Big Two-Hearted River
- SIGNED Hardcover
- Louisville, KY: Contre Coup Press, 2011
Louisville, KY: Contre Coup Press, 2011. Hardcover. Fine. Hardcover. One of 24 copies. Signed by the illustrator on the colophon. This is a particularly fine press production of one of Hemingway's stories and is uncommon in commerce, with OCLC showing only seven copies. It is one of the more elaborate works of Tim Hawley's now defunct Contre Coup Press, a fine press publisher specializing in limited edition books and broadsides, often created on vintage printing equipment. This edition includes a previously unpublished 8 page afterword. The press was run by Timothy Hawley for its entirety and known for its beautiful typography and unique typographic interpretations of rare manuscripts. The vintage printing equipment utilized included the Vandercook SP20 and hand set typography using various vintage typefaces. The press's books often featured typographic interpretations of rare manuscripts or literary works, such as this, one of Hemingway's finest Nick Adams stories. It was inspired by his affinity for nature and need for solace after returning from World War I. It was written in 1924, when Hemingway was just 25 years old and originally published in 1925 in the author's collection of stories, In Our Time. The creator of the engraved illustrations was Nick Baute. He is the owner and operator of the Hound Dog Press in Louisville, KY. In operation since 2008, HDP specializes in custom invitations, greeting cards, stationery, posters, art prints, and design. All work is produced on vintage letterpress equipment that ranges from 1892-1960, and they continue to hand-set metal and wood and hand carve wood and linoleum blocks to illustrate their prints.
From the colophon: This book was set by hand in the Luteria typeface. The book was printed by hand on a Vandercook SP20 press. The book was bound at the Campbell-Logan Bindery in brown decorated paper boards with a brown cloth spine with a white paper title label. The wood engravings were designed and cut by Nick Baute, and were printed directly from the blocks. Each book is signed in pencil by the artist, and is accompanied by a portfolio of four of the engravings printed on Johannot, a mouldmade paper, and also signed by the artist. They are housed in a letterpress printed orange paper portfolio. There were a total of 24 copies printed on Yale, a wove paper, and 12 copies were printed on Arthur's Prairie, a laid paper, all handmade at the Twinrocker paper mill. This is one of the 12 copies printed on Arthur's Prairie laid paper." In fine condition. Measures 7.5 x 11.5 inches. 33 pages plus separate suite of 4 prints of the engravings. 33 pages : illustrations ; 30 cm + suite of 4 loose-leaf of print.
From the colophon: This book was set by hand in the Luteria typeface. The book was printed by hand on a Vandercook SP20 press. The book was bound at the Campbell-Logan Bindery in brown decorated paper boards with a brown cloth spine with a white paper title label. The wood engravings were designed and cut by Nick Baute, and were printed directly from the blocks. Each book is signed in pencil by the artist, and is accompanied by a portfolio of four of the engravings printed on Johannot, a mouldmade paper, and also signed by the artist. They are housed in a letterpress printed orange paper portfolio. There were a total of 24 copies printed on Yale, a wove paper, and 12 copies were printed on Arthur's Prairie, a laid paper, all handmade at the Twinrocker paper mill. This is one of the 12 copies printed on Arthur's Prairie laid paper." In fine condition. Measures 7.5 x 11.5 inches. 33 pages plus separate suite of 4 prints of the engravings. 33 pages : illustrations ; 30 cm + suite of 4 loose-leaf of print.