Item Details
Specimens of Diverse Characters.
New York: Russell Maret, 2011. Limited Edition. Hardcover. "Composed of three sections, Specimens opens with a multichromatic display of short texts set in a variety of styles. Following this, a selection of alphabets are displayed in lengthier texts appropriate to their forms: Baskerville's Great Primer is displayed in a chapter from Candide; a new translation from Cicero's Second Philippic is set in Cancellaresca Milanese Terzo; Saturn is displayed in a chapter from Vitruvius on the design of temples; Strand Serif in a selection of new prose peices by Mark Strand; etc. Finally the book concludes with a section of notes detailing the alphabetic and textural sources for each specimen.
Specimens is printed from photo polymer plates and metal type in a wide array of colors. In all, sixteen complete alphabets are displayed; one of which, Iohann Titling, has been cut, fit, and cast in foundry metal specially for the edition at the Dale Guild Type Foundry. The paper was handmade with a custom laurel leaf watermark at Velke Losiny in the Czech Republic." The deluxe copies, in addition to a special binding, "are bound in full leather using two different skins, housed in a quarter leather clamshell box, and accompanied by a suite of state proofs and alternate settings as well as a form of new metal type locked into a chase inside the box."
A noted Special Collections librarian, when asked to describe Ætherwold, etc. stated, "Brilliantly concieved and perfectly excuted. The masterpiece of Maret's generation." Maret once described Ætherwold as a "prospectus for Specimens". There is no credible challenge to the first statement and the second...suffice it to say, has merit. Outstanding. Fine in Fine Archival Box. Tight, bright, and unmarred. Quarter bound, red leather spine, grey leather boards, silver gilt lettering, laid in portfolios and type; matching drop-spine archival box. fo. np. Illus. (color plates). Numbered limited edition, this being K of the 15 deluxe copies [in addition to the 50 standard copies]. Item #7551
Price: $20,000.00