Bibliographical Press – Page 3

Shakespeare’s Sonnets 127 to 154, printed in 2016; The Dark Lady sonnets

Sonnet 128, Gordon Chesterman, Cambridge

Sonnet 129, Medlar Press, Jonathan Ward-Allen, Ellesmere

Sonnet 131, The private press of Robert R. Reid

Sonnet 132, Aragó Press, Arvon Wellen, Washington, USA

Sonnet 136, Elizabeth Willow, Kelsall, UK

Sonnet 137, The Letterpress Collective, Bristol

Sonnet 138, Bedplate Press imprint of The Printing Museum, Wellington, New Zealand; Dan Tait-Jamieson

Sonnet 140, Matt Kelsey, Camino Press, Saratoga, California

Sonnet 140 detail, Matt Kelsey, Camino Press, Saratoga, California

Sonnet 142, Emily Green and Arthur Green

Sonnet 143, Officina Tanuki, Rochester, NY

Sonnet 144, Mile Wide Press, Eileen M Wallace with Dr. Sujata Iyengar

Sonnet 145, Selene Fisher, Dogwood Island Press

Sonnet 148, Rob Firth, The Wood Royd Press, South Yorks

Sonnet 149, Mark and Rita Knudsen, Elmwood Press, California

Sonnet 150, James Freemantle, St James Park Press, London

Sonnet 151, Miles Wigfield, The Reading Room Press, Gloucestershire

Sonnet 153, Arcangela Regis, Lauren Press, Barcelona

Shakespeare’s Sonnets 121 to 126, printed in 2016

Vile or vile esteemed? Look hard for the ‘missing’ lines in Sonnet 126. More to come on these sonnets, with notes of their making, in a later blogpost.

Sonnet 121, Rebecca Elliot, Meekling Press, Chicago

Sonnet 121, fig. 1: vile. Rebecca Elliot, Meekling Press, Chicago

Sonnet 121, fig. 2: vile esteemed. Rebecca Elliot, Meekling Press, Chicago

Sonnet 122 [colophon], Kirilka Stavreva, Cornell

Sonnet 123, Book Arts League/ Gregory Robl, Colorado

Sonnet 124, IMPRIM17/Les petites allées Nathalie Rodriguez & Michel Bon, Rochefort-sur-mer, France

Sonnet 126, The 38 Step Press, Adam Smyth, Oxford

Shakespeare’s Sonnets 100 to 120, printed in 2016

In 2016, the 400 year after William Shakespeare’s death, the Bodleian Library asked printers around the world to print his sonnets afresh. These are the results.

See more Shakespeare sonnets printed in 2016

Sonnet 117, The Press of Robert Lo Mascolo, Union Springs, New York [detail]

Sonnet 100, Yehuda Miklaf, Shalom Yehuda Press, Jerusalem

Sonnet 101, Chris Campbell, Big Wheel Press, Massachusetts

Sonnet 103, Jeff Pulaski, Wichita State University, Red Rooster Press

Sonnet 104, Michal Pomeroy, Binding Impressions, Stratford, Ontario

Sonnet 106, John G. Henry, Cedar Creek Press, Mason City, Iowa

Sonnet 107, Martha Chiplis, Berwyn, Illinois

Sonnet 108, David Wakefield, 23 Press, Flimwell, East Sussex

Sonnet 110, Julieta H. Adame & David Vassie, Pixel Press, London

Sonnet 111, Shona Branigan, Salmon Jam Press, Consett, Durham

Sonnet 112, Raymond Nichols & Jill Cypher, Lead Graffiti, Newark, Delaware

Sonnet 113, Julie Russel-Steuart, Caveworks Press

Sonnet 115, Bob Oldham, Ad Lib Press, Turrialba, Costa Rica

Sonnet 116, Kae Carlstedt-Duke, The Lazy Dog Press, Newport, Isle of Wight

Sonnet 118, Monica Kidd, Kidd Letterpress, Calgary, Canada

Sonnet 119, Liz Menard, Skunkcabbage Press, Toronto

Transformations in print

The block of 'Adam', printed over the edges of the folded paper — ‘Adam’, printed over the edges of the folded paper

The top half of the paper raised to show 'Eve' — The top half of the paper raised to show ‘Eve’

The 'mermaid' block printed in the centre of the sheet — The ‘mermaid’ printed in the centre of the sheet

The 'Adam' block shown with the printed result — The ‘Adam’ block shown with the printed result

The 'mermaid' and 'Adam' photo-etched metal blocks — The ‘mermaid’ and ‘Adam’ photo-etched metal blocks

The Bodleian’s Bibliographical Press continues experimenting with techniques from the hand-press period. This transformation print [see pictures of the original] held at Bodleian MS Wood E 25(10) is one of several from the 17th and 18th centuries containing the same general theme under the title, ‘The beginning, progress, and end of man’. The Bodleian’s copy has the imprint, ‘Printed for J. Deacon, at the Angel in Guilt-spur Street‘. The same images appear in an edition at Harvard with the imprint, ‘London: Printed by E. Alsop for T. Dunster, 1654‘; another version, ‘Printed by B. Alsop for T. Dunster, 1650‘, is in the Thomason collection at the British Library. Several other versions exist, and the Bodleian also holds a manuscript version from the 18th century.

At Broadside Day 2017, in the Weston Library, Jacqui Reid-Walsh will speak about ‘The beginning, progress, and end of man’ as an interactive text.

Meanwhile, Richard Lawrence at the Bodleian’s Bibliographical Press is experimenting with printing transformations using two blocks; here using reproductions in zinc based on the Bodleian’s copy. From this experiment it appears that the transformation could be achieved using two blocks, ‘Adam’ and the ‘mermaid’; one printed on the centre of the sheet, and the other printed over this on the outside, after the upper and lower edges were folded to meet in the middle. As further evidence for this hypothesis, the Bodleian’s copy shows blocks printed over the deckled edges of the paper. We still wonder why, in these 17th-century editions at least, the title (on the outer side) and imprint (on the inner side) are interrupted by large gaps at the latitude of the join.

Thanks to Kim Vousden for graphic design to prepare the images for reproduction as printing blocks.

Collections containing over 30,000 ballads in Bodleian collections are accessible online at http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 99, printed in 2016

Peter Rukavina, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, printed Sonnet 99 for the Bodleian’s appeal for Shakespeare’s sonnets printed by any means of relief printing in 2016, the 400th anniversary of the poet’s death. The images below, supplied by Peter Rukavina, indicate the process. The finished product can be seen in this animation, by Adam Koszary. https://youtu.be/2LHpc0kFzss

Sonnet 99, Peter Rukavina, Reinvented Press, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Letterpress printed on a Golding Jobber No. 8 Press.

Preparation for printing part of Sonnet 99. Photo: Peter Rukavina

Printer's copy for Sonnet 99, printed by Peter Rukavina — Printer’s copy for Sonnet 99, printed by Peter Rukavina

Shakespeare’s Sonnets 78 to 98

This series is called, ‘Figures of delight,’ after the title given to Sonnet 98 by Ken Burnley, Silver Birch Press. NOTE – missing sonnets will be supplied in the correct place as soon as photos are made!

Sonnet 78, Wolverine Press, USA: a resetting of page 92, vol. 8 of the first U.S. edition of Shakespeare's plays and poems (1796) — Sonnet 78, Wolverine Press, USA: a resetting of page 92, vol. 8 of the first U.S. edition of Shakespeare’s plays and poems (1796)

Sonnet 79, Andy Taylor, The Elrod Press, UK

Sonnet 80, Brian McMullin, Ancora Press, Melbourne, Australia

Sonnet 81, Alexandra Janezic, Iowa City, USA

Sonnet 81 (detail), Alexandra Janezic, Iowa City, USA

Sonnet 82, Emily Loker, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada

Sonnet 83, Daniel Schneider, Old Vans Press., Michigan, USA

Sonnet 84, Andrew Judd, Belmont Hall Press, Malvern, UK

Sonnet 85, Ivan Gulkov, Pillowface Press, Mountain View, California, USA [picture credit: Ivan Gulkov]

Sonnet 87, Susan and Michael Daniell, The Atlantis Press, Oxford, UK

Sonnet 89, Annette C. Disslin, Stemwede-Oppenwehe, Germany

Sonnet 89 [alternative version], Annette Disslin, Stemwede-Oppenwehe, Germany

Sonnet 91, Elizabeth Fraser, Frauhaus Press, Cambridge, UK

Sonnet 92, Ian King and Sally Evans, The Callander Press, Callander, Scotland, UK

Sonnet 94, Heather Hale, Hale Press, Stowe, Vermont, USA

Sonnet 95, Sarah Teppen, Bone Earring Press, East Lansing, Michigan, USA

Sonnet 97, Wendy Partridge, Zygote Press, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA

Sonnet 98 (detail); Ken Burnley, Silver Birch Press

Sonnet 98, Ken Burnley, Silver Birch Press, The Wirral, UK

Shakespeare’s Sonnets 58 to 77, printed in 2016

Sonnet 59, printed at the Bodleian Bibliographical Press

Sonnet 61, Rosie Fairfax-Cholmeley, The Wytham Studio, Oxford

Sonnet 65, students of University College Oxford

Sonnet 66, printed by Alumni of the University of Oxford at the Bodleian Bibliographical Press

Sonnet 67, Alexander Overton, Scarborough, Ontario

Sonnet 68, Bonnie Bernstein, Virginia Book Arts

Sonnet 69, Tremblay Letterpress Printing Company, Florida

Sonnet 70, Chris Charles, Moon Rabbit Press

Sonnet 71, Mike Day, Long Day Press, California

Sonnet 76, Tim Dunn, Moonstruck Press, New Hampshire, USA

Sonnet 77, Liz Adams, Juxon Press, Oxford

Shakespeare’s Sonnets 37 to 56, printed in 2016

Sonnet 37, Stephanie Newman, Faux Pas Press, Bozeman, MT

Sonnet 39, Sue Globensky, The Cranky Press, Ottawa, Canada

Sonnet 40, Jamie Murphy, The Salvage Press, Dublin

Sonnet 41, Julia King, Massey College Bibliography Room, Toronto, Canada

Sonnet 42, Dr Jonathan Topham & Dr Jennifer Young, Historical Print Room, Centre for the Comparative History of Print, University of Leeds

Sonnet 43, Chloe Arielle Foster, East Lansing, Michigan

Sonnet 44, Andrew and Jean Dolinski, The Carpathian Press, Berkshire, UK

Sonnet 46, Bonnie J. Loukus, Copper Country Arts, Michigan

Sonnet 47, Christopher M. Brinson, The Haven Press, Holland-on-Sea, Clacton

Sonnet 48, Chris Barker, The Smallprint Co. Derby

Sonnet 49, Lucia Passerini, Il buon tempo, Milan

Sonnet 50, Tammy and Adam Winn, The Red Door Press, Des Moines, Iowa

Sonnet 51, Rachel Marsh, Semple Press, Devon

Sonnet 53, Wililam Bentley/Graciela Saettone, The Petrarch Press, Oregon House, California

Sonnet 54, Juan Pascoe, Taller Martin Pescador, Michoacan, Mexico

Sonnet 55, Patrick Goossens, Letter-kunde Press, Antwerp

NOTE: Sonnet 38, printed by Armina Ghazarian, in Ghent, will be pictured in an update of this post.

Shakespeare’s Sonnets 19 to 36, printed in 2016

Sonnet 19, Imprimerie Tudor Noir, France

Sonnet 20, The Old Stile Press. Nicolas McDowall. Linocut by John Abell

Sonnet 21, Kenneth Burnley, Juniper Press, Liverpool

Sonnet 22, Karen Charlesworth, Saltwater Songs, York, UK

Sonnet 23, Simon Lawrence, The Fleece Press, Huddersfield, UK.

Sonnet 24, Bodleian Printers, Bibliographical Press, Bodleian Library

Sonnet 25, Lisa Miles, Dutchess Press, Iowa City, USA

Sonnet 26, Rollie Kent, The Turtle Press of Vancouver, Canada

Sonnet 27, Nanette Wylde, PreNeo Press, Redwood City, California, USA

Sonnet 28, Richard Lawrence, Hurst Street, Oxford, UK

Sonnet 29, Leslie Evans, Sea Dog Press, Watertown, Massachusetts, USA

Sonnet 30, Michael Richards and Morgyn Phillips, Vagantes Press, Murrumbateman, Australia

Detail of Sonnet 30, linocut by Morgyn Phillips

Sonnet 31, Flowers and Fleurons, Brighton, UK

Sonnet 32, Graham Moss, Incline Press, Oldham, UK

Sonnet 33, Dan Tait-Jamieson, Moana Road Press, New Zealand

Sonnet 34, Radha Pandy, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Printed on naturally dyed Islamic-world pape

Sonnet 35, Amelia Fontanel and Steven K. Galbraith, RIT Graphic Arts Collection, Rochester, NY, USA

Sonnets printed in 2016 welcomed to the Bodleian Libraries

The Bodleian Libraries welcomed two unique sets of sonnets into the Libraries’ collections at a special event on 10 November, 2016.

Close up image of a letterpress printed sonnet

One was a set of sonnets written by Oxford schoolchildren as part of a series of workshops led by the Poet of Oxford Kate Clanchy. The other was a unique collection of Shakespearean sonnets that have been hand-printed by printers around the world as part of the Bodleian’s Sonnets 2016 project.

Catriona Cannon and Miles Wigfield — Deputy Librarian Catriona Cannon thanks Miles Wigfield, President of the Oxford Guild of Printers, who presented the collection on behalf of all the sonnet printers.

Professor of Poetry Simon Armitage and Richard Lawrence examining the replica press in Blackwell Hall, Weston Library

Images of the sonnets received are shown in other posts on The Conveyor