October 29, 2010

Bespoke books give new meaning to print on demand

by

With talk of e-books dominating the conversation these days–everyone’s reading them, Amazon may or may not have sold some number of Kindles but no one’s sure, and look! now e-books are in color–a growing number of commentators (including Electric Literature‘s Andy Hunter, whose smart essay on “Literature, Plugged In” we discussed earlier this week) are proclaiming that the future of the printed book is as an artistic object or collector’s item.

Fortunately, you don’t have to wait, because the future is here. Following the trend in bespoke suits, bicycles, and everything else, a new company called Bespoke Editions is planning to offer one-of-a-kind, hand-finished editions of literary classics, complete with fine Japanese papers and stamped leather bindings. The company’s Mike and Kate Hyde have tapped Richard Weston, the force behind the popular design blog Ace Jet 170, to design the books using typographic principles derived from the original bespoke books: medieval manuscripts. Writes Weston: “It’s spot on; imagine being able to buy someone their favourite, classic novel, made to your unique specification.” According to the company’s site, they plan to begin selling the books on a limited basis later this year.

Christopher King is the Art Director of Melville House.

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