It's Fine Press Friday!
Veteran letterpress printer and fine press publisher Richard Bigus founded Labyrinth Editions in 1977 in Torrance, California. He learned his craft under the tutelage of noted California poet and printer William Everson and printer and educator Jack Stauffacher at Cowell College, University of California, Santa Cruz. In 1980, Bigus designed, printed, and bound this exquisite edition of Everson's anthology of pacifist poetry, Eastward the Armies, in an edition of 250 copies illustrated with linocuts by California artist Tom Killion, another student of Jack Stauffacher, and signed by the poet and artist.
Bigus handset the type in 18-pt. Centaur, with Arrighi italics and Castellar initials and titling. Other text was set in 12-pt. Centaur and Arrighi italics. The illustrations are printed directly from Killion's linoleum blocks. The book is quarter-bound with leather-thong side stitch in linen and decorative paper marbled by Bigus over boards. Of the 250 copies, ours is one of 50 printed on handmade Japanese Hosho Professional and Suzuki papers. Our copy is another donation from the estate of our late friend, art professor, painter, collector, letterpress printer, and book artist Dennis Bayuzick.
View other posts on books by Richard Bigus.
View other posts on books illustrated by Tom Killion.
View other posts on works by William Everson.
View other books from the collection of Dennis Bayuzick.
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