Great books should be outstanding not only
in literary content but also in their physical form - this has
been the philosophy of The Folio Society since its inception almost
sixty years ago
Our pleasure in reading is enhanced by the book itself, in which
typography, illustration, paper, printing and binding all play
a major part in creating a harmonious whole
In a world of declining publishing standards, where most books
are cheaply printed and bound using low-grade materials, The Folio
Society resolutely and unrepentantly sets store by traditional
values of excellence; for our designers and production personnel
the term 'quite good' means 'no good' - only the best is good
enough
The Fine Book has an illustrious history - from illuminated manuscripts
through the early days of printing, when masters such as Gutenberg,
Caxton and Aldus Manutius set high standards for the rest to follow,
and continuing with the Fine Press movement of the late 19th and
early 20th centuries
All these books were produced to perfectionist standards, designed
to please discerning book-lovers not just of their own time but
for generations to come
At The Folio Society we are proud to claim our place in this tradition,
respecting but never slavishly imitating the styles of the past,
and devising and creating the very best books for the 21st century
The Illustrations
All Folio Society fiction, poetry and drama titles contain illustrations
from the finest exponents of their art in the world today - almost
all commissioned fresh for our editions
Great care is taken to choose the right artist for every book,
suiting their particular skills to the literary work under consideration
Some artists are household names, others are newcomers on the
threshold of their career - what they have in common is an uncompromising
dedication to their craft, a commitment to striving towards perfection
which rises above mere commercial considerations
The illustrations in the earliest printed books were engraved
on wooden blocks, and for many people this medium remains the
epitome of high-quality book illustration
Many Folio Society books are illustrated in this way, with up
to 100 finely engraved blocks in each book, a task which may keep
the artist-craftsman employed for a year or more
As well as wood engraving, Folio artists employ a wide variety
of other methods including etching, linocut and auto-lithography
Whether the artist works in pencil or ink, paints in watercolour,
oil, gouache or some other medium, we take the utmost care to
ensure the highest possible quality of reproduction, and specify
a variety of different papers to best suit the character of the
work
Folio non-fiction titles - historical texts, biographies and the
like - are generously illustrated with reproductions of work of
the appropriate period, from illuminated manuscripts through a
range of engravings, etchings, paintings as well as contemporary
photographs
All are reproduced and printed with the same care and attention
to detail as the newly commissioned artists' work
The Binding Designs
Above all, the feature that distinguishes folio books from most
others produced today is the rich variety and sophistication of
the binding designs
A wide range of traditional materials - such as buckram, cotton,
silk or leather - is employed for the bindings
These costly fabrics are the foundation upon which the artists
and designers produce their creations
Sometimes their designs are printed in ink, but more often they
are blocked - that is to say, impressed with foil into the surface
of the material and frequently the two processes are employed
together
The keynote of Folio binding designs is variety - a Folio library
does not contain row after row of volumes, uniform in format,
style and material, but offers a more complex harmony, achieved
from variations of colour, materials and typographical styles,
reflecting the different subject matter of individual books
The Typography
The heart of a well-designed book is its words, and at Folio an
immense amount of creative energy is spent on the typography which
communicates these words to the reader
Good typography is pleasing to the eye, but never intrusive -
consideration for the reader is paramount
In Folio books you will find a generous type-size, spacing and
margins, embellished where appropriate with attractive display
type and a restrained use of ornaments
In the typography of Folio books the traditional virtues of legibility
and elegance are paramount, yet there is still immense scope for
typographic inventiveness, and a wide variety of typefaces, both
traditional and contemporary, is employed
Each one is carefully chosen to suit the character of the individual
book
The Paper
The papers for Folio Society books are produced by a small number
of European mills, chosen for their ability to produce the highest
quality papers with absolute consistency
The selection of paper for a particular book will involve deciding
on a shade and character which harmonises with the illustrations
and binding materials
Books printed on inferior stocks will go brown and brittle within
a few years - all Folio books are printed on wood-free and acid-free
paper, designed for reading and rereading over many generations
Printing and Binding
After such care has been taken over the design, both inside and
out, it is essential that the manufacturing processes maintain
the highest standards in every copy that is produced
The printing of every book, whether in black-and-white or colour,
is monitored closely for evenness of ink-weight (particularly
important when engravings are printed with the text) and freedom
from blemishes
Folio binding designs are of a complexity of design and materials
which places them in a class of their own, and they require exceptional
manufacturing standards
All books are sewn in 16-page sections - this gives strength to
the book and enables the pages to be opened flat with ease
There are decorative head and tailbands - also gilded or coloured
top edges where we feel they are appropriate
The endpapers, in a wide array of colours, are often printed with
maps, illustrations or other designs
Most important of all, the books are hardback-bound to the highest
standard, so that they not only look well on the shelves but are
always a pleasure to open and read
The Slipcase
A distinctive feature of Folio Society books which immediately
strikes the eye is their presentation not in dust-jackets but
in slipcases - the traditional protective covering for fine editions
The dustjacket evolved in the 20th century as a marketing device
designed to catch the eye in a crowded bookshop
It does not, however, protect the book, and is itself easily damaged
With Folio books the design emphasis is on the binding itself,
a permanent part of the book
Fine bindings need protection from dust and light, and this is
furnished by the slipcase, a robust box covered in coloured paper,
sometimes ornamented with printing or blocking
Copyright - 2004 The Folio Society
Complete Works - Jane Austen
Seven volumes, including:-
------Emma
------Mansfield
Park
------Northanger
Abbey
------Persuasion
------Pride
and Prejudice
------Sense
and Sensiibility, and
------Shorter
Works
Description
Eleventh reprint of the 1975 edition, with woodcuts by Joan Hassall,
and introduction by Richard Church
In quarter maroon buckram cloth covers, with cream paper decorated
by maroon sprigs, and gilt titling and decoration on spine
All books are fine, internally clean and unmarked, with minimal
fading of spine on four volumes
In near fine maroon slipcase with gilt decoration, showing minimal
dist marking at edges
Bibliographic Details
Publisher - Folio Society, London
Publication Date - 1993
Binding - Paper Covered Boards
Illustrator - Joan Hassall
Book Condition - Fine
Dust Jacket Condition - No Jacket
Book Price - GBP95.00
= AUD$237.84
--Auctions
for similar book sets
The Complete Austen Novels
- Folio Society
Seven volumes by Jane Austen
An opportunity to purchase this 1997 printed classic book set
from this qorld renowned publisher
Fine books in a fine slipcase
There is minor storage and shelf rub to the base of the case
Beautifully illustrated
The books included in this set are:-
------Northanger
Abbey
------Shorter
Works
------Pride
and Prejudice
------Mansfield
Park
------Emma
------Sense
and Sensibility, and
------Persuasion
A beautiful set of books to start off, or as an addition to, your
Folio Society Collection
Item location - West Sussex, United Kingdom
This auction finished on Monday 22nd January 2007
The starting price
was set at GBP39.99 = AUD$100.00
There were no bids
--Auctions
for individual books from this set| #01 | |
|
You are bidding on the hardcover book, "Pride
and Predjudice", by Jane Austen - the book was published
by The Folio Society London in 1997 and this is an eighteenth
printing - the book is in fine condition but there is very light
shelf and edge wear a solid copy with clean, bright pages - comes
with a slipcase - the starting price was set at $12.90 and the
auction ended Sunday 25th January 2007 There were no bids |
| #02 | |
|
This auction is for a very good edition of the
1997 Folio Society book, "Persuasion", by Jane Austen
- the book is in fine condition, while the sleeve case is very
good having only minor marks - all in all, a delightful book
- the starting price was set at $10.20 and the auction ended
Wednesday 31st January 2007 There were seven bids - final price was $21.45 |