Catalogue 30 – Winter 2005

83. (Passim Editions) Ultima Thule. [By] Nicholas Christopher. Woodcuts by Wesley B. Tanner. [Ann Arbor. 2004.] Over 125 color woodcuts throughout. n.p. 12.75" x 10". Printed and bound by Wesley B. Tanner using Bauer Bodoni type and Vit Bloma handmade paper. Title woodcut lettering by Susan Skarsgard. Illustrated boards in red, tan, orange and black; green cloth spine with paper title label. One in an edition of 30 copies, signed by Nicholas Christopher and Wesley B. Tanner. Fine. $1500.00

A new epic poem by the author of A Trip to the Stars, Atomic Field and Franklin Flyer, Ultima Thule is the story of a bold adventurer on a journey to the very end of the world, while the young queen of Sparta waits and ponders her fate. ... [it] is the work of a master at the top of his form.

Nicholas Christopher is well-known for his many appearances in The New Yorker and The Paris Review, and is keenly appreciated by the poetic community, amongst them Anthony Hecht and Catherine McWeeney.

Celebrating forty years as a printer, Wesley Tanner created the book with handmade Swedish paper of the late 1950s, utilizing the rare Bauer Bodoni types. He is now on the faculty of the School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan. His illustrations for this book are well integrated with the text, resulting in a powerful and appealing work.

84. (Perishable Press) Depression Dog/Chapter Four & Chapter Ten from the as yet unpublished novel, The Bitter Half by Toby Olson with Original Illustration by Him Lee, Henrik Drescher, Peter Sis and David McLimans (in order of appearance). All of it faithfully set down & copyright by the Perishable Press Limited. 2003. Double-page black and white illustration tipped in. n.p. 10.5” x 7.5”. The four illustrations made 10 images, which were handprinted from unmounted 11 pt dies. Five typefaces were handset in five sizes and imprinted on/into five differing mouldmade papers, four German, one French, in several shades of white and cream. Bound in cream cloth with light brown illustration across spine and sides of boards. One in an edition of 109 copies. Fine. $775.00

This is the 128th book from The Perishable Press and the 11th collaboration of author and printer. As usual, Walter Hamady has given us a marvellous typographic treat, with several pages of playful typography as design - wonderful!