. A tokonoma is an alcove in the home in which, for instance, a picture or scroll can be placed for meditation. To achieve the desired effect for this work, the loose sheets are housed in a box constructed to allow one verse at a time to be displayed, much as one might display a photograph or favourite picture. The twenty-five sheets (each about 33cm by 26cm) are held in a tray covered in black cloth with a perspex lid. The back of the tray allows it to stand so that the top sheet is displayed. A black slip case with a white title label protects the whole. This hybrid of book and picture means that the poetry and pictures need never be fully hidden as they would be in the pages of a shelved book, but can be changed with time or whim. Every copy is signed by the four collaborators.
From the Press website: "I think I must have talked to David Burnett about haiku and tanka and he introduced me to James Kirkup who was then living in Andorra. Kirkup had collaborated with Canadian wood-cut artist Naoko Matsubara on Insect Summer (he had previously translated poems from the Japanese by her sister Hisako). I sent James’s set of poems to her asking if she would like to choose twenty to illustrate. We struck a deal by which she would provide the wood-cuts and purchase the paper, her studio printer Alan Flint would do the printing of them under her supervision (which suited me very well!), and I would provide the letterpress. She commissioned a special making of hanga paper by Masao Seki which was torn by hand by Alan. I had already conceived the idea of a picture-frame presentation, wanting a book that did not always hide its contents. So the woodcuts could be kept one to a sheet. I printed the title sheet, James’s introductory words, and the colophon on tosa gampi. All the text was hand-set in Perpetua from the Stephenson Blake foundry and printed on the C&P. Printing onto Naoko’s images was somewhat nerve-wracking as it would have been sacrilege to wreck a sheet. But all was well. However, having printed the title sheets I left them on our dining-room table so I could admire them as I came downstairs, only to notice that I had printed one of the Os upside-down in the book’s title. I had to order further tosa gampi, send it to Canada for Alan Flint to hand-tear for me, and have it sent back so I could have another shot." An amazing and intricate work in fine condition. (#38132) Price: $800.00 | |  | | | Walker, George and Andy Malcolm, designers and printers; Edward Wakeling, introduction.
Alice's Adventures in Punch 1864-1950.
Toronto: Cheshire Cat Press, 2017. Hardcover. Number 29 of 42 copies. Signed by the printers and the author of the introduction, who are ardent and well-known Carroll admirers. The Cheshire Cat Press was formed by book designer and printer George Walker in 1991. The press began when he and two colleagues produced new editions of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Edward Wakeling, who wrote the introduction, is an internationally known authority on Carroll. From the prospectus: "Here finally is a book collecting all the Alice associated images into one volume. In this book is the work of the other PUNCH illustrators who were influenced by John Tenniel’s pictures for Lewis Carroll’s Alice. Oh yes we include Tenniel too! Through the many decades that Punch existed (1841-2002), references to the Alice books have been a common feature. Now you can have them all in one volume. The images are printed by hand directly from polymer plates made by Boxcar Press, except Alice Reigns Supreme (page 27) which is printed photo-mechanically. The plates were created from high resolution scans made directly from the original PUNCH publications. Printed on 115 gsm Rives Lightweight Buff 100% rag paper using a Vandercook Sp15 letterpress." Bound in green cloth with gilt title to spine and gilt ruling and Punch figure to front cover. Punch figure repetitive design to endpapers. Housed in a green cloth slipcase. Includes laid in prospectus. In fine condition. 10 x 13 inches. 57 pages. Fine. (#36447) Price: $650.00 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | Sincerely,
Fran Durako, Owner
& Steve Durako, Manager
The Kelmscott Bookshop
Historic Savage Mill, Box 2021
8600 Foundry St., Ste G7,
Savage, MD 20763
(410) 235 - 6810
Hours: By Appointment Only
http://www.kelmscottbookshop.com
| 
|
|  | | | | |