Gravesend Press (12 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. John De Pol (illustrator). First Edition. Lexington, Kentucky: The Gravesend Press, 1967. The final imprint of The Gravesend Press , the booklet was completed by Bob Middleton after the death of James C. Graves in 1960. Decorated with wood engravings by John De Pol. First Edition. Decorated paper boards. Fine. Illus. by John De Pol. 16mo.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Blue cloth gilt and with a leather spine label gilt, slipcase, 12mo., unpaginated, illustrated with 24 copper-engraved colored drawings by Fritz Kredel. One of 500 numbered copies designed by Gotthard de Beauclair and printed by Ludwig Oehms, with hand stencil coloring by Schauer & Silvar. Signed by Kredel. Small four-page greeting with a colored Kredel wood engraving laid in. and the prospectus. But for the upper 1 1/2 mm of the label missing, a fine copy in archival mylar in the original decorated paper-covered slipcase, which is near fine but showing two small, but faint red stains. Signed by Artist.

Hardcover. Condition: Good. Hardcover - clean, no marks, clean inside, no dj - from a private collection - Includes dedication card - "Presentation Copy =This little book is sent to you with the very best wishes of Lucy & Joe Graves, founders of the GRAVESEND PRESS".

Hard Cover. Condition: Very Good binding. Small octavo. [8] vii, [1], 16, [2] pp., illus. Limited edition, one of 500 copies. As issued in paste-paper over boards bound by Elizabeth Kner with printed paper title label on the front cover; partially unopened. 16 in-text engravings from Bewick's blocks printed in brown grace the pages of the charming volume. Light rubbing to the extremities of the binding including a scuffed spot on the front board; interior is fine. Designed by Joseph C. Graves, this is the second issue with his imprint, though Graves's friend Philip Reed executed the presswork at his Chicago print shop. Graves ran the Gravesend Press as a sideline from about 1949 through to the end of his life in 1960 issuing scarcely more than half a dozen books. While less known that some of his contemporaries he took his place amidst a vibrant mid-century printing and illustrating scenefriends with Victor Hammer, Carolyn Reading, Philip Reed, Fritz Kredel, John DePol, John Fass, and others. H. Richard Archer in a history of Graves and his press published in The Kentucky Review (Spring 1987) summarizes Graves's work thus: "All of the books, whether pamphlets or bound books, reflect the taste and high standards of a true amateur craftsman, and, as such, they certainly qualify as choice examples from one of this generation's most distinguished private presses.".

Hard Cover. Condition: Very Good+ binding. 18mo. [20] pp., 24 plates. Limited edition, numbered 194 of 500 copies, signed by Kredel. As issued in cloth with leather title label on the spine and gilt vignette on the front cover; in patterned-paper slipcase. An exceptionally nice copy with a bit of sunning to the spine label; only light rubbing to the extremities of the slipcase and a bumped top edge. A beautiful publication with Kredel's wonderful illustrations here hand-colored through stencils by Schauer & Silvar. Graves writes at the end of the preface, "Fritz Kredel has never let the exacting requirements of his craft interfere with his engaging interest in puppets and dolls. These little drawings (here reproduced on copper in their exact size) are a labor of love." Graves remarks in his bibliographical confession that this book was undoubtedly the most popular work issued by the Press. This copy from the library of Norman Sondheim with his bookplate on the front pastedown. Graves, The Gravesend Press: A Bibliographical Confession, p. 15-17.

Original Wrappers. Condition: Near Fine binding. First Edition. 12mo. [4], 5, [3] pp., frontis, illus. Limited edition. As issued, sewn into pastepaper wrappers with printed paper label on the front wrapper. A beautiful copy with three engravings by DePol including the final tail-piece, "Finis / Gravesend / Press." The book was nearly complete, already set in type, at the time of Graves's unexpected death in 1960. After many years, Joe's wife and partner Lucy Graves decided to complete this edition as the final Gravesend imprint, complete with the prophetic tailpiece. An absolutely charming piece of Lexington history and most certainly a part of the private press movement that was burgeoning. No indication of the size of the edition.

Original Wrappers. Condition: Very Good+ binding. Octavo. 19, [1] pp., illus. Limited edition, one of 500 copies. As issued, sewn in printed wrappers with printed paper label on the front wrapper. Light toning to the extremities; contents clean. A wonderful narrative bibliography from the short-lived Gravesend Press of Lexington. Graves operated the press as a sideline from about 1949 through to the end of his life in 1960 issuing scarcely more than half a dozen books. While less known that some of his contemporaries he took his place amidst a vibrant mid-century printing and illustrating scene?friends with Victor Hammer, Carolyn Reading, Fritz Kredel, John DePol, John Fass, and others. H. Richard Archer in a history of the Graves and his press published in The Kentucky Review (Spring 1987) summarizes Graves's work thus: "All of the books, whether pamphlets or bound books, reflect the taste and high standards of a true amateur craftsman, and, as such, they certainly qualify as choice examples from one of this generation's most distinguished private presses." Despite the fairly large limitation, this is not a terribly common book in commerce.

Hard Cover. Condition: Very Good+ binding. 12mo. [8], 78, [4] pp, illus, music. Limited edition, one of 200 copies from the regular edition. This copy signed by Kredel at the colophon. As issued, in blue silk over boards; lacking the slipcase. A trifle sunned at the spine, but generally a very nice copy. This book with all the engraved music and illustrations by Kredel constituted one of the greatest challenges for the Gravesend Press. A seemingly monumental undertaking for a part-time printer, the book requiring three years to complete with countless backwards steps including reprinting sheets when errors were found, fighting with the forms in order to the wood engraved music situated in the composed type. In 1955 Graves writes of "having no end of trouble with the Aucassin, especially with V. Hammer and Jacob looking over my shoulder. It is terrifically difficult. I can get myself into the damnedest situations" (qtd in. Archer p. 10). A worthy challenge as this is a wonderful book and contains by Graves's assessment some of Kredel's finest woodcuts. This copy is signed by Kredel, not the case with every copy of the regular edition. In addition to the 200 in silk over boards, there was an additional 25 copies bound in vellum with colored illustrations. Archer, H. Richard. "Joseph Graves and the Press of Gravesend." The Kentucky Review, 7.1 (1987). Graves, The Gravesend Press: A Bibliographical Confession, p. 13-15.

Hard Cover. Condition: Very Good+ binding. Small quarto, 7" x 5.25." [8], 7, [1 (blank)], [1 (colophon)] pp., illus. Limited edition, one of 273 1/2 copies printed "when the publishers discovered they had run out of paper." As issued, backed in cloth with pastepaper over boards and a printed title label on the spine. Light staining to the front board; perimeters of the boards are a trifle toned. Contents clean. This is the first issue from Joseph C. Graves and his Gravesend Press just outside of Lexington, KY. Graves operated the press as a sideline from about 1949 through to the end of his life in 1960 issuing scarcely more than half a dozen books. While less known that some of his contemporaries he took his place amidst a vibrant mid-century printing and illustrating scenefriends with Victor Hammer, Carolyn Reading, Fritz Kredel, John DePol, John Fass, and others. H. Richard Archer in a history of the Graves and his press published in The Kentucky Review (Spring 1987) summarizes Graves's work thus: "All of the books, whether pamphlets or bound books, reflect the taste and high standards of a true amateur craftsman, and, as such, they certainly qualify as choice examples from one of this generation's most distinguished private presses." Scarce. This copy from the library of Confederate historian and bibliographer, Richard Harwell with his name plate on the front pastedown. Laid in is a folded, three-paragraph TLS from the publisher, Joe Graves to "Mr. Hartwell" thanking him for a book, "The Confederate Search For A National Song" that presumably Harwell sent him. The final paragraph comments on the Fritz Kredel woodcut that graces the letterhead and was designed by Kredel for his friend Graves as a printer's mark. Offsetting to rear of the letter from adhesive where Harwell pasted it to one of the final blank leaves in the book (it too has toning from that adhesive). A fantastic inclusion and association for a book that is remarkably uncommon in commerce. This is a wonderful association in light of Harwell's 1975 book on the social and mixological history of the mint julep. The Gravesend Press: A Bibliographical Confession, p.5-6.

(THE GRAVESEND PRESS) A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE OLD EPISCOPAL BURYING GROUN IN LEXINGTON, KY. Lexington: (1967). 12mo. Stiff wrappers. (10) pages. First edition. Illustrated by John De Pol, this book about graveyards was set in type but no yet printed before Joseph C. Graves' death on June 2, 1960, and was here completed by Bob Middleton in December 1967, as the final Gravesend Press boo Fine.

1st Edition. Kredel, Fritz. First edition, no 412 of 500 copies printed by Ludwig Oehms at Frankfurt am Main, signed by Kredel. 24 handcolored drawings by Fritz Kredel. Blue cloth, small chip to leather spine label, spine lightly faded with small nick, in paper board slipcase 24 handcolored drawings by Fritz Kredel First edition, no 412 of 500 copies printed by Ludwig Oehms at Frankfurt am Main, signed by Kredel. Signed.

Vellum Binding. Condition: Near Fine binding. 18mo. [10], 48, [4] pp., illus. Limited edition, number 9 of 200 copies. As issued, in vellum-backed patterned-paper over boards. Lacking the slipcase. A handsome copy with only light toning to the perimeters of the boards; contents clean. This copy with 4-page prospectus. This work was the first book issued by the Gravesend Press that was actually printed using the Graves' press in their stable by Graves and Jacob Hammer. Kredel's charming engraved pressmark of a sleeping pressman graces the final page. Graves writes about this in his Bibliographical Confession, the donkey in the window was their family pet, Patience. Graves operated the press as a sideline from about 1949 through to the end of his life in 1960 issuing scarcely more than half a dozen books. While less known that some of his contemporaries he took his place amidst a vibrant mid-century printing and illustrating scenefriends with Victor Hammer, Carolyn Reading, Fritz Kredel, John DePol, John Fass, and others. H. Richard Archer in a history of the Graves and his press published in The Kentucky Review (Spring 1987) summarizes Graves's work thus: "All of the books, whether pamphlets or bound books, reflect the taste and high standards of a true amateur craftsman, and, as such, they certainly qualify as choice examples from one of this generation's most distinguished private presses." Press historian Roderick Cave notes that this was "probably the most successful Gravesend book" (p. 263). Cave, The Private Press (2nd edition); Graves, The Gravesend Press: A Bibliographical Confession, p. 11-13.