1ultrarightist
I recently acquired this Lovecraft edition in the Abyssal state. A great little book of high quality, although I wish the font size was larger. The illustrations evoke an aura of weirdness. A curious handwritten note, presumably from the publisher, was included. It reads, "This copy does not exist! It was destroyed, so that the total edition would = 175 (i.e. not 176...)" The signature is indecipherable.
2grifgon
I have a few books that include notes in the same vein!
In most cases, this is because the books are variant test bindings (i.e. a book otherwise identical to the main edition, but bound in a different color cloth, from when the press was deciding what materials to work with). In one case, the colophon includes the note, "NOT AN GENUINE COPY," because the text block is upside down. Understandably, presses can't bear to throw out perfectly good books just because they don't conform to the edition (or in the above case, rightside-up conventions).
In this case it sounds like an overage, but it's strange because usually these are just marked O.S. (out of series) or E.A. (epreuve d'artiste) or A.P. (artist proof). I've seen a few cases where the colophon isn't marked at all – which is of course dangerous because anybody could simply pencil in what they wanted.
I'm actually pretty opposed to using pencil at all to number fine press books, because I've known of one case of a person actually altering the number in an attempt to increase the value (if I remember correctly, the book went from #29-or-something to #2 with the erasure of a digit).
Really neat case. Thanks for sharing.
In most cases, this is because the books are variant test bindings (i.e. a book otherwise identical to the main edition, but bound in a different color cloth, from when the press was deciding what materials to work with). In one case, the colophon includes the note, "NOT AN GENUINE COPY," because the text block is upside down. Understandably, presses can't bear to throw out perfectly good books just because they don't conform to the edition (or in the above case, rightside-up conventions).
In this case it sounds like an overage, but it's strange because usually these are just marked O.S. (out of series) or E.A. (epreuve d'artiste) or A.P. (artist proof). I've seen a few cases where the colophon isn't marked at all – which is of course dangerous because anybody could simply pencil in what they wanted.
I'm actually pretty opposed to using pencil at all to number fine press books, because I've known of one case of a person actually altering the number in an attempt to increase the value (if I remember correctly, the book went from #29-or-something to #2 with the erasure of a digit).
Really neat case. Thanks for sharing.
3ultrarightist
>2 grifgon: You're welcome. I do not think that this is a case of overage, however. The book is lettered within the Abyssal state (A-Z), and the note is written on a separate sheet of notepaper. I wonder if it is an affectation by the publisher for one of the press's "collaborators and friends" (per the state description on HM's website).
4astropi
We discussed this in detail in the Lovecraft thread :)
https://www.librarything.com/topic/225012
https://www.librarything.com/topic/225012
5kermaier
The Abyssal state is the same as the Batrachian (please confirm: black cloth over boards, page edges trimmed?), but that lettered series was reserved for private distribution, not for sale.
6ultrarightist
>5 kermaier: All of the above confirmed
7ultrarightist
A couple of other things:
The colophon states that the copies of the Abyssal state have been "bound in different ways, by different people," yet as far as I can tell the binding of my copy is exactly the same as the copies in the Batrachian state.
A question for those of you who own a copy in the Batrachian state: are each of the chapters preceded by a sepia-toned tissue guard with the illustration from the chapter heading printed on it, both recto and verso?
Correction: not preceding each of the chapters; rather, preceding the first chapter and the colophon.
The colophon states that the copies of the Abyssal state have been "bound in different ways, by different people," yet as far as I can tell the binding of my copy is exactly the same as the copies in the Batrachian state.
A question for those of you who own a copy in the Batrachian state: are each of the chapters preceded by a sepia-toned tissue guard with the illustration from the chapter heading printed on it, both recto and verso?
Correction: not preceding each of the chapters; rather, preceding the first chapter and the colophon.
8kermaier
>7 ultrarightist:
My copy’s tissue guards (and there are only those two) have nothing printed on them.
Mine, by the way, is initialed by the illustrator on the frontispiece. I think relatively few of the Batrachian state received that treatment — how about the Abyssal?
My copy’s tissue guards (and there are only those two) have nothing printed on them.
Mine, by the way, is initialed by the illustrator on the frontispiece. I think relatively few of the Batrachian state received that treatment — how about the Abyssal?
9ultrarightist
>8 kermaier: Interesting. So that is one difference between the Abyssal and Batrachian states - printing on the tissue guards. If anyone has the Ichthyic state, is there printing on the tissue guards in that state?
To answer your question, no the frontispiece is not initialed in my copy.
To answer your question, no the frontispiece is not initialed in my copy.
10opto4
>8 kermaier: >9 ultrarightist: I have both the Batrachian and the Icthyic. My Batrachian is the same as kermaier's, including the initials on the frontispiece. It has an oddly-shaped tip-in that says "This is one of a few dozen copies initialed on the frontis by the artist, for early subscribers."
The Icthyic has printing on the tissue guards, with the chapter heading illustration printed on both sides, as described by ultrarightist above. This printing is one of my favorites elements in the book. My copy of the Icthyic does not have an initial on the frontispiece.
As might be expected (since the text for the two editions are printed on different paper), the Batrachian and the Icthyic use different papers for the tissue guards.
The Icthyic has printing on the tissue guards, with the chapter heading illustration printed on both sides, as described by ultrarightist above. This printing is one of my favorites elements in the book. My copy of the Icthyic does not have an initial on the frontispiece.
As might be expected (since the text for the two editions are printed on different paper), the Batrachian and the Icthyic use different papers for the tissue guards.
