Oak Tree Fine Press - Any experiences?

I recently came across Oak Tree Fine Press (http://www.oaktreefinepress.com/) who happen to be one of the only presses so far (along with Arion) offering letterpress editions of Margaret Atwood's work. They've also got multiple volumes by Toni Morrison.

Their pictures are stunning and work sounds high quality, but I couldn't find any mention of them on here, with very little other online presence - one particular red flag being their "latest series" they launched in 2017-18 that only has one volume listed.

Anyone purchased from them before?

>1 NathanOv: I have! I own the Toni Morrison Nobel Prize Lecture from them, and have seen a handful more in person. Their work is good. All of their profits go to HIV/AIDS research, if I remember correctly. Worth supporting for that alone.

They are often a little vague on the production details. Everything is bound by hand (I think?) but only sometimes letterpress. In fact, if I remember correctly most of their editions are printed offset.

They're an interesting test case for the debate over what constitutes fine press.

>1 NathanOv: I have their Philip Pullman ‘A Outrance’ (Somerset Edition,bound in half-leather) and their Toni Morrison ‘Beloved’ (a concertina format booklet,containing only the final chapter of ‘Beloved’,signed by Morrison). Both are printed letterpress,I think. As grifgon mentioned,profits from their book sales go to support children living with,or impacted by,HIV/AIDS. Their website is difficult to follow.

So happy to see you mention them! I have most of their First Chapter series in deluxe bindings, but the edition of theirs I especially love is À Outrance by Philip Pullman. I have the Somerset deluxe edition and I think it's stunning (description and link below) -- then again, it was also my first ever fine press purchase, so it also holds a special place for me. Text and engravings printed by Hand & Eye, bound by Smith Settle. If I was better at photos I'd take some. But I just love the edition. And they have always been wonderful people to order and communicate with, though it's been many years now!

http://oaktreefinepress.com/pullman/somerset/index.asp

Fifty numbered copies half-bound by hand in calf with marbled boards. Each volume has been meticulously printed letterpress by hand on traditional cast iron Heidelberg Press one sheet and one colour at a time on mould made Somerset paper. In addition to signing the book, Philip Pullman has inscribed each copy with a line of text. Each volume is encased in its own slip case trimmed in leather and accompanied by a set of six woodcut images used within the book. Each print is signed by the author and artist and is produced in a format suitable for framing.

Trim size - 250 x 340mm portrait
Extent - 48pp
Engravers - Andy English, Chris Daunt & Harry Brockway
Typeface(s) - Adobe Caslon
Origination, Repro - 16g zinc plates made by Alpha Engraving
Print process - Letterpress
Printer - Hand & Eye Letterpress
Bound, finished by - Smith Settle, Yorkshire
Text paper - Somerset Mould Made
Paper supplier - R K Burt & Sons
Leather - Calf
Marbled Boards - Anne Muir Marbling/ Iris Nevins
Slip case - Colorado Cloth/ Calf Leather

>4 eanson: wow, didn’t realize they worked with Hand & Eye as well! That edition definitely got my attention.

I’d seen the nonprofit aspect, which I think is great - just had trouble establishing their credibility!

Hopefully they’re accepting orders.

>5 NathanOv: I really felt like that edition was just way under radar for what it is! I too hope they're still taking orders, because after a long delay, I need to order the last two in the First Chapter series :) -- one of which includes a signed Antony Gormley print!

>6 eanson: since it sounds like you have the Atwood First Chapter, do you know if it’s essentially identical to the shared visions?

I know it covers the same work and both seem to include the Yoko Ono print, but the shared vision version seems to imply being longer than just a chapter.

>7 NathanOv: I've never seen the shared vision editions myself, but I always thought it was primarily a difference in binding and case? The Atwood volume actually includes the opening chapters up through "The Toronto Star, 1975" (the edition is 52 pages). My guess is the content is the same for shared vision?

Also, seconded to grifgon's comment that not all their work is letterpress, like the Pullman. For instance, these First Chapter titles are offset . . .

>8 eanson: I’m not necessarily a believer that all fine press books be required to be printed letterpress, but isn’t the Shared Visions version of Atwood’s title letterpress?

>9 NathanOv: Agreed with you there! And re: Shared Vision I'm really not sure honestly (and this is a spot where the website isn't clarifying for me there, unlike the Pullman, where they give full specs). I'd be really interested to know as well . . .