Private Press and Fine Printing — Complete Collecting Guide

The Book as Art Object

Private press and fine printing collecting is the intersection of literature, visual art, and craft — the pursuit of books that are beautiful objects as well as (or sometimes instead of) important texts. Unlike most book collecting, where the text drives value and the physical book is merely a vessel, fine press collecting values the vessel itself: the typography, paper, binding, illustration, presswork, and design that transform words into sculptural objects. This is collecting at the boundary between the library and the museum, where a book’s aesthetic achievement is as important as its literary content.

Historical Overview

The Origins: Kelmscott Press (1891–1898)

William Morris’s Kelmscott Press launched the private press movement and remains its symbolic center. Morris believed the Industrial Revolution had degraded the book into an ugly, disposable commodity. His response was to return to medieval principles: hand-cut typefaces, hand-made paper, hand-operated presses, wood-engraved illustrations, and elaborate decorative borders.

Key Kelmscott titles:

The Kelmscott Chaucer: Universally acknowledged as one of the most beautiful printed books ever produced. Illustrated by Edward Burne-Jones with 87 wood-engraved illustrations. The vellum copies (13 printed) are among the most valuable printed books of the nineteenth century.

Kelmscott collecting: The press produced 53 titles in total — a definable collection. However, the Chaucer and other major titles are prohibitively expensive. A collection of the smaller, more affordable titles ($1,000–$5,000 each) is achievable and deeply satisfying.

The Arts and Crafts Presses (1895–1930)

Kelmscott inspired a generation of private presses:

The Doves Press Bible (1903–1905): Five volumes, 500 copies. Considered the finest typographic achievement of the movement — pure text set in the Doves type (designed by Edward Johnston and Emery Walker) with no illustration or decoration beyond red initial letters. The type was famously thrown into the Thames by T.J. Cobden-Sanderson to prevent Emery Walker from using it commercially. Complete sets: $30,000–$80,000.

American Fine Printing (1900–1960)

The Grabhorn Press: Edwin and Robert Grabhorn produced over 500 titles in San Francisco, many with California and Western themes. Their robust, colorful printing style is immediately recognizable. A complete Grabhorn collection would be a life’s work; selected highlights are more practical.

The Limited Editions Club: George Macy’s LEC commissioned new illustrations and designs for literary classics, printed in editions of 1,500 signed by the illustrator. Values range from $50 (common titles) to $5,000+ (early titles with major illustrators). The LEC offers a systematic, completable collecting framework.

The Mid-Century Revival (1945–1980)

Arion Press: Andrew Hoyem’s San Francisco press produces large-format, lavishly illustrated books using handset type, hand-operated presses, and commissioned artwork. Editions typically 300–400 copies at $500–$5,000 each. Major titles include Moby-Dick (1979, illustrated by Barry Moser), Ulysses (1988), and The Bible (1999).

Contemporary Fine Press (1980–Present)

The fine press tradition continues with remarkable vitality:

What Makes Fine Printing “Fine”

Typography

The soul of fine printing:

• Handset type: Metal type composed letter by letter (vs. machine composition)
• Letterpress printing: Type impresses into paper, creating a tactile “bite”
• Type design: Purpose-designed or carefully chosen historical typefaces
• Composition: Spacing, leading, margins, proportion — the “architecture” of the page
• Key typefaces in fine printing: Caslon, Baskerville, Centaur (Bruce Rogers), Arrighi, Doves type, Golden (Kelmscott), Gill Sans/Perpetua (Eric Gill)

Paper

Fine press books use superior papers:

• Handmade paper: Individually produced, often with deckle edges; cotton or linen fiber
• Mouldmade paper: Machine-made to handmade standards (Somerset, Rives, Zerkall)
• Japanese papers: Gampi, kozo, mitsumata — translucent, strong, beautiful
• Vellum: Animal skin (calfskin, goatskin); the luxury extreme

Paper identification for collectors: Feel the weight, examine the texture, check for watermarks, note whether edges are trimmed or deckle (untrimmed). Handmade paper has an irregular surface visible in raking light.

Illustration Techniques

Binding

Fine press books typically appear in:

• Publisher’s binding: Cloth or paper over boards (standard edition)
• Quarter leather: Leather spine with cloth or paper sides
• Full leather: Entire cover in leather (goatskin/morocco preferred)
• Vellum: For luxury copies
• Custom binding: Some collectors commission bespoke bindings for unbound books

Building a Fine Press Collection

Approach One: A Single Press

Collect everything from one press:

• Kelmscott (53 titles): $50,000–$500,000+ (the Chaucer makes this expensive)
• Doves Press (50 titles): $30,000–$150,000 (the Bible dominates)
• Arion Press (~90 titles): $30,000–$100,000 (recent; many still available at publication price)
• Ashendene Press (40 titles): $40,000–$200,000
• Limited Editions Club (500+ titles): $10,000–$50,000 (most titles affordable; completeness is the challenge)
• A contemporary press (Barbarian, Foolscap, Nawakum): $5,000–$30,000; still possible to buy at publication

Approach Two: An Illustrator

Collect books illustrated by a single artist:

• Edward Burne-Jones: Kelmscott illustrations (expensive)
• Eric Gill: Engravings for Golden Cockerel Press, his own press
• Leonard Baskin: Gehenna Press and commissioned work
• Barry Moser: Arion Press and Pennyroyal Press (prolific; affordable to collect)
• Clare Leighton: Wood engravings across multiple publishers
• Agnes Miller Parker: Scottish wood engraver; Gregynog Press

Approach Three: A Text

Collect multiple fine press editions of a single text:

• Shakespeare: Kelmscott (cancelled), Nonesuch, Limited Editions Club, Arion, Folio Society, etc.
• The Bible: Doves, Nonesuch, Arion, many others
• Moby-Dick: Lakeside Press (Rockwell Kent), Arion (Barry Moser), LEC, others
• Leaves of Grass: Multiple fine press editions across 150 years
• Budget: Varies widely by text; $2,000–$50,000 depending on ambition

Approach Four: A Period

Focus on a specific era of fine printing:

• Arts and Crafts (1891–1914): Kelmscott, Doves, Ashendene, Vale, Essex House
• Inter-war (1920–1940): Nonesuch, Grabhorn, LEC, Golden Cockerel
• Mid-century (1945–1975): Gehenna, Cummington, Allen Press
• Contemporary (1980–present): Arion, Barbarian, Nawakum, and many others

Approach Five: Typography

Collect books that showcase specific typefaces or typographic achievement:

• Centaur (Bruce Rogers): His books using this Renaissance-inspired type
• Doves type: The Doves Press output (type itself now lost in the Thames)
• Gill types: Eric Gill’s Perpetua, Gill Sans in fine press context
• Wood type: Grabhorn Press and others using large display wood types

Condition and Care

What to Look For

Fine press books should be:

• Clean: No foxing, staining, or soiling
• Bright: Original colors unfaded
• Tight: Binding firm; no loosening
• Complete: All plates, inserts, prospectuses present
• Unrestored: Original binding preferred over rebinding (exception: if issued unbound)

What Diminishes Value

• Sunned spine (even slight fading visible on fine printing)
• Bumped corners (boards show easily on large-format books)
• Missing prospectus or insert (ephemera integral to fine press editions)
• Rebound copies (unless the rebinding is itself a significant artistic achievement)
• Ex-library copies (stamps and labels are particularly offensive on aesthetic objects)

Storage

• Store upright (standard-sized) or flat (oversized)
• Avoid direct sunlight (colored printing fades)
• Maintain moderate humidity (too dry cracks leather and vellum; too humid causes mold)
• Oversized books need appropriate shelf depth
• Slipcases protect but can abrade if too tight

Where to Buy Fine Press Books

The Economics of Fine Press

At Publication

Contemporary fine press books are sold at prices that barely cover costs:

• Materials: Handmade paper, leather, printing supplies
• Labor: Typesetting, printing, binding (often by hand)
• Editions of 100–200 copies must absorb all fixed costs across minimal units
• Publication prices: $200–$5,000 depending on ambition and materials
• Conclusion: Fine press publishing is a labor of love, not a business model

On the Aftermarket

Appreciation varies dramatically:

• Historical presses (Kelmscott, Doves, Ashendene): Steady, significant appreciation over decades
• Mid-century presses: Moderate appreciation; some undervalued
• Contemporary presses: Unpredictable; some titles triple on aftermarket, others available below publication price
• Key driver: The printer’s reputation and the text’s importance determine aftermarket premium

Essential References