Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - January - 2009 Issue
Recent Acquisitions at the Veatchs Arts of the Book
Westvaco inspires printers to use more paper.
Item 9 is a collection of images from the great 18th and 19th century wood engraver Thomas Bewick. Aesop's Fables. A Portfiolio of Wood Engravings was produced from 30 original wood blocks, though it was published in 1974, almost two centuries after Bewick produced them. They stood the test of time. $600.
Speaking of wood blocks, item 18 is a collection of 36 engraved blocks created by master engraver Asa Cheffetz. They were produced for the 1938 Limited Editions Club Almanac for Moderns. They range in size from 1" x 1 1/2" to 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". Images include birds, animals, landscapes, the shore, starry nights, a ship, airplanes, and a portrait of Charles Darwin. $2,400.
Westvaco (originally West Virginia Paper Company) was noted for its paper mills. As a paper supplier, they naturally wanted to encourage more printing, so they provided this publication to spur more paper usage: Westvaco Inspirations for Printers. Item 1 is a collection of eleven of these issues, mostly from the 1920s (but one from 1958). They include many articles on various aspects of printing. $150.
To reach The Veatchs Arts of the Book contact 413-584-1867 or veatchs@veatchs.com. Their website is www.veatchs.com.
