Don't Buy Paper from a Creep
Saturday C and I went the Paper and Book Expo at the Shriner's Auditorium. The auditorium in Wilmington is a small arena where they hold conventions, the Shriner's Circus and Rodeos and other events. It is amazing what a group of people with common purposes and goals can accomplish.
The Book and Paper Expo sadly did not include paper as in reams of handmade paper but rather ephemera and of course good books. 80 exhibitors and talks all day. We didn't get to any of the talks although I was very interested in the talk about a collection of postage stamps each of which was designed by a type designer, but we didn't have time for that.
Rabaleis Books from Portland Maine was there, and I am so driving up to see them soon. No, not some front for a false thelemic cult but rather a bookstore specializing in Food and Drink books with a special emphasis on cocktail culture. They are having a sale May 14-16. Cocktails of course are not defined as an alcoholic beverage served in a conical glass, but rather as those that contain bitters, drinks without bitters are mere slings. These and other mysteries are being scientifically explored at the Home of the True Masons on the back porch on warm Fridays...
Brattle Books America's oldest bookstore was there with the largest display booth. Conspicuous in its absence was McIntyre and Moore formerly of Davis Square which Utne magazine dubbed the Athens of the 90s and lately of Mass Ave in the former home of Unicorn books. They sadly are going out of business. While not quite the shrill screed of the 12 reasons Avenue Victor Hugo posted at their shop for reasons why they closed (in short - you), M&M blame the economy, the rise of the e-reader, and of course the Internet. I loved McIntyre and Moore and got the start of my printing books there as well as many of my Egyptian books, the stock turned over and you could always find something to buy on every trip. I think perhaps in their reasons to close while partially valid, completely overlooked their own responsibility in moving to a substantially smaller location, not updating their website in years, complete failure to turn over stock, and being a little too price proud. Used bookstores are not museums and if the stock is not moving it is priced too high, lower it to make room for stock that will sell. I also don't buy that people are primarily buying online. Most of the used books I have bought I didn't even know I wanted until I saw them by browsing in a bookstore, and online retailers are notorious for misrepresenting books. There will always be room for the physical book shop. I suspect that they were just tired.
Many of the booths were what appeared to be online shops only, and more surprisingly not even online but rather private collections, certainly an interesting subculture. I was shocked that there were none there that specialized in Books about Books, or printing, but I did find a small printing collection at Retired Books including the rare Printing Poetry. I took a look and it was $150 marked down to $132.50 which seemed like a good price but I wasn't sure, so continued to look.
The American Printing Museum was there and informed me that they were having a sale on type June 11th. I am so there, and will be packing my car with all the Old Style Cloister, and Goudy Old style I can find. While they informed me that type is not made anymore, that is not technically true, its just that there are only a handful of people left in the world making metal type, but there are still limited amounts of new type available, and if you use I recommend buying to keep the craft alive.
North Bennet street school was there with a selection of hand bound books and we had a great conversation with him, about binding and the book The Thread that Binds about bookbinders that I recently read. If you are thinking of getting into bookbinding that is the book to read, not a how to but rather a series of interviews with some to the best book binders in the trade.
We went back and looked at the Printing Poetry. Although I had seen it recommended before, had never come across it. A single edition of 2000 printed letterpress with Monotype type, on custom handmade paper, hand bound. It was a gem and the content wonderful. Covering the full range of printing topics but specializing in printing poetry. How can you not love a book that advises you not to buy paper from a creep, that encourages handmade paper and metal type and the craftsman that make them. the section on presses, the wooden common press from Gutenburg to Franklin in use over 350 years, replaced next by the Iron Handpress which reduced the number of pressman needed from two to one was perfection. Every development past that was for speed, and made by removing control from the pressman. I'd like one of those but you either need a house or a long term lease on a space something I hope to rectify.
But alas the little old lady informed it was not $132.50 as the dollar sign was a highly suspicious pound sign and thus the $150 price stood. We bought it anyway since it was a great price, having double checked on my iPhone and seeing several copies for substantially higher. Then she did the whole dump the cashbox on the ground while shorting me $10 routine. But we quickly rectified that and I now have what looks like will be one of my favorite printing books.
The Book and Paper Expo sadly did not include paper as in reams of handmade paper but rather ephemera and of course good books. 80 exhibitors and talks all day. We didn't get to any of the talks although I was very interested in the talk about a collection of postage stamps each of which was designed by a type designer, but we didn't have time for that.
Rabaleis Books from Portland Maine was there, and I am so driving up to see them soon. No, not some front for a false thelemic cult but rather a bookstore specializing in Food and Drink books with a special emphasis on cocktail culture. They are having a sale May 14-16. Cocktails of course are not defined as an alcoholic beverage served in a conical glass, but rather as those that contain bitters, drinks without bitters are mere slings. These and other mysteries are being scientifically explored at the Home of the True Masons on the back porch on warm Fridays...
Brattle Books America's oldest bookstore was there with the largest display booth. Conspicuous in its absence was McIntyre and Moore formerly of Davis Square which Utne magazine dubbed the Athens of the 90s and lately of Mass Ave in the former home of Unicorn books. They sadly are going out of business. While not quite the shrill screed of the 12 reasons Avenue Victor Hugo posted at their shop for reasons why they closed (in short - you), M&M blame the economy, the rise of the e-reader, and of course the Internet. I loved McIntyre and Moore and got the start of my printing books there as well as many of my Egyptian books, the stock turned over and you could always find something to buy on every trip. I think perhaps in their reasons to close while partially valid, completely overlooked their own responsibility in moving to a substantially smaller location, not updating their website in years, complete failure to turn over stock, and being a little too price proud. Used bookstores are not museums and if the stock is not moving it is priced too high, lower it to make room for stock that will sell. I also don't buy that people are primarily buying online. Most of the used books I have bought I didn't even know I wanted until I saw them by browsing in a bookstore, and online retailers are notorious for misrepresenting books. There will always be room for the physical book shop. I suspect that they were just tired.
Many of the booths were what appeared to be online shops only, and more surprisingly not even online but rather private collections, certainly an interesting subculture. I was shocked that there were none there that specialized in Books about Books, or printing, but I did find a small printing collection at Retired Books including the rare Printing Poetry. I took a look and it was $150 marked down to $132.50 which seemed like a good price but I wasn't sure, so continued to look.
The American Printing Museum was there and informed me that they were having a sale on type June 11th. I am so there, and will be packing my car with all the Old Style Cloister, and Goudy Old style I can find. While they informed me that type is not made anymore, that is not technically true, its just that there are only a handful of people left in the world making metal type, but there are still limited amounts of new type available, and if you use I recommend buying to keep the craft alive.
North Bennet street school was there with a selection of hand bound books and we had a great conversation with him, about binding and the book The Thread that Binds about bookbinders that I recently read. If you are thinking of getting into bookbinding that is the book to read, not a how to but rather a series of interviews with some to the best book binders in the trade.
We went back and looked at the Printing Poetry. Although I had seen it recommended before, had never come across it. A single edition of 2000 printed letterpress with Monotype type, on custom handmade paper, hand bound. It was a gem and the content wonderful. Covering the full range of printing topics but specializing in printing poetry. How can you not love a book that advises you not to buy paper from a creep, that encourages handmade paper and metal type and the craftsman that make them. the section on presses, the wooden common press from Gutenburg to Franklin in use over 350 years, replaced next by the Iron Handpress which reduced the number of pressman needed from two to one was perfection. Every development past that was for speed, and made by removing control from the pressman. I'd like one of those but you either need a house or a long term lease on a space something I hope to rectify.
But alas the little old lady informed it was not $132.50 as the dollar sign was a highly suspicious pound sign and thus the $150 price stood. We bought it anyway since it was a great price, having double checked on my iPhone and seeing several copies for substantially higher. Then she did the whole dump the cashbox on the ground while shorting me $10 routine. But we quickly rectified that and I now have what looks like will be one of my favorite printing books.