St. James Park Press - forthcoming 1984 edition.

Please see posts beginning with No.39 (grifgon) under the heading for 'New Suntup 1984' as well as the article entitled 'COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Eye Candy # 11'. Links to both provided below.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/321558

https://www.librarything.com/topic/321757

Thanks for the effort, I think this is great. I think it'll be easier to find, and this is turning out to be a very anticipated book for sure.

The St. James Park Press website has been updated with information about the production, including (estimated) subscription timing, content, pricing, and limitation: https://www.stjamesparkpress.com/1984

This looks ludicrous in all the best ways

I really hope some of you buy this and post some pictures, because this book seems like it will be amazing but is way out of my league.

Some of the described design elements are really interesting - the text border and illustration style in particular - and I look forward to seeing how it all fits together. Nice to see some additional pictures of previous editions as well.

Quite excited to see the details of this publication emerging. Looks like it will be quite the edition, with a price reflecting that.

This is shaping up to be the definitive edition of 1984. The question for me is do I spend that kind of money on it or on one of the gems from the golden era of private presses.

>8 ultrarightist: The classics will be available another year. No such guarantees here.

>8 ultrarightist: The only answer to this question is an absolute yes you spend that kind of money on it. Chances at things like this do not happen often and when they hit the secondary market the price will be suffer significant markup.

Must keep telling myself that to justify the cost!

The price per copy, payable in instalments, is expected to be £2,284, with an initial deposit of £300 required to pre-order, and thereafter generous flexible payment plans offered for up to the date of publication for the balance of £1,984 plus p&p.

And in case you were wondering why it's exactly 2284 and not say 2280, there is your answer! Well played St. James Park Press :)

At the end of the day, I simply can't afford to spend $3000 on a book right now. I do envy those that are going to purchase this edition, no doubt it will be magnificent.

>11 astropi: I thought that was quite clever myself! I cannot really afford it right now either, but they're offering payment options that they will customize to personal situations so it's something to keep in mind. I'll find a way.

I hope it's not a faux pas to enquire about this.

Is there a potential market for these kinds of fine press books years down the line? While I appreciate fine press work, and intend to purchase this edition (also purchased King Arthur), I would like to know if my circumstances changed I wouldn't be stuck with a $3k book and no one to sell it to to at least get back what I paid for it.

>13 U_238: I think it's a fair question. I mean, what if something happens and you need to sell some of your books?
Hmmm, no definite answer of course. It's so expensive it might be hard to sell. Limitation is low, but even so for something this expensive I suspect few people would simply be able to purchase it. Also, If you sell it in 10 years for the same price, $3k, you've lost money of course due to inflation. However, no one knows how things will pan out. If this becomes one of those very sought-after books it might certainly appreciate. It will be interesting to see... all that said, ah, I just wish the cost was $1984 instead of $3000

>13 U_238: PBA Galleries and Forum Auctions have significant fine press sales over the course of a year, worth looking at them to get a broad reference on secondary prices (either directly or through sites like LiveAuctioneers or Invaluable). I'd say expect to lose 50% (after commissions etc) conservatively on any fine press book you buy; some may become very "bid" (recent sales of limited edition Barbarian Press for example). Smaller limitations (30-50) probably have more odds of retaining "value" but are also more expensive from the get go.

>13 U_238: There's always a market for used books. Press books tend to fetch more than average, but it's like anything else: some will become highly sought-after collector's items and others won't. Which will be which is a crap-shoot by and large, although some are instantly recognizable as top dog (e. g., Arion Press' Moby Dick). Some presses are more desirable than others. The basic factors are supply and demand. The former is easy to determine, that latter not so much. You'll always be able to sell your press books, but you might not get your money back on some of them, especially when you factor in inflation.

Hey, buy Kelmscott Press books. They never go down in value.

>16 Glacierman: I'd wager that due to the size and nature of the book 1984 that this will be the only true fine press edition for quite some time and thus have a very good shot at retaining it's value if not exceeding it. Full books like this are so rarely printed outside Arion that finding one is almost unique. If they live up to the expectations of this edition it should in my mind move into the "top dog" category.

>17 Sorion: You may well be right in your assessment. Time will tell.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I too think it will move into the "top dog" category.

Alas, I am unlikely to move into the "top dog" category, and will thus be unable to fork over the 3 grand US. ;-)

So, what do we mean by saying "top dog"? I assume we mean "worth a lot of money". In which case books that are this category typically are

1)First prints
2)Signed by the author
3)Have something unique to them.

(1) and (2) speak for themselves in general, and neither of those will happen here. In terms of having something "unique" to them, that's basically going to have to be the illustrations. If the illustrations are magnificent and the book gets acclaimed for this it may well become truly sought-after. The Arion Press Moby Dick is a perfect example of this. Speaking of Arion Press, I wonder if they are considering producing a version of 1984? They produced an edition of Animal Farm which I thought had hideous illustrations (just my opinion). However, it's sold out. I suspect an Arion Press 1984 if done properly will sell out quicker than you can say "Big Brother".

>22 astropi: It would be #3 for 1984, yes. I would not limit the uniqueness factor to illustrations, although it may be the most prominent. Overall design, typography (especially if letterpress), and paper quality are also factors.

>23 ultrarightist: I do agree that everything matters, but ultimately I think what tends to set books apart in this third category is illustrations. When I think of fine press books that command big dollar today, they're all beautifully illustrated. Sometimes by someone very well known, other times not as well known yet the book itself is recognized.

I’m excited to see the illustrations; 24 of them on handmade paper, all letterpress.

I forgot to mention, there’s a small Facebook group for the friends of this press. It’s not very active, but it does a few additional photos of Hercules I think it was.

>24 astropi: Illustrations are definitely a factor, but they are not the only one, and are not the definitive one either. See for example Arion's Leaves of Grass. Hardly any illustrations, but still a very sought after and highly regarded book. I believe all the extras like binding, limitation, typesetting, paper are very important, but one huge factor is the popularity of the title. I can't think of a single 'top dog' book which is a niche/not well known title (some livre d'artiste excluded, that's a different ball game). It's also a reason why Arion's Moby Dick is so popular. Yes, it has very nice illustrations and great typesetting, but overall I believe it's down to the title. Barry Moser has done much nicer books (IMO his Alice is his magnum opus) but they don't sell for nearly as much as Arion's Moby Dick.

This is why I think 1984 will do well, there will simply always be a market for this title. As another example, you can look at Suntup. They are successful because they choose to print well known stuff that they known people will want to buy. The only titles Suntup hasn't sold out are the less well known ones (e.g., Brother which IMO is one of his better books).

>26 filox: The reason Arion's Leaves of Grass sold so very well is because it was featured on television!
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/arion-press
I assure you, if 1984 is likewise showcased, it too will sell as well. Furthermore, the Arion Press is quite well known as far as publishers go. Now I have the utmost respect for Moser's work, but I think many view Tenniel's illustrations as the definitive Alice, and I certainly fall in that category. I have to disagree with you somewhat regarding illustrations. Take for example the LEC Lysistrata. It's a classic work of course, but would hardly be worth anywhere near it's current value if it were not for the fact that the illustrations are done by Picasso, who also signed the book. By "illustrations" I do not necessarily mean the quality of the illustrations, but also the notoriety of the artist. You're right that Suntup sells out of books super quickly because they have built a fanbase, and they publish popular books. That absolutely plays a large role. By the way, interestingly enough Suntup has NOT sold out of their edition of The World Doesn’t End by Charles Simic . Both the lettered and numbered editions are available - I suspect it hasn't sold out because "rights" to future books are not given with this purchase. So that's the thing, I feel that in Suntup's case, many people are purchasing his books as investments - they're hoping the next book will be signed by Stephen King = $$$

>27 astropi: I would love to see more photos of Simic’s book. Very intrigued by it.

Illustrations are nice, but as indicated above (>26 filox:), illustrations are not required to make a "top dog" book, as the Doves Press repeatedly demonstrated, as well as the Ashendene Press most of whose books were purely typographical. Now, I do like a few good illustrations (witness this one: https://www.librarything.com/topic/306680 ), but typographic excellence is very desirable and, for me, sufficient in itself. Of course, being something I actually want to read helps. And sometimes, the pure brilliance of the typography & illustrations create in me a desire to possess and read something I would otherwise likely not be interested in.

It's so easy to ruin a beautifully illustrated book with inferior typography. It's harder to ruin a book with perfect typography with ho hum imagery.

>29 Glacierman: I think that's a fair point that if you have something as elaborate as the Doves Press, you probably don't need illustrations. That said, they were so elaborate, I basically consider their initials and other such decorations as illustrations! Allen Press was the same in many ways. That said, I don't see 1984 as being as ornate as say Shakespeare's sonnets (from Doves press)

>31 astropi:
Pity its all uppercase. Spoils the effect.

>32 wcarter: Also a fair point. I assume Shakespeare did not write his sonnets entirely in uppercase? Still, you have to admit, it's nevertheless lovely :)

>33 astropi:
This raised an interesting point - when were upper and lower case letters developed?
Obviously the terminology comes from the two styles of lettering being stored in different cases above a compositors desk when print started in the 15th. century, but documents written in lower case have been found as early at 80AD, although documents were written entirely in one case or the other until 1300 when the mixed style of using upper case for the start of a sentence and proper names started.
Shakespeare would certainly have written in the modern mixed case style.

>34 wcarter: I was going to say illuminated manuscripts clearly show upper and lowercase. Now Hebrew, does not have upper and lowercase characters, so the Bible and other works in Hebrew don't bother with all that. One really old work that clearly shows upper-lower is the original Beowulf

To be precise (and some might say, pedantic), unless one is discussing printing from type, one refers to capital and small letters with "upper case" and "lower case" being reserved for the two styles of metal type used in those products of the printer's art we all love and collect; they are, after all, printers' terms. And I think that some of those Medieval MSs some consider written in "small" letters are in Uncial, a hand which is neither capital (upper case) nor small (lower case) letters, just uniform in size, ALTHOUGH some later uncial hands did develop what could be called "capital" letters AND many modern type designers came up with "upper case" and "lower case" letters for their designs, because that was the way things are done today. However, we all know what is meant by the use of "upper case" and "lower case." The example shown at >35 astropi: does indeed show the use of capital and small letters.

>32 wcarter: The use of all caps is, usually--as you say--unfortunate, but it can be done to good effect, as in this example, methinks.

>35 astropi:
Some Hebrew letters take a different form when they appear at the end of a word. Not sure when that began, though — must have been in antiquity, as the Qumran scrolls have it.

>36 Glacierman: Since we're being pedantic, it seems there's some confusion here between capital and upper case letters. At least in typesetting, capital case is different from upper case. In English, the two are mostly the same, but in other languages/alphabets you can see the difference. For example upper case for letter "lj" is "LJ", while capital case (i.e., when the letter is capitalized because it's the first word of the sentence, or start of a name) is "Lj". Unicode will also have different code points for this.

>37 kermaier: yup that has been around a long time... good question, I wonder how long? and it's not just Hebrew, but a few other languages too. In Hebrew there are five final characters.

.

>40 U_238: wish I could afford it... sigh :(

>40 U_238: If you're not aware, there is a small (50-ish members) Friends of St. James Park Press on Facebook. You might have some luck there if you're still looking to sell your spot.

And like astropi above, I wish I could afford it, too. :P

An small update from the press on 1984:

Thank you so much for emailing.

Yes absolutely work continues at full speed (which in the letterpress world is actually quite slow for obvious reasons). I have updated the website and am putting more images on Instagram of the work in progress, and in fact there will be more going on the website this week.

I hope to have the prospectuses sent out in about four weeks, as the main paper being used has only just been made by the Paper Mill, given the size of the order it wasn’t in stock straight away.

The highlight today was managing to secure some Whatman paper for the edition, which is especially lovely and sought after. Every day another positive step towards a finished edition!

<43 The book also turned out to not my cup of tea. It felt a little too odd with the different papers, I would have much prefered the text to be printed all on the same paper. I think it put me off getting 1984, which is probably a good thing as I'd have blown my whole book budget for the year (and next year..........) I'm sure it will be beautiful though, and hope I get an opportunity to see it at some point.

>45 punkrocker924:
I thought that the choice of different papers and ‚framing‘ them with the white Zerkall was an inspired choice. What I really disliked was the combination with the many different fonts.

It’s the same reason why I won‘t get 1984. It’s just too much ‚going on‘ with the printed eye, the margins full with the dictionary, different colours, different papers, different artists, and so on.

A nice handmade paper with a watermark in form of the eye every few pages, sparse two-colour printing with a ‚cold‘ font and a nice evocative binding would be in my opinion much more efficient. However, I can’t blame James to put together his dream edition. It’s a matter of taste in the end.

>45 punkrocker924: I think all of the text is printed on the same "white 120gsm Zerkall ohne-Silurian mould-made paper". Only the illustrations are on different papers.

>46 SebRinelli: I see your point. I hope that in the end all the different elements will come together and give a pleasant result.

Those hand drawn and colored end-papers for the special edition are stunning! Wowza.

>48 jveezer:

hi all,

I have a subscription for 1984 standard edition, but due to unforeseen circumstances I must prioritize other expenses, and am looking to transfer my subscription at the original subscription price. Please get in touch in private message if interested.

Interested - PMing you.

>51 CTPress-Tony:
Responded.

It looks like the book is about to ship. You can find some amazing picture on Roger Grech's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cuo50QBI888/?img_index=1

>54 AlexBookshelfFrog:

Being rich is not a prerequisite to assembling a wonderful and enjoyable collection of fine and private press books. This link will certainly point you in the right direction:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/345045#n8184558

>55 dlphcoracl: Great thread. I also really enjoyed the COVID affordable collectors series of threads. I may not be remembering the names correctly, but it had some really great finds.

>56 What_What:

The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Eye Candy series of ten articles in early 2020 covered the other end of the spectrum, ultra high-end and expensive private press books with outstanding wood-engraved illustrations. These articles were meant to provide an interesting visual diversion during the time period when travel, outdoor activities and close proximity to other people were off limits but these were not inexpensive private press books.

>57 dlphcoracl: Ah, I got the series mixed up. Nevertheless, both were therapeutic!

>55 dlphcoracl: Being rich is not a prerequisite to assembling a wonderful and enjoyable collection of fine and private press books.

That's an interesting statement. There are different ways to interpret it. Of course "rich" is relative. That said, an average American making an average salary (around $57,000) can certainly afford some wonderful LEC books, some wonderful Suntup books, etc. However, many many beautiful fine press books are simply expensive - you can't deny that. I would say most fine press books, especially those considered "highly desirable", are expensive. The cloth Thornwillow and the letterpress Suntup AEs are exceptions to the rule. Many magnificent letterpress editions are hundreds of dollars, with of course some easily jumping to $1k or more. You're certainly not wrong, again, one with a modest/small budget could purchase many beautiful editions such as the aforementioned LEC which are underpriced. However, there are reasons why some of the most gorgeous fine press editions are as expensive as they are, and those prices aren't going to go down. So for those starting to collect fine press books, I say:

Welcome! it's a beautiful and lovely hobby, but prepare for your wallet to cry...
:)

>59 astropi: Ooh yes, prepare for dismayed wallets and sacrificing other unnecessary things (in favor of these unnecessary books) like new outfits, video games, etc. 😹 My latest declaration is that in order to buy FS books & LEs and the occasional fine press book more comfortably / with less of a guilty conscience, I'm going to stop buying all "regular" books (e.g. what you could get from a Barnes & Noble) and make myself more comfortable with ebooks.

>61 AlexBookshelfFrog: After getting used to the reading experience provided by Folio Society books, I find it easier to read an ebook than crack open a regular hardback tbh so this isn't too big a sacrifice on my end XD I also recently purchased a remote control which flips the pages of my e-reader for me & hands-free reading is quite pleasant.

By your subscription question, I am assuming you are asking whether I have purchased any St. James Park Press book? If so, no I have not. I thought their Animal Farm looked interesting but of course it was probably long sold out by the time I was even aware of it.

>59 astropi: Did you browse the thread the oracle linked to? There’s a lot more fine press beyond the LEC and Thornwillow - an entire list of 20 presses who all produce(d) beautiful books that are very much within more modest means.

Your comment, and some of the ones that follow, are like someone who’s shopping for their first car saying they accept nothing less than a Rolls Royce, even though they can’t afford it and there are lots other nice cars out there.

I’m not saying you have to force yourself to like books you have no interest in, but if you have a serious interest in the art of fine press bookmaking, the paper, bindings, and legacy of some of those presses, there’s going to be at least a few things that catch your eye.

>62 AlexBookshelfFrog: It was £2,284, not $2,284.

>64 AlexBookshelfFrog: E-ink e-readers also don’t work for you? (I also had trouble being able to read ebooks for nearly eight years now - I found it difficult to take books seriously in this form even though I used to read ebooks a lot when I was younger, and so I stuck to physical books only - but thankfully something changed this year for me and I’m able to enjoy them again.)

>65 What_What: To back up your post, I wholeheartedly agree that there is sooooo much really wonderful work out there that doesn’t cost a fortune. Doing your homework and ‘digging in the crates’ really can pay dividends. I know, as I am one of those that have a very fine collection without being overly wealthy. And speaking from a personal point of view, the ‘big hitter’ items that cost a fortune often do very little for me. Some of the absolute finest and most loved items on my shelves are ones that I’ve paid £500 and (often well) under.

My problem is I have champagne tastes on a water budget.

>68 Glacierman: Easily remedied... you need to find the miracle worker who turns water into champagne :)

>69 mr.philistine: Still searching.....

Books were sent to the binder almost a year ago. Does it usually take year to bind 75 books? Are there updates on Instagram? Haven’t seen any via email.

>72 What_What:

* (deleted)

>73 dlphcoracl:
Roger is involved in Suntups Life of Pi aswell currently (on project I know of right now)

>73 dlphcoracl: The most recent communication I received from James Freemantle indicated that the binding has been completed, at least for some copies, and he is awaiting packing materials to ship the bound copies.

>73 dlphcoracl: According to Roger Grech's Instagram, all standard copies and solander boxes were finished months ago:

All standard copies of 1984 finished (26 May).
All boxes for 1984 finished (13 July).

Only packing and shipping should be remaining, so I guess the question is why that takes so long...

>76 Dr.Fiddy:

* (deleted)

>77 dlphcoracl: wow, I have never seen you so outraged! Is this not a book you are expecting to receive?

The book is complete and ready for shipping according to James. I was just yesterday invited to call in and collect if I was passing. He said he was working on getting the best packaging materials sorted and then it will go out.

Yes I agree, from a business point of view that this is not stella practice, but these guys are not necessarily the best “business” fella’s. Note just what happened to Rich at Lyra’s Books recently.
It appears that “Outrage” is the new norm.

Personally I have waited more than 2 years for this, but every-time I have emailed James with a question he has replied within 48 hours. That comes across as ok to me. What has been your experience?

As a financial controller, I too can’t get my head around having tens of thousands of pounds worth of output waiting on me organising packing material but then again I am not a “printing artist”.

Food for thought, or not.

Kind regards

Paul

>78 paulm16:

* (Deleted)

I think it is difficult to attribute blame here without knowing what the contract states. If the contract offered x1 months for y1 amount, or x2 months for y2 amount you can’t say whether Roger is at fault, or whether James chose a different option.

There has been criticism of another binder recently. I haven’t seen anything but impeccable work from Roger, and when I have contacted him he has always been incredibly gracious and quick at responding to me.

What happend at Lyras recently?
Iam curious.

Rogers books I own are all phenomenal. I love each of them.

I’m stuck on the waitlist, but out of curiosity when was delivery scheduled for?

At least half the time I see “such and such press has had my money for so many years,” they had a fairly long delivery estimate to begin with and aren’t all that far behind on it.

>76 Dr.Fiddy:
>78 paulm16:
>80 DMulvee:

Fortunately, saner, more knowledgeable heads have sent e-mails to me with regard to the time frame for publication and shipping for the St James Park Press '1984' and their comments and explanations are most credible. My sincere apologies to both Roger Grech and James Freemantle for my ill-timed and ill-tempered rant.

Ultimately, the world belongs to those who are patient and, after three years, a three month wait is certainly not the end of the world as we know it.

>81 Ragnaroek: I'm guessing that >78 paulm16: is talking about Coraline? In which case it wasn't to do with the bindings but the delay was because of the complexity of the printing, which no one had foreseen. Also, Rich was sick for quite a few months which also delayed both Arete and Lyra's productions. That log jam is about to break.

I must say I'm not happy with the delay of 1984, but due to some fortunate circumstances I'm in the UK in four weeks and have the opportunity to personally pick up my copy and visit James's workshop. The trip gets better and better.

P.S.: If anyone has some bibliophile must visits in London, Oxford and Salisbury please send me a PM to not clutter this thread. (I have tickets for the Bodleian library and l have been to the British museum.)

How do you spend three years making a book then buy packing material months after it’s finishing binding?

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to keep up with the thread today, after posting my question, so missed the oracles comments. It seems we have/had a state of shared mutual confusion.

>86 What_What: hopefully if you keep digging, the answer may appear.
You know sometimes it just turns out that way.
I would be well pleased if I could do something in a 3 years period that was remembered.

>86 What_What:

I had the same initial response with regard to the discrepancy between time it has taken James Freemantle to print all of his material (two years) and the one year time period it has taken to bind, package and ship. Two factors are primarily responsible:

1. Roger Grech has spent most of 2023 moving his bindery/workshop into a new home. Predictably, this has disrupted his work schedule and made any binding problematic.

2. All of the packing supplies for '1984' are custom made and must be ordered. One cannot go to his or her local UPS Store or Pack 'N' Send to obtain them. This requires that James Freemantle must have a finished copy of the book and solander box in hand to determine the size of the packaging material necessary. After the proper packing material is ordered, there is a predictable wait for it to find its way through the supply chain. When it eventually arrives, James can then determine the exact weight of the parcel to obtain shipping quotes.

Frankly, I was amazed James was able to commission 24 original illustrations (sewn-in broadside posters printed one at a time on his Albion handpress), find and assemble all of the rare handmade papers, and finish design work and printing in two years. That is why I could not understand why an additional one year was necessary for binding/packing/shipping, but it is What_What it is 😊 .

>89 dlphcoracl: Thank you. It really wouldn't hurt for these kinds of things to be communicated. I don't know why, having paid three years ago for the book, I have to go "keep digging" as >87 paulm16: appears to be suggesting. Case in point, you had to express your dissatisfaction with the situation for multiple people to message you with inside information (?) which could have easily been communicated.

With regards to packing supplies, it's hard to swallow. Sometime between one year ago - when the book was sent for binding - and three months ago when it was finished, the measurements of the slipcase should have been known, and custom packaging ordered. As arcane as it might appear to some, it's not that difficult to order some boxes and bubble wrap from ULine, or foam inserts like what Suntup does.

Three years is indeed a LONG time to wait for a book I assume you already paid for? and, a very expensive one at that. However, I have no doubt it will be a masterpiece. Sadly, beyond my price point, but I want to see lots and lots of pictures when it arrives.

>91 astropi: to be fair, I can't speak for anyone else, but when I ordered 1984, there was a relatively small down payment. The remainder was requested early this year. It wasn't paid in full three years ago.

I'm really looking forward to this and suspect it will be the highlight of my modest collection for many years to come.

Just noticed that James has made an update to his 1984 page with pictures of the binding and interior design, as well as an essay on the illustrations:
https://www.stjamesparkpress.com/1984

Can't wait...

>93 Dr.Fiddy:

As with all of James Freemantle's work, it is always worth the wait. I am still marveling at all of the design subtleties in his prior publication 'An Albion in the Antarctic'.

>94 dlphcoracl: I totally agree. I have the facsimile edition of An Albion in the Antarctic and it's just amazing! So, now, just waiting for Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm 😊

Wow, that's the most complete and gorgeous Edition of this book out there. What was the original price for this edition?

>96 Ragnaroek: The subscription price per copy of the standard edition is £2,284 plus p&p. On release, the price per copy will be £3,500 plus p&p. I believe it was sold out long before release.

>93 Dr.Fiddy: think thats been up for a while now, no? was there something more recent that i missed?

>97 ultrarightist:
That's way out of my budget, but great production nevertheless.

>98 wooter: You're probably right. I hadn't checked the web page in a while, so I just got excited when I saw the pictures of the binding and interior 😊

For anyone eager to follow updates, earlier today James posted an update on Instagram, which is also viewable on the "News" page of the Press's website (linked).

I encourage anyone interested to read the source material directly (as is generally my view when referencing anything), but the TL;DR is that '1984' is starting to ship.

--- --- ---

Earlier today I finally had the opportunity to spend time with 'An Albion in the Antarctic' (facsimile edition) and it was thoroughly enjoyable. I found that it read quite nicely. As someone with nearly no prior knowledge of the expedition (not completely zero knowledge, but close), it was enlightening and gave a nice perspective that I don't think is otherwise available. I felt like I was in my own private museum for a couple hours. (I'm also now more inspired to seek out actual museums/collections that have some of the printing that was done in the Antarctic expedition.) I'd encourage anyone with even a passing interest in either hand press history and/or the Antarctic expedition to consider getting your hands on a copy.

I just picked up my copy at James's workshop. It's really stunning in person and the craftsmanship seems superb from the time I spent with it. It was definitely worth the wait. The work that went into every little detail is just stunning. It also was really nice to be able to talk to James. He's a really lovely and very knowledgeable person.

>102 c_schelle: I'm heading over there tomorrow. James is having to deal with a veritable parade of Library Thing denizens — poor guy!

>102 c_schelle: Nice! Any news on Animal Farm?

>104 SebRinelli: The printing of the text seems to be finished. He showed me the linocuts and the finished wrapper which has really vibrant colours.

>103 gmacaree: have a nice day there! It's a lovely print shop

Kind of surprised that there've not been any comments/reviews/photos of this edition yet. Wasn't it supposed to be The Big One this year? I'm not getting one, just interested to hear the impressions of others and enjoy it vicariously.

>106 Levin40: I think most of the people who normally do that sort of thing are waiting for their copy. I'm simply enjoying mine quietly :)

>107 gmacaree: Haha, fair enough. I thought they'd all have been received by now but perhaps not. Glad to hear you're enjoying it though.

Personally I am collecting mine at this event,

https://www.pbfa.org/fairs/oxford-uk-fine-press-book-fair-december-2023

Regarding reviews, James does have an extensive page on the book here on his website,

https://www.stjamesparkpress.com/1984

It has been a while, so I am looking forward to getting my copy in a couple of weeks.

So for 1984 buyers in the US, what did you decide about shipping? I'm thinking of Fed Ex Int Priority - without insurance.

I chose DHL uninsured, which seems to be the most reliable international option to our area east of Seattle. I've received several books from Lyra via DHL with no issue. Coraline only took three days. James sent me a tracking number Thursday, so I'll be anxiously awaiting delivery this week.

I chose FedEx Int Priority with insurance

Big Brother just came to the door... 👀 😊

>113 Dr.Fiddy: The All-seeing eye would look incredible on that package haha.

>113 Dr.Fiddy: Would love to see more photos.

>115 What_What: If only I could take some that could compete with James’ own photos ;)

Just received 1984. This is the best book in my library now.

Already on Abe for a casual 7.9k:
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31731280588

>118 c_schelle: In time $7895 for 1984 will look like a bargain. In April 2022 Rulon-Miller listed a copy of An Albion in The Antarctic on Abe for $5000, which is about ten times the publication price. It's gone now, so I presume they sold it.

(edited to correct typo)

>118 c_schelle: Leaves of Grass by AP had a much higher limitation and last sold for $7,000 on eBay, not to mention the multiple copies listed for over $10,000. And that was not as elaborate a book.

>118 c_schelle: And it's gone...

>121 Dr.Fiddy: I'm not surprised. With a run of only 70 copies, demand has to far outstrip supply in this case.

Any ideas whether this will convince Mr. St James Park Press to increase his production numbers for future works?

>123 jakehmurray: Well, his less extravagant productions already have higher limitations. This one was incredibly ambitious though and seems to have greatly stretched the press's capacity even with just 70 copies. In such cases, how much extra demand there is for more copies is moot.

>123 jakehmurray:
>124 NathanOv:

NathanOv is spot on.

For elaborate, labor-intensive editions like An Albion in the Antarctic and 1984, James will almost surely keep the limitation quite low, well under 100 copies and often 50 copies or fewer. Regarding 1984, an important aspect of this edition was the use of exceptional and rare handmade papers, both old and new. The edition was limited due to the scarcity and availability of these papers, i.e., not enough to go around and make more than 70 copies.

>124 NathanOv: >125 dlphcoracl: Yes, there many factors at work in determining how many copies will be printed in private press work. Demand isn't usually high on that list. As the Oracle pointed out, materials are often a big factor; cost and availability being foremost. Not to mention what kind of press one is using. If using a handpress, such as an Albion, that becomes a major factor, too. Very labor-intensive.

>118 c_schelle: I'd be interested to learn the publisher's perspective on the practice of immediately reselling its scarce titles at significantly inflated prices. In this instance, a Canada-based seller, who appears unaffiliated with any recognized bookseller organizations, appears to be frequently engaging in this behavior. Their inventory includes not only the recent eBay phenomenon Pennyroyal Frankenstein but also limited editions from The Folio Society and Lyra's Press, suggesting potential pre-release acquisition followed by immediate resale at double the original price. While increased profit should ideally go to the publisher, who undertakes significant manual work, fairly implementing such a pricing structure increase across all collectors presents undesirable results. Surely though, from the publisher's perspective, a direct sale to a collector would be preferable to a quick resale involving inflated pricing, of which he receives nothing. Given the current circumstances, it is highly probable that the publisher can ascertain the identity of the seller, whose location change from Toronto to Edmonton merits additional scrutiny.

>127 RogerReads: A certain number of speculators are present in the every class of collectible in every marketplace. Sometimes it works out for the speculator, and sometimes it does not. In the cases where the speculator does make money, it's not as if the producer of the item was in a position to capture the value that the speculator did. How would the customer base feel if they decided to auction all copies to the highest bidders, assuming there was sufficient demand? Frankly, I think the vast majority of producers (publishers, in this case) likely find it much more productive to focus on their core businesses and to keep trying to make items that are so desired that they immediately fetch a premium in the aftermarket.

>127 RogerReads: I'd be interested to learn the publisher's perspective on the practice of immediately reselling its scarce titles at significantly inflated prices.

If the publisher has a perspective on this then they should also have a perspective on collectors who were only able to sell their books for less than was paid, yes? What should they be doing in that case?

What people choose to do what the things they bought and paid for is their own business, not ours or the publisher's. As far as I understand it, James, and every other publisher, makes a book and sets a price that they are happy with, sells it (hopefully) and live goes on.

I’ve got a long list of Suntup books I bought over the last year whose secondary market value I’d love to “hear Paul Suntup’s perspective on” lol. Oh wait, he doesn’t care they’ve lost more than half their value, nor should he.

I can't imagine why someone would have such great concern over what others do with their items, money, time, etc. I also can't imagine a single publisher who would sit back and go "Hm, that's really unfortunate this fantastic piece of work I just poured my life into has increased in value immediately."

Also the notion that a price is inflated gives it such a negative connotation when clearly the market is speaking for itself. Plus no one really laments when folks lose money on other items, such as Suntup's lettered editions. If publishers (and anyone else) had that much concern over "inflated" prices, maybe they should be MORE concerned with their works losing value immediately, often times before books are in hand.

And if you're so curious, go ask James Freemantle what he thinks. None of us can speak for him.

The monetary value of any object is whatever someone is willing to pay for it, thus prices cannot be truly "inflated." As long as someone is willing to pay that price, then it is a valid price. And don't forget that one man's trash is another man's treasure, and vice versa.

I'd be skeptical of sold prices seen on the internet. It's not unheard of for shill-buyers to fake transactions to artificially increase "market value". Not saying that that is what happened in this case but i'd still take it with a grain of salt.

I was chatting to James a week ago and during our conversation he told me that a small number of books had been purchased by book sellers and that he was aware that some had been sold on with a minimum 100% lift on the original price. Those he mentioned had been sold under the radar to the book sellers private clients. I think it fair to say that both he as the producer and I as a purchaser had no issue with that outcome.

James also told me that “The Beauty of Byrne was scheduled for a 2024 completion although it would be December”. At which I broke into raucous laughter and he followed suit. You can’t rush perfection.

The volume of quick and aggressively supportive comments directed towards the seller surprised me as I hadn't attacked them personally. I believe a productive discussion can be had by exploring diverse viewpoints, including those of the seller, the publisher (a member of this forum), and the press community as a whole. Moving forward, I welcome respectful contributions that address the situation and its broader implications.

To >128 whytewolf1:, thank you for your insightful comment. I appreciate your understanding of my perspective: while such behavior may be undesirable, fully mitigating it presents a significant challenge for the publisher. I would also respond that the associated risks were arguably low in this instance (small limitation, established press, significant pre-release buzz).

To >129 booksforeveryone:, I suggest asking him about it, except based on my research, it’s not typically an issue with Saint James Press books, which generally aren’t found below retail (that I’ve found, but I’m a committed buyer if you’re selling at a loss).

To >130 What_What:, the comparison of this Press with Suntup may not be entirely accurate.

To >131 Objectr: and >132 Glacierman:, I appreciate the concept of a free market, but the rapid doubling of the book's price from a mystery shop with no bookselling pedigree raises questions about the transparency and equilibrium of the resale ecosystem, especially considering the recent release date.

To >133 wooter:, this is an interesting point I hadn't fully considered, however the lack of publicly available price history on AbeBooks makes it unlikely versus shill bidding on eBay.

To >134 paulm16:, I had found it noteworthy that ABAA shops known for their extensive fine and antiquarian collections lack any copies of this publication. I thought this suggested a deliberate distribution strategy by the publisher, possibly targeting only collectors, but your conversations suggest otherwise. Thank you.

>135 RogerReads: I don't know what if anything I think about book-flippers. But here's a story:
I am aware of at least one printer/publisher who had a pretty large standing-order list that got a 30% discount on new titles. However, if that publisher found out that one of his standing-order customers was turning around and flipping them, he would not only cancel their subscription but also ban them from buying his books direct again! I am not sure whether this was driven by money (i.e., if anyone's making $$$ off the books, it ought to be the publisher), honor (probably not), or just plain spite (strong possibility).

>136 DenimDan:

A small private press with a large standing-order list receiving 30% discounts on new titles is not very business savvy. There is no reason to discount months, often years, of their labor so frivolously. If these standing orders are from professional booksellers, the private presses should shift the profit burden on them. Let them use and exercise their professional judgment with regard to which new titles will have great demand and they can then purchase them at full value and mark them up at their usual 100% profit.

FWIW, I have no problem with the Canadian bookseller (Gemini Books of Edmonton, CA) having the foresight three years ago to recognize that the SJPP edition of 1984 would become an instant classic, appreciate greatly in value rather quickly and purchase a copy to flip it for a handsome profit years later. Good on him.

>137 dlphcoracl: No argument here, although legitimate dealers got the normal 20% discount from this publisher; his model wasn't the best way to maximize profits, but those days are long gone now regardless.

FWIW, I don't at all object to a bookseller subscribing to a very limited edition years in advance and then capitalizing on his investment upon delivery. Of course, people buy books for all sorts of reasons, and because most collectors think of their own reasons for buying books (collecting, appreciating the work, supporting the printer, etc.), it is difficult to see it from a dealer's perspective. Buying and selling books is a risky business, especially with new titles. Good on him for making a wise investment! Additionally, the person who purchased the second-hand copy is probably delighted to have the book.

Finally, it has arrived! Worth the wait but a horrible delivery experience with FedEx.

>139 kdweber: what happened with FedEx?

>140 SDB2012: They ship it to the US in one day and then hold it for a week not telling me why. Eventually they notify me to fill out an importer form (I’ve never had to do this before with any of the literally hundreds of books I’ve bought from the UK). They really just wanted my social security number. Meanwhile FedEx is trying to send the book back to the UK with James frantically telling them not to send it back. After I’ve DocuSigned the form they’re still telling James they’re going to send it back. He tells them I’ve filled out the form. Even though the form was signed electronically it still took two days for FedEx to acknowledge this fact and set a new delivery date. I stay home the entire day and of course the book is not delivered. The next day I have previous plans and am out of the house for four hours during said interval they attempt to deliver. I then notify FedEx to deliver the book to a nearby FedEx facility. FedEx goes silent for a week and has no update on the tracking page. At this point I figure they’ve probably lost the book but miraculously they finally notify me that they’ve dropped off the book and I have no problem with the final pick-up. I think my big mistake was insuring the package. I bet it would have been delivered in two days instead of almost three weeks. James was very supportive during the whole debacle.

>141 kdweber:

I think (but cannot prove) the quality and efficient of deliveries from private carriers varies widely depending upon the region of the U.S. I had my package sent from SJPP with FedEx fully insured and it arrived in two days without a hitch. In my region of the midwest, both UPS and FedEx have been reliable whereas DHL is a nightmare in my state. Conversely, other LT-ers have had excellent results with DHL. That said, having a package held up because I needed to fill out an importer form is a new one on me.

Like the Oracle, I have had excellent experience with FedEx and UPS, but DHL is a nightmare up here in NW Montana.

>142 dlphcoracl: Did you have to fill out an importer/customs form? I did (I used FedEx).

>141 kdweber: Wow. Mine ships after the holiday via FedEx. Now, I'm rethinking the insurance.

I recently had a watch shipped from Italy via DHL- a lot less valuable than 1984. It was a minor headache and took an extra week or ten days.

>144 ultrarightist:

No. Not at all.

However, two weeks after '1984' was delivered I received an invoice/bill from FedEx to pay an additional $43.67 in customs duties & fees that arose when my package entered the United States. This was all handled at that time by FedEx without any delay in my package and I was subsequently billed 'after the fact'. Perhaps it was handled in this manner because I am registered on the FedEx website including all of my contact information.

Graham Moss sent my copy of his book on E. R. Weiss via Royal Mail. He handled the customs declaration at his end and I don't recall if he insured it or not, but it got here in good time (although I went bonkers waiting for it). IIRC, it sat in customs for only a few days, no more than usual.

>146 dlphcoracl: I received the same bill in the same amount for the same reason. Presumably, your FedEx registration includes your SSN, because I had to provide that on the customs form. In the end, it only delayed my shipment by 2 days, and it arrived safe and sound. Not only did I have to sign for it (as expected), but the delivery guy scanned my drivers license, which is a first for me for a shipment.

>148 ultrarightist: I had two rather expensive shipments from Fleece Press in July. Simon included all the shipping/customs paperwork. A month later I received a billing notice from FedEx for $14.37; two weeks later I received a second invoice for the second shipment for the exact same amount. I’ve never received any customs invoices before or since. However, I had to sign and provide my driver’s license for a recent shipment from Folio Society; first time for that request. I’ve ordered books from at least five different countries; no issues till recently.

>149 EdwinDrood: I think FedEx is the common denominator. I’ve had that same $14.53 charge on every international shipment they’ve handled (6 in the last few months). All had zero customs charges, but include some BS handling charge (MFD or something, whatever that stands for) and then FedEx charges $12 for the pain of collecting the $2.53 from us.

>146 dlphcoracl: Today I received my “supplemental” FedEx bill. To add insult to injury they added an extra $20+ fee for storage, charging me extra for screwing up my order and keeping me in the dark and uninformed. Wow, what a company! That’s the last time I ever initiate a FedEx delivery.

>151 kdweber:

This FedEx supplemental charge phenomenon on international shipments is a new phenomenon and it was the first time I received this. Unfortunately, for me they are the only game in town because many booksellers in the U.K. avoid UPS and DHL is unreliable in my particular state - if a problem arises DHL cannot locate or track a package and their customer service is non-existent, a Kafka-esque game of phantom phone numbers and interminable delays on the telephone. At least FedEx has proven to be reliable with regard to delivering my packages with speed and accuracy. Going forward, I will attempt to avoid this problem and have booksellers and auction houses in the U.K. avoid FedEx.