Ecclesiastes; | The Preacher | From the King James Version of 1611 | Wood Engravings by Larry Thompson | With an Afterword by the Printer.
[Merrickville, Ontario]: Greyweathers Press, 2017 [in roman numerals]. Octavo, 24.8 x 17.5 cm. Cased in half purple leather and variegated paste-paper over boards. Two raised double-bands to the spine, each accented with triple pallets in gilt. The spine is also lettered and stamped with a lemniscate in gilt. Purple Japanese endpapers. Housed together with a portfolio of proofs in a black cloth covered gatefold box, with a double toggle and string closure. Unpaginated [the book comprises: pp. 84, including ll. 2, self-ends. The portfolio of proofs: ll. 20, all loose]. There is a very faint dimple to the title-sheet accompanying the suite of engravings. The cloth along the extremities of the box appears to be mildly rubbed and frayed; this is owed, however, not to any wear or rubbing, but simply to the manner and material used to cover the box. A fine copy. “Time passed. Summer’s heat and Winter’s frosts came and went three times between the Autumns of 2014 and 2017. The work continued in fits and starts, through periods of fear, crisis, and grief, as one generation passed away, and another arrived. This Greyweathers Ecclesiastes is printed from cold type in Italian Oldstyle typeface on Arches Wove paper. The printer cut the wood engraving illustrations on blocks supplied by Paul Demers. Holly Dean created the versal capitals that begin each chapter… The lion head engraving on page 38 was executed under the tutelage of Wesley Bates. The printer is indebted to his able and thorough apprentice, Maxwell Kent, the Punk Printer, for setting, printing, and dissing portions of the text.” The dropped capitals were calligraphed by hand in purple ink with gold accents by Holly Dean. The binding was done by Don Taylor. The text is illustrated with a total of 60 wood engravings, all printed from the blocks. Five of the engravings, including the frontispiece, are full page. The frontispiece is composed of two blocks and was printed in brown and purple. With the exception of a few in purple, the engravings were printed in a shade of purple-tinged brown (close to caput mortuum). From a total edition of 100 copies. The present copy is number 12 of 20 copies comprising the deluxe state. Numbered and signed in pencil by Larry Thompson on the colophon page. Accompanied by a portfolio containing a suite of 19 loose wood engravings, along with a title-sheet. The portfolio is made of folded white paper and is laid into the box. The additional engravings repeat a selection of the illustrations and were printed from the blocks. Each is editioned and signed in pencil by Larry Thompson. Item #370
“[… ] If this work is truly an artistic act of secular penance, then it is fitting to say that it is also an act of vanity- futile and meaningless. Printing books by hand, with hand cut engravings and hand set type on beautiful papers destined for select collections smacks of ambition, self-indulgence and vanity. Certainly the Preacher would say so. Regardless, I take refuge in this pocket of vanity, and strive to find meaning in it, no matter how futile that may be.” — Larry Thompson, from the Afterword.
Price: $625.00