The Seasons: Four Bagatelles to Pass the Time of Year was envisoined by Crispin and Jen Elsted of Barbarian Press as “a small project for the press when two or three larger projects were still in preparation and some way from being ready to start, we set out to collect four little anthologies of favourite poems about the four seasons.” I was excited to get this set of four pamphlets, as my last Barbarian Press purchase was the phenomenal Pericles, one of the greatest fine press works I have ever had the pleasure to hold and own. While the scale of this effort was obviously much smaller, the same quality, the same complete tactile experience from beautiful, hand-made works is accomplished. If you look closely at the pictures below, especially the macro shots, I think you will agree. Just look a the texture of the paper and the imprint on the type.
The poems are, as one would expect, meant to evoke images and thoughts of the season they represent. Selections include poems from Emily Dickinson, Geoffrey Chaucer, Rainer Maria Rilke, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Hardy, Walt Whitman, William Morris, Robert Louis Stevenson, George Meredith, John Clare, P.K. Page and others. I enjoyed the mix chosen, and will likely make it a habit to read appropriate bagatelle on the first day of each season.
Rainer Maria Rilke, in One Day in Autumn, writes something not only perfect for Autumn, but even more perfect for a website called Books and Vines!
Beseech the grapes to ripen finally; give them two days more, southerly, warm, to fill them perfectly, then draw the last sweetness down into the heady wineAs for winter, in the desert of Arizona, I do not get to experience what Ralph Waldo Emerson calls the “frolic architecture of the snow” which was “built in an age, the mad wind’s night-work“. However, come spring, we still experience this, from Emily Dickinson:
A color stands abroad On solitary fields That science cannot overtake But Human Nature FeelsYes, spring in the desert is still spring, providing hope anew, as Alfred, Lord Tennyson says “...in my breast…buds and blossoms like the rest“. As for summer, just the title of Archibald Lampman‘s poem, ‘Heat‘, sums up all I care to forget about this longest of desert seasons!
About the Edition
The Set
- 60 sets of the four pamphlets were gathered together and presented in a clamshell box designed at the press, with four strips of seasonally coloured marbled paper by the late Ann Muir laid in across the lid
- Accompanying the pamphlets in these sets was a single sheet of four haiku in rōmaji with English versions by Crispin Elsted, printed in Bembo and Fairbanks on vintage Wookey Hole Invicta handmade paper, with decorations in green, yellow, gold, and blue, and Locarno italic for display
- The texts of all of the pamphlets are printed in 12pt Bembo and Fairbanks, but each uses a different display face for the titling, has its own second colours, and is printed on a different paper, two of them handmade
- They are sewn into handmade coloured cover stocks, and sewn with specially dyed silk thread
- Unique to each is a selection of ornamental arrangements devised for the edition and set by hand; these vary from small spots to full-page ornaments, and at least one of them in each pamphlet is printed in two or more colours
- Details on each of the four bagatelles precede the pictures of them below
Pictures of the Edition
(All pictures on Books and Vines are exclusively provided, under fair use, to highlight and visualize the review/criticism of the work being reviewed. A side benefit, hopefully, is providing education on the historical and cultural benefits of having a healthy fine press industry and in educating people on the richness that this ‘old school approach’ of book publishing brings to the reading process. Books and Vines has no commercial stake or financial interest in any publisher, retailer or work reviewed on this site and receives no commercial interest or compensation for Books and Vines. Please note that works photographed are copyrighted by the publisher, author and/or illustrator as indicated in the articles. Permission to use contents from these works for anything outside of fair use purposes must come directly from the copyright owner and no permission is granted or implied to use photo’s or material found on Books and Vines for any purpose that would infringe on the rights of the copyright owner.)
Poems of Vermilion: Poems for Autumn
- The title taken from a poem by Emily Dickinson included in the selection
- Design and composition by Crispin Elsted; Presswork by Jan Elsted
- Champlevé for display
- Printed in red, gold, and black on vintage Barcham Green Tovil, hand-made at Hayle Mill, Kent
- Sewn into a wrapper of BG Robin cover
- The poets include Emily Dickinson (the only poet represented in all four pamphlets), P. K. Page, John Clare, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Rainer Maria Rilke
- 110 copies
- Published October 2011
Stories of Snow: Poems for Winter
- The title is from a poem by P. K. Page
- Design and composition by Crispin Elsted; Presswork by Jan Elsted
- Its display type is Elysian, with ornaments printed in grey-blue and mauve
- Biblio mouldmade paper, with mauve wrappers handmade by David Carruthers at the Papeterie St-Armand in Montréal
- There are poems by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Hardy, Archibald Lampman, and Heather Simeney MacLeod, among others
- 100 copies
- Published April 2012
Calice & Stem: Poems for Spring
- Derives its title from a poem by Crispin Elsted
- Design and composition by Crispin Elsted; Presswork by Jan Elsted
- The display types are Egmont initials and Fournier le jeune
- The text paper is Heine, and the wraps are a grass green St-Armand handmade cover
- The ornaments are printed in pale green, pink, and rose
- Poems include selections by Jan Zwicky, Francis Beaumont, Alfred Lord Tennyson, John Clare, and a poem from the Harley lyrics.
- 100 copies
- Published October 2012
Sweet Hay and Gone: Poems for Summer
- The title of is taken from a line by Molly Holden
- The titling is Demeter
- The colours for the ornaments are light green, emerald green, deep yellow, pure blue, and orange
- The text paper is Rideau handmade from Papeterie St-Armand, and the covers are St-Armand butter yellow
- There are poems by Geoffrey Chaucer, William Morris, Walt Whitman, Jan Zwicky, George Meredith, and others
- 100 copies
- Published January 2013
Although not as obviously impressive as the much-acclaimed Pericles that preceded them, these seasonal booklets glow with the trademark qualities that the Elsted’s are well known for. They sit more quietly in the hand; drawing the reader in with subtleties of detail, such as the inspired use of colour or the beautiful ornament settings. Jan and Crispin have always created nigh on faultless productions, and this boxed set (and what a gorgeous clamshell box it is, with it’s strips of marbled papers that allude to each of the seasons) is no exception. My shelves are certainly much the richer for it.
The clamshell set is sold out, unfortunately! Very inspiring indeed, but it appears I won’t be adding it to my collection.
Tastefully arranging printers flowers is, sadly, a dying art. It works beautifully alongside these delightful poems – a charmingly presented production.
Crispin and Jen are an inspiration!