Old Mrs. Chundle; A Short Story...
Los Angeles: Privately Printed [by Richard Hoffman and John Urabec], 1978. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Duodecimo size, 26 pp., one of 50 copies. Fine. Item #25032101
Richard John Hoffman (1912-1989) has been described as both "a bookman's bookman" as well as "a printer's printer". He began his printing career at the young age of 12 when he helped to install a printing press in the bell tower of a church in order that the church's bulletins could be printed. He worked in the printing world his entire life, both as a teacher and a designer/printer. His early career was devoted to the Press of Los Angeles Junior College/Los Angeles City College, and later at Cal State LA, at all of which he both worked and taught.
It would be later in life, upon his retirement in 1978, when he would produce some of the most creative of his works, including this one, in the year of his retirement. Although this short story by Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) had been published previously, we cannot believe it has ever been more charmingly issued. As is stated in Petco: "A modern Southern California private press book comparable in nature and in quality to anything printed in England or the Continent by any of the great private presses of the 20th century. This book is truly a jewel of letterpress printing and classic design."
Issued in an edition of fifty copies for private distribution; as of this writing there are none online and our search of OCLC locates eight copies with institutions.
___DESCRIPTION: Quarter natural linen with a paper spine label with black lettering and decorations, boards covered with grey-green paper with an illustration of a rose on the front cover in black (binding design by John Urabec), light blue endpapers of Urabec Hoffman all-rag handmade paper, title page in red and black with Trenholm ornaments and an Eric Gill Floriated Initial capital letter that begins the story; types Linotype Granjon with Ludlow Garamond for display, printed on white Urabec Hoffman all-rag handmade paper watermarked with their initials (a charming side note: John Urabec "supplied the moulds, felts and his own Brooks Bros. shirts for making the paper"), octavo size (8 1/4" by 6 1/4"), pagination: [4] 1-20 [1, blank] [1, colophon in red].
___CONDITION: Fine, the boards clean, straight corners without rubbing, a strong, square text block with solid hinges, the interior is clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; clean, crisp, and as new.
___CITATION: Petco, no. 265.
___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.
___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB, and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help.
Price: $350.00