At this time of year I am normally on a plane to Hong Kong to exhibit at one of my favourite book fairs – the China in Print or Hong Kong Antiquarian Book Fair.

I always find the finest things throughout the year and save them for the fair so I have a list of around 40 fresh books, prints and pieces of original artwork to show at the fair with a focus on the unique, rare and jewel like items from Britain and France.

Please do click on the link or picture above to see what I had saved for this year’s fair.

From 12th to the 14th November we will be showing some fresh stock at the virtual Boston Book Fair.

To see the 35 items chosen for the fair please click on the image above or here

Look out for our upcoming exhibition of the works of Gaylord Schanilec which will be launched in a fortnight, along with our new publication Want More which shows his wood engravings alongside some remarkable photographs by Alex Schneideman, the whole being printed and designed by Patrick Randle  at the Whittington Press. The binding of the special copies is almost complete and copies will be available at the pre-publication price until the end of the year.

WANT MORE

by Gaylord Schanilec, Alex Schneideman & Patrick Randle

13 photographs, 13 wood engravings
and a conversation about the creative process

Want More  is a collaboration between three artist printers – the wood engraver Gaylord Schanilec, the photographer Alex Schneideman and the printer and designer Patrick Randle.

For the first time a work of photographic documentary – an important observational look at our consumerist environment and culture, has been examined and developed by a wood engraver. Photographs by Alex Schneideman for a large scale photographic project for a book, inspired 13 engravings by the great engraver and book artist Gaylord Schanilec. In images and collaborative text the two artists examine their specialist mediums – discussing the differences between them in creative process, temperament and thought, each creating very different images from the same source.

The book was woven together by the great eye and design of the master printer Patrick Randle at the Whittington Press in a glorious celebration of art, letterpress printing and typographic design.

For information about the edition please click here.

Edition:
55 copies for sale (of 75) in a gold slipcase, in grey half morocco and with special hand printed papers by Randle and Schneideman  – £950

15 deluxe copies in full grey and citron leather, with additional signed sets of the engravings and photographs housed in a solander box – £2650

There is an accommodation available for trade.

EMAIL sophie@ssrbooks.com to order

Here are some more images of the printing process..

The three collaborators

Printing the wood engravings

Well, here we go! Moving the business online was something I thought I would never do but until June/July at least that is how things will be. It is an interesting experiment.

Every week I will be uploading new stock onto the website, and indeed on biblio.com and abebooks.com. I will also be putting together curated ‘e-lists’ of fresh stock – look out for ones of new David Jones prints and books, books written by ‘Great Scots’, and a whole new catalogue of recently acquired books.

Of course we will get through this, but I am hoping it will be fun. I have already found books I had forgotten I had here and have a pile of projects to finish. I do enjoy face to face interaction but that will have to wait for now…

I hope you are safe and well. If you are musically orientated the Berlin Philharmonic website with their free digital concerts is a real treat!

Very best and see you soon

Sophie

We are thrilled to be exhibiting at the fair this year which begins this week.

At stand E-7 we will be showing a selection of books from private presses including some particularly good Eragny, Kelmscott and Golden Cockerel Press books, illustrated books by David Jones, Eric Gill, John Buckland Wright amongst others, fine press and artist’s books, fine bindings and some fabulous typography and lettering including a remarkable set of printer’s archive proofs of Edward Johnston’s wooden type for London Underground. This is the only set to be on the market as it was a private printing done for the archive of the London Transport Museum.

In addition we are showing a small selection from a new collection we have celebrating ‘GREAT SCOTS’ which includes important work by Adam Smith, Walter Scott, David Hume, Alexander Wilson, the pioneering American ornithologist and mentor to Audubon, Kenneth Grahame and signed works by the great John Muir and Andrew Carnegie.

Please do come to visit us or you can browse the catalogue below…

A splendid copy of Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments

60TH NEW YORK ANTIQUARIAN BOOK FAIR
Park Avenue Armory
643 Park Avenue, between 66/67 Streets
NEW YORK
USA
March 5th-8th, 2020

For a detailed list of what we will be showing click here

A beautiful new slate carved by John Mawby makes our move to Kensal Green official – meanwhile I am on my way to California to exhibit at the 53rd California Antiquarian Book Fair. It is on between the 7th and 9th February at the Pasadena Convention Center and we are showing a good selection from our stock at stand 508.

For an illustrated list of what we are showing click here

I will be back in London on the 12th February so do come to see the slate after that.

We are exhibiting this weekend at the Boston Antiquarian Book Fair, November 15th – 17th.

If you are in town do come to visit us at stand 106. Full details of the fair are available here

A full illustrated list of what we have displayed on the stand is available here:

Fair List for Boston Book Fair

Please do come to visit us in our new, permanent, purpose-built premises at 1010 Harrow Road. The books from our last catalogue, Private Press Books from the Library of George van Houten Pt. II, are on display in our new 3 room showroom, together with hundreds of other books and prints. There are fine and designer bindings, private press books, illustrated books, superb examples of printing, typography and lettering, contemporary artists’ and fine press books alongside numerous wood engravings, linocuts and other prints.

A warm welcome and a comfortable chair await you….

To view the catalogue please click on the front cover.

IN SEPTEMBER WE WILL BE OPENING IN OUR NEW PREMISES IN KENSAL GREEN
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE

As well as our usual large stock of private press & illustrated books, fine bindings, artists’ books, calligraphy, prints and artwork, our new premises in Kensal Green will house a permanent showcase of the best of contemporary fine printing, wood engraving, designer bookbinding, lettering and other book arts. Please watch the website for information on workshops, shows and short lists of contemporary work.