FINE PIECE OF ANNIVERSARY PUBLISHING
As part of the Reed Books centenary, see my blog yesterday about the history of Reed Books by Dr.Gavin McLean, Reeds have published a “limited edition” of FIRST WALKS IN NEW ZEALAND by A.H.Reed and what a gorgeous piece of publishing it is too.
As Ray Richards, literary agent and former Vice Chairman and longtime employee of A.H. & A.W.Reed, says in his foreword the original book, (for this is a facsimile copy), was written by A.H. in 1917 when he was on leave from Featherston military camp. It was Ray explains “written for his wife, as from a soldier expecting to fight in France, lettered and decorated by his own hand, and never intended for publication”.
As part of the Reed Books centenary, see my blog yesterday about the history of Reed Books by Dr.Gavin McLean, Reeds have published a “limited edition” of FIRST WALKS IN NEW ZEALAND by A.H.Reed and what a gorgeous piece of publishing it is too.
As Ray Richards, literary agent and former Vice Chairman and longtime employee of A.H. & A.W.Reed, says in his foreword the original book, (for this is a facsimile copy), was written by A.H. in 1917 when he was on leave from Featherston military camp. It was Ray explains “written for his wife, as from a soldier expecting to fight in France, lettered and decorated by his own hand, and never intended for publication”.
When Ray left Reeds in December 1976, A.W.(Clif) Reed gave him the book as a retirement gift.
Ray continues , “In this facsimile edition, reproduced to mark 100 years since A.H. founded the House of Reed, you, the reader, can enjoy the first written expression of his love of walking, his , his love of exploring, and his love of New Zealand and its people.”
This is an utterly delightful, charming and very special little book. A great friend of mine very generously gave me a copy and I’m thrilled to own it.
My computer cannot do justice to the artwork and its colour but the two pages above will serve to give you a feel for the interior and style of the book.
With a RRP of $65.00 its probably pushing its maximum price but I guess with the publisher stating that “this copy is one of a limited edition of 750 copies published in 2007 to commemorate 100 years of Reed books” that the price is justified.
My only grizzle is that where publishers state that a book is a limited edition of a certain number then the books in that edition should all be hand numbered.
Otherwise there is always the danger that a publisher might print for sale say 750 copies but then run on 50 review copies and another hundred or so to give away to important clients and the like so that in fact you end up with many more copies in print than is stated.
Apart from this one, all the limited editions I own, and there are not many (!), are
With a RRP of $65.00 its probably pushing its maximum price but I guess with the publisher stating that “this copy is one of a limited edition of 750 copies published in 2007 to commemorate 100 years of Reed books” that the price is justified.
My only grizzle is that where publishers state that a book is a limited edition of a certain number then the books in that edition should all be hand numbered.
Otherwise there is always the danger that a publisher might print for sale say 750 copies but then run on 50 review copies and another hundred or so to give away to important clients and the like so that in fact you end up with many more copies in print than is stated.
Apart from this one, all the limited editions I own, and there are not many (!), are
hand numbered.
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