Fine Press Travel Destinations

Hello compatriots of the fine press world,

I will be spending some time in England, Scotland, Germany and France during Dec-Jan. I am wondering if anyone has suggestions of bookish/fine press must-sees in these countries. Incredible libraries or book stores, fine press book stores, and especially any fine presses that you know welcome guests for a look around, chat, play, etc. Or really anything else you think might be of interest to a fellow LTer.

Apologies if this is not the right group for such a thread, but I felt it was definitely the right community for it. It could be a good resource for such questions in the future.

Thank you.

>1 Aleks3000: When are you in France? you would be most welcome to visit me. Hugh Tudor Black Press

>1 Aleks3000:

A must-see in Great Britain is the British Library in London. Their exhibition room has a remarkable collection of treasures behind glass cases for viewing.

There's a Rococo library belonging to a former Benedictine monastery in the Black Forest. I haven't visited it myself, but have heard that it's beautiful. Here's a link.

https://www.hochschwarzwald.de/attraktionen/rokokobibliothek-st.-peter-c16c6031b...

I just visited France last summer, and I thought these places were worth visiting if you end up in Lyon or Nice:

In Lyon, there is a really nice printing museum there that's worth a wander through: https://www.imprimerie.lyon.fr/en/edito/presentation_musee. Their collections do a really good job of taking you through a history of printing, from incunabula to digital printing.

Also, the Marc Chagall museum in Nice currently has an exhibition on a number of artists books that he worked on though January 9th: https://musees-nationaux-alpesmaritimes.fr/chagall/en/agenda/evenement/marc-chag...

In Oxford, you could see Duke Humfrey's Library and there are often book-related exhibitions at the Weston Library.

I'm London there is a bit of a concentration of booksellers on Charing Cross Road, although sadly fewer than in last years. Tindley and Everett is a personal favourite. Further affield is Collinge and Clark. There are also higher end booksellers like Peter Harrington or Maggs.

If you're going up to Scotland you could get in touch with Helen Morley of Wigtown press. Wigtown is the national book town and has a number of small book shops.

In Germany there a lot of options depending on where you are staying:
Gutenberg Museum in Mainz
Museum für Druckkunst in Leipzig
p98a in Berlin
The first I have visited since it's close to where I'm from. The museum in Leipzig had a good Instagram page. Eric Spieckermann from p98a is involved in the TOC books discussed here am they offer some workshops, which I would relax like to do.

In London I have visited Phil Abel in his workshop am has a conversation with him.

If you want to add to your itinerary a bit, you can hop over to Dublin on Le Ryan Air and see the Chester Beatty collection (the Book of Kells tour is a hit or miss). One of the museums, I forget which, also has some great stained glass work by Harry Clarke, a fine-press collector favorite. Unfortunately I'm bored by almost everything else in that museum.

>9 MobyRichard: The Chester Beatty library also has a fantastic showcase on the Tale of Genji and other related works, as well as many notable medieval texts. I much prefer it to the Trinity College Library where the book of Kells is held.

>1 Aleks3000: If Dublin makes your cut, Marsh library is another gem, and Temple Bar Bookshop (not to be confused with the Temple Bar Book Market) Is a surprising source for fine and private press volumes.

Dublin has a real wealth of both historical attractions for bibliophiles (
particularly Joyce and Wilde collectors) and rare / fine book dealers.

>1 Aleks3000:

London bookshops with excellent inventory of modern private press books with a wide price range are:

1. Collinge & Clark, 13 Leigh St

2. Sophie Schneideman, 1010 Harrow Road, Kensal Green

3. Tindley and Everett, 4 Cecil Court.

With regard to visiting a private press in London, the obvious choice is James Freemantle at his St. James Park Press, now located at 64 Petty France. However, James is undoubtedly quite busy attempting to complete his edition of Orwell's 1984 and I would definitely phone several days ahead of time to see if he can accommodate a brief visit. Phone number is: +44 7792 418373 if calling from the United States.

>12 dlphcoracl: hmm are you sure James would be ok with posting his phone number on a public forum? Last i checked the number isn't listed on his website so maybe there's a reason for that?

>13 filox:

The phone number is public information. If you do a Google search for 'St. James Park Press' the new address of his studio along with phone number are prominently displayed in the right-hand column. Please do a bit of basic homework before posting.

>14 dlphcoracl: indeed a google search shows the number, though it's not on his website. Thanks for pointing that out and please exercise a bit of basic courtesy when communicating with people

>15 filox:
Careful there - I received multiple flags when I politely questioned the same user’s manners in another thread…

>1 Aleks3000: The Wormsley library in Buckinghamshire is outstanding. The catch is that it is not open to the general public, but can be accessed via small private events (executive retreats, small corporate events). It is the Mt. Everest for bibliophiles (at least it was for this bibliophile).

>1 Aleks3000: >8 c_schelle:
I did the letterpress workshop at p98a in Berlin today and is was so much fun! Totally recommended, if your itinerary and schedule allows (https://www.p98a.com).

Edited to add:
In Berlin, you‘ll also find a small exhibition in the Staatsbibliothek with a Gutenberg Bible on vellum and other stunning books on display, a Museum on paper making I have yet to visit (https://www.hausdespapiers.com) and Gangolf Ulbricht, a papermaker whose handmade paper has been used by several fine press, e.g. Arete, if I am not mistaken (http://papiergangolfulbricht.de/en)

>18 SebRinelli: Great to hear. I hope to fit in my schedule next time I'm in Berlin.

>6 ubiquitousuk:
Just went to Tindley & Everett on the back of this recommendation and had a jolly nice little browse, so thank you! Nor did I leave empty-handed.

Resurrecting the old thread to ask whether someone has recommendations for Tokyo and Kyoto. Fine/private press bookshops, museums, paper makers, whatever comes to your mind.
Thank you!

In Tokyo, a stroll through all the used bookstores of Jimbocho, along with a coffee in the atmospheric Ladrio would be a must. The biggest recent book attraction in Tokyo is the Haruki Murakami library at Waseda University near Takodanobaba station (also a big used book area in Tokyo). That library, designed by Kengo Kuma, is beautiful, and would be a must visit if you are at all interested in Murakami.

In Kyoto, the used bookstore district is Teramachi-dori, though sadly many have closed of late. On that street is the famous woodblock publisher Unsodo, and also the famous stationary and paper store Kyukyodo (founded 1663). The tea shop Ippodo (founded 1717) or Smart Coffee on that street are the usual places to relax, but the nearby Cafe Bibliotic Hello is well worth a visit.

>23 mnmcdwl: Thanks!

>22 SebRinelli:

Parenthesis 38 had an article on Japanese private presses and another on Letterpress in Japan. The former is mainly historical, the latter recommends the Toppan Printing History Museum in Tokyo and the Kazui Press run by Masao Takaoka in Tokyo. Google Maps knows about both.

>25 tim_rylance: thank you, too!