New Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species LE

Info from the Folio's email:
Launching February 6th, limited to 500 hand-numbered copies, an exclusive introduction by A. C. Grayling and a new picture selection by William Bynum

Oooh thanks, very interesting, potentially dangerous even as I'm not meant to be remotely interested in LEs these days.

I wonder whether the William Bynum is the British emeritus Professor in the History of Medicine or the American former basketball player?

The LEC Origins was added to my wishlist not too long ago, i'm curious whether Folio has something that will tempt me away from the LEC edition.

Also, I hope this isn't the start of some crazy LE plan where Folio release one a month.

>3 wongie: I'm in a similar boat. Always been tempted by the LEC, but never pulled the trigger (although assumed I would at some point). Will be interesting to see if this edition can entice me...

>4 EdmundRodriguez: I seriously doubt Folio will come up with a better illustrator than Paul Landacre from the LEC's version.

>3 wongie: I hope this isn't the start of some crazy LE plan where Folio release one a month.

I know what you mean. Actually, I might possibly be able to cope with an LE every month if I was confident their choices would be more interesting and actually new to Folio. I already have a very nice Folio SE of the Darwin and have no need for another one. I used to buy a high proportion of Folio LEs. That's slowly grinding to a halt. I bought four in 2023. None so far in 2024. Into my mailbox has just popped an ad for a standard edition of Alice in Wonderland, signed by CVS, limited edition. No thanks Folio. I already have the LE (or should I say THE LE). I used to enjoy waiting for the LE choices to be revealed. These days, they are just a pale shadow of former times. I shudder to think what Joe Whitlock Blundell makes of it all. I'd hate to think I've bought my last Folio LE.

>5 LeBacon: I agree.

>6 folio_books: They certainly do seem to be issuing LEs at a tremendous rate in comparison to the old days.

They released 9 LE's last year, which was their most since 2017. They've been averaging about 7 per year in the interim.

I think I will be happy enough with the SE when I get around to buying it. I'm still interested to see how this will turn out.

I don't have the SE so could be tempted here.

The book does look really nice, but I already have the SE and am happy with it. I’m not one to find value in LEs for the sake of LEs, so I only buy something if it’s only available as an LE. Having two young kids to support, I’m happy with not finding many LEs worth buying!

For anyone who hasn't seen the picture of it —




I don't want to get it - famous last words of mine - especially since then I would have to actually read it, but I can also see myself being tempted by something dumb (like a silhouette of a tortoise on a slipcase) or something less dumb (like nice art/pictures). I do have a giant stack of books to catch up on thanks to the recent sale and the King re-release so unless this sells like hotcakes, I can sit on it for a bit.

Also yes, yes I am missing the FS logo.

>12 BooksFriendsNotFood: Thanks for posting the picture! I think I’ll have a hard time resisting that one…

>13 Dr.Fiddy: My pleasure! Glad you like the book ◡̈

I don't need the book, but that marbling is luscious.

https://www.foliosociety.com/row/on-the-origin-of-species-limited-edition.html

>15 ambyrglow: The marbling is by Jemma Lewis. I'm currently having a book made and was able to get some of her marbled endpapers which was a relief because I love her work but it can be a challenge to aquire stock from her as she is an individual artist who is in demand. When getting some of her papers seemed iffy I looked into other marbling artists but none looked quite as good as what Lewis is producing.

I had been hoping for 395 but I bit the bullet anyway, it does seem like a rather solidly sized volume. It hasn't quite deterred me from taking the LEC edition from my wishlist though...

>17 LeBacon: I can also vouch for her stuff, I've amassed quite a collection of her marbled papers and commissioned her for a range of custom sheets last year for a rebind project and was fantastic collaborating with in coming up with designs inspired by the originals from the book I'm rebinding; she's also quite open with using different base papers she's used in the past but doesn't marble with much on these days, some of my commission sheets were done on Hahnemuhle Bugra Butten and Ingres which produced some wonderfully tactile marbles.

I think it looks fantastic. I love the marbling and the general look of it. Sadly it will have to be available for a while before I could afford it.

Do we know which edition of the text they’ve chosen to print?

And the really good news is - free copy of the 2024 Diary with all orders over £100. Does this mean you get four copies? Or. if you're really unlucky, five? Shades of Year Round Things To Do ...

Yet another LE not for me.

>21 folio_books: What's put you off this one Glenn?

That's beauteous. Going to be hard to budget against other wants, but a nice release all the same.

>20 CabbageMoth: "first edition from 1859"

I think it looks good, a nice weighty tome. Origin of Species has been on my TBR long list for many years, maybe this would encourage me...

>22 assemblyman:

I'm having a tough time trying to buy new LEs right now. They either want to flog me very recent SFF (no thank you) or trundle out LEs that I already have as a perfectly decent SE.

The Slipcase is lined in Merida kraft paper, if anyone is interested in this piece of information.

Not a fan of the spine so this is a pass from me

Could an SE be expected if this were to sell well?

If it had been at around the £300 mark I would have indulged but I’m priced out at the current price

>25 folio_books: I can understand that. At the rate they seem to be releasing LEs these days hopefully you will find something you like this year.

I like the look of this one. The combination of leather and marbling does appeals to me but unless it turns up in a sale I can't see myself getting it at that price. If they had 500 on sale to begin with it looks like 120 have sold.

>18 wongie: 'it does seem like a rather solidly sized volume'

11 1/2" x 8". It's not small.

(The non-limited edition is 10" x 6 3/4", for those who like to know these things.)

>21 folio_books: 'Yet another LE not for me.'

But it's got '40 fabulous plates', ah, hah, hah!

'free copy of the 2024 Diary with all orders over £100. Does this mean you get four copies?'

Nope. I didn't see one added to my basket so I checked the Ts & Cs and LEs don't count, meanies. I'm gutted, I tell you, gutted ;-)

>27 DMulvee: 'Not a fan of the spine'

I like mine, it holds me up ;-)

More seriously, it is a tad dull, although not so much as to put me off ordering this.

>28 Priyesh2022: There's this one, though I don't know if it's a straight SE (same plates and text and all).

https://www.foliosociety.com/on-the-origin-of-species.html

>28 Priyesh2022: 'Could an SE be expected if this were to sell well?'

There is a current SE: https://www.foliosociety.com/on-the-origin-of-species.html

It's smaller than the LE and has different illustrations and I don't see any mention of which version of the text it uses in Folio's blurb but I'm sure somebody here can enlighten us regarding that point.

>33 Shadekeep: oops, paths crossed there. I think this SE has been available for some years but I don't know exactly how long.

>35 Cat_of_Ulthar:

Without actually stretching my legs, relying entirely on my spreadsheet, 2006. Long time.

There's no serious way I was going to pay £500 for this unless I won the lottery this week, as I'm quite content with my SE as one of a handsomely bound 4-volume matching set. Like >27 DMulvee: I don't at all care for the spine design. The marbled boards look lovely though.

Nonetheless, I'm happy for Folio that, like the other recent LE that's on its long way to a diminutive planet where natural selection hasn't provoked joy, Darwin is selling well. 500 is probably a good number for a LE to provoke collective FOMO.

I think it looks great; a bit like the LEs of yesterday. As I don't have the SE, or any other edition of it, it was an instant buy. Also, appreciate that the text is that of the first edition from 1859.

>35 Cat_of_Ulthar: thank you both!

I’m surprised they have released a LE in circumstances where a reasonable SE already exists!

Thanks again for the steer!

>36 folio_books: 2006.

I had a feeling it had been a long time but I don't trust my memory so much these days. I do recall that four book Darwin series which I passed on because I already had a rather hefty omnibus volume of his works.

I am wondering why now? It doesn't seem to fit with any anniversary of Darwin or the various editions of the book (the sixth edition was 1872 which is almost but not quite 150 years).

Nonetheless, I am glad they're doing it :-)

>39 Priyesh2022: You're welcome. But don't be surprised, these Folio people, they do strange things!

>33 Shadekeep: They actually link to that SE from the LE page saying “An edition that is not limited of On the Origin of Species is available here” - so I wouldn’t expect any other SE to be forthcoming anytime soon…

The spine design reminds me a lot of the Dickens IV set from FS.

I much prefer my 4 volume Darwin from the Victorian Expedition line (the SE currently for sale).

>42 antinous_in_london: Aye, that seems a reasonable assumption.

>32 Cat_of_Ulthar: For me it looks worse than Mommsen’s History of Rome, which of course was just a standard edition. I think the interior looks great, but there will always be different versions of this book, so I don’t need to take the plunge unless I love all aspects

Is it possible for one of our kind administrators to remove the superfluous 'upcoming' from the title of the thread?

>46 cronshaw:

What "upcoming"? ;)

I suppose you'll eventually have to remove the "New", too. 😊

>48 Shadekeep:

Good question. How long does it stay new? I'll give it some careful thought.

I was excited for this book but that is extremely expensive for what you're getting. $830 USD after shipping and taxes which is more expensive than Thornwillow's Song of Solomon half leather is a tough sell. It's in the Arion subscriber ballpark range. Maybe i'll pull the trigger before it sells out but, boy, Folio LEs are insanely pricey these days!

>50 Joshbooks1: It still puzzles me that a company like Amaranthine can produce a fully leather bound, fully letterpress edition (of Sherlock Holmes for example) with handmade marbled end-papers & specially made paper and a much lower limitation of 200 (and free shipping) for almost exactly the same price FS are charging (£520 v £510) for something like this…

>47 folio_books: Thank you! You're too cute for words :)

>51 antinous_in_london:
Amaranthine has the nicer paper aswell. 100% Cotton . . . 160gsm I think.

The newest release (2001 Space Odyssey ) is even more startling. You could compare it to the new Beowulf Folio LE.

Most people that buy from FolioSociety don't know much about the book craftsmanship. You can easily see that, when reading some of the reviews under their books . . .
You pay premium for the label is my guess.

At that price? Just get the LEC and another nice book besides.

I like this and have ordered. A seminal work that altered mankind's ideas about itself, therefore worthwhile having the best possible copy.

>54 gmacaree: I looked up the LEC edition, that is a beaut. Love the artwork. I think that's the edition I'd go for if I were after this title.

I like the design more than many other recent Folio LEs, but the bar for handing over $1000 CAD for one book is pretty high. I can get a lot of book for $1000 CAD. I hope the design influence persists into other titles though.

>30 Cat_of_Ulthar: For those of you interested in a more manageable size the following might be promising:

https://www.kroneckerwallis.com/product/on-the-origin-of-species-charles-darwin/

I do not own a copy, so I cannot personally vouch for the quality of its production. But it is much smaller than the Folio SE and LE.

>56 Shadekeep: I'm not always a huge LEC booster and there are many Folios I'd recommend over the LEC edition, but I don't think this one is close, especially since you can get fine copies of the LEC for less than half the price of this release. I'm certainly not tempted to side-grade!

I find the edition attractive in its appearance, but not in price. I will go off on a tangent and pose a question. Why are some authors according to FS only suitable to write a new introduction for a book? A.C. Grayling in this case is a frequent contributor to Folio but his own work always gets passed over. I don't know him like UK residents probably do, but in short he is a philosopher in the humanist tradition and apparently not an Anglican (outright atheist). I would find it very interesting to see one of his better books (up for debate of course) to be published by Folio, to put out a follow up on a theory and a book from 1859. It could be a good counterpart in the FS catalogue to Christianity by Diarmaid MacCulloch (and it would balance the popular/academic debate). I'm interested to know what other devotees think.

>60 NLNils: "I find the edition attractive in its appearance, but not in price."

My reaction exactly. I've been thinking about the Thucydides (£400) and the Beowulf (£625), and even the latter seems better value than this. At £250 or even £295 I'd have jumped for this at once. At £350 I'd have been sorely tempted. But £500 just seems way off, particularly as the text itself is presumably public domain now. Very disappointed, because it is very nice, but I just can't get my head around the price.

It’s evident that LE pricing has reached the “what can we get away with?” stage. If punters will continue to pay, there’s no reason for FS not to keep pushing prices upwards and they’ve currently found a strategy that works, despite my and other’s grumbling. But then, I don’t understand how people make money off of social media either, and it seems they’ve tapped this demographic rather effectively. This edition is a very easy pass for me. The four-volume Darwin series from a few years back is more than sufficient.

>59 gmacaree: I've seen the LEC go for around $125 US - it's a beautiful production and is signed by the illustrator Paul Landacre who is, in my opinion, one of the all-time greats. Like you, I don't see how the choice between Folio's LE and the LEC is even close.

>59 gmacaree:
>63 LeBacon:

There's also the humble Heritage Press version (the New York, 1963 edition, not the later Connecticut printing) for anyone who would like an inexpensive taste of the beautiful Landacre engravings, albeit reproduced by other means rather than printed from the blocks, I assume.

As someone who has never read The Origin of Species, is it fair to say that the plates in the FS editions (standard and LE) are designed to support one's understanding of the text by giving examples of Darwin's findings, while the LEC's illustrations are more of an artistic exercise? I don't claim one is more suitable, just trying to understand the different approaches.

This has never been on my TBR list because, in my ignorance, I assumed it would be a dry, slog of a read. The more I have read about it in the last couple of days, the more I hear that it's a fairly entertaining and readable text even if the reader isn't terribly inclined towards scientific texts.

I've also seen recommendations to start with the Voyage of HMS Beagle. I'd welcome any thoughts on this too!

>64 GardenOfForkingPaths: I'd certainly recommend reading Voyage of HMS Beagle first as it provides so much context.

>64 GardenOfForkingPaths: From what I've seen of the plates I'd say you have it correct about the intent of each approach.

Okay I was just in my science class talking about Charles Darwin and now this shows up that's odd.

Looks like I just won the Folio LE lottery!

Here's a few quick snaps of book and the small intro by William Bynum on the choice of illustrations for this edition along with a few samples. In hand this is a very substantial volume, the binding is solid. I'm not entirely sold on the look of the spine and shade of brown but am satisfied with the overall design, especially sans the FS monogram which does make a visually unique spine amongst other Folio volumes. No buyer's remorse yet.

>68 wongie: Congratulations on the getting number one. Your photos unsurprisingly show it looks much better than the FS official ones. I love that marbling.

>68 wongie: Kudos, and it is indeed a handsome volume.

>68 wongie:

Congratulations on snaring the elusive no. 1. Maybe one day I'll be as lucky but I'm not holding my breath. Enjoy!

>66 Shadekeep:
>65 cronshaw:

Thanks for your thoughts! I'll read Beagle first. My TBR pile is completely out of control at this point, so one more will make no difference.

Looks fairly nice. The 20% US buyer’s premium is too steep for me not to mention I’m happy with my LEC edition.

>73 kdweber: Same. Plus, the LEC edition has illustrations printed very crisply from the block/plate.

>68 wongie: There's always been a rumor that the #1 copy goes to the Royals, or something like that!
I once asked the FS about this, and the response was literally "We can not (will not) answer that question". So cool to see that actual people can get copy #1 :)

>75 astropi: Or is "wongie" Camilla's screen name here? I can totally see Charles calling her that.

>75 astropi:
Copy number one of every LE initially went to the owner of the Folio Society, Lord Gavron, then after his death, Lady Gavron, but when the FS was sold to its employees that practice stopped and it is now luck of the draw for any purchaser.

Ordered my copy I do have the Easton Press 4 book set but On The Origin of Species is the 6th edition so will be nice to compare the two I like the looks of this one and it being the first edition and limited was a had to get.

Is there anyone that does like colour of the spine?

Funnily enough, last week I was talking about how much I like the brown cover of the 1995 The Life of the Bee.

>79 motto9373: I don't dislike it. Works nicely with the gold, and is a simple naturalistic brown shade.

>68 wongie:'s pictures removed most lingering doubts about this LE. The book in hand removes them all, convincingly. This is a fine piece of work, vastly superior to the old SE which many of us Devotees will have. The goatskin leather binding has a good feel, with a satisfactory smell, and is very well matched by Jemma Lewis's marbled paper boards. I like the paper, Munken Pure - the same one as used for The Moonstone, and typeface, with just the titling face used to give a hint of C19th flavour. The large format gives the page decent space. The new introductory material seems appropriate and good. Altogether very pleasing.

After years of buying many LEs, I've bought just five direct from the FS in the past three years. Of these, The Moonstone was made by the elite German team of Memminger and Josef Spinner, but I notice the other four are all UK made: the Herodotus and Thucydides printed by Northend in Sheffield, the Hardy poems and this by Pureprint in Sussex, and all four bound by Smith Settle. This represents quite a change.

Value? So personal it's hard to judge how it will seem to others, but not too bad from my point of view. Perhaps the UK making (a Brexit effect?) has added some cost reflected in the price, but I have detected no obvious compromises on quality. And as Warwick notes above (>55 wcarter:) it's an important book.

>81 affle:

Nice review, Alan. Thought-provoking, too. You now have me wondering if I made a mistake passing on this one. I was quite content with my long-serving SE before I read this. To save someone the bother of saying it, I know it's still available from Folio but my chances of landing a low limitation number are vanishingly small so I'll keep the one I have.

Anyway, I'm very glad you like it.

Edited to add: I had no complaints about the price from the outset. I thought it was fair for what was obviously a quality volume.

>82 folio_books:
I was never too worried about limitation numbers, Glenn, but after I snagged number 2 of Madame Bovary I knew I'd peaked, and bothered even less. On this one I had a good long think, partly because you'd said you were passing, so the limitation got to 83 before I moved.

I also picked up a copy and am happy with it. It's a book I do intend to read, and this will be a lovely edition to read it in!
It is possible I'll pick up the LEC one day as well, but it had been on my watch list for years and I'd never picked one up (despite reasonable opportunities). I've never been a big fan of the LEC's binding, whilst the goatskin and marbled paper of the FS LE suits me very well.

I'm happy to see folio publish editions of important science works at this quality. Micrographia (LE) has long been one of my favourites.

>60 NLNils: I've never read any of Grayling's books but I've read some of his newspaper pieces and heard him on the radio and he's always struck me as an interesting and thoughtful person. Good fodder for Folio, perhaps.

Michael Moorcock's another writer with several Folio intros under his belt and I think it's way past time we had one of his own books from them.

>63 LeBacon: Landacre's art is wonderful but, if you ask me, it's more suited to fantasy or weird fiction than science. I wish he could be resurrected to do a Folio At the Mountains of Madness :-)

>71 folio_books: I like to think I'm very much of the number-doesn't-really-matter school of thought but I have to admit, that's pretty cool. Congrats :-)

>79 motto9373: 'Is there anyone that does like colour of the spine?'

Me. I like it. I did say the spine as a whole was 'a tad dull' but that's because the overall design seems a bit staid and traditional. Which is not bad as such. It suits a book of this age, even if it was ground-breaking at the time.

And it really sets off that gorgeous marbling on the boards.

>81 affle: 'The book in hand removes them all, convincingly.'

Hear, hear!

>86 Cat_of_Ulthar: Now there's an idea!

130/500 sold, according to an email I've just received from FS.

Happy Darwin Day!

>91 PeterFitzGerald: That sales figure does not sound very impressive to me.

Perhaps some Darwinian selection process is underway....

>93 English-bookseller: Perhaps or could be it will take a while to sell since it is in the higher price range. I expect mine at a lower limitation number since I purchased it Friday.

>93 English-bookseller: I'd say 130 copies in a week is pretty good going for a £500 piece of 19th century non-fiction.

We should resist the idea that some £295 YA or genre fiction selling out in 2 hours heralds a new kind of normal or Folio might get the idea to publish even fewer classics.

>95 ubiquitousuk:

Exactly right - two or three years in stock would seem more usual for this kind of offering.

>95 ubiquitousuk:
>96 affle:
It's not so very long ago we would expect LEs to remain in stock for several years. If memory serves Mort was the first instant seller and that wasn't even a "proper" LE,

Received my copy and it is number 113. Very impressed with this edition I have read and looked at other editions and this one tops them all!

I wonder if they'd consider printing a SE of 'Almost Like a Whale' by Steve Jones.
It's a modern update of evolutionary theory ('The Origin of the Species - Updated'). It would make a nice companion to go alongside this.

>68 wongie: What's that tool you're using to keep the book open for display?

>100 islandbooks: https://stiltbookcradles.com/