Henry Morris founded the Bird & Bull Press in 1958, sparked by his interest in hand papermaking. The last book published was in 2014 and over its 56-year history the press published many titles on Western, Japanese and Chinese papermaking. His 2006 talk at Princeton (the J. Ben Lieberman Memorial lecture) was aptly titled “Paper: There Wouldn’t be any Printing History without it.” Many institutions, including Princeton and the University of Delaware, have substantial collections of Bird & Bull books. The last title published (2012) was Busby’s Street Scenes: Images of Street Hawkers and Criers in 19th Century London and Paris by Thomas Lord Busby. All books were printed letterpress from metal type on either Henry’s handmade paper or on imported mouldmade papers.

SUMNER. JAMES – $400

The Mysterious Marbler. With an Historical Introduction, Notes, and Eleven Original Marbled Samples by Richard J. Wolfe. Originally published in 1854. North Hills, PA: 1976. Approximately 250 copies printed at the Bird & Bull Press on B & B handmade paper and bound by E.G. Parrot II. Bound in half-leather and marbled paper covered boards with gilt spine label. A fine copy.

Bird & Bull Pepper Pot – $300

Bird & Bull Pepper Pot. Ingredients: Choice bits of uncommon paper making, publishing and printing history simmered in a tasty broth of poetry, current events and amusing anecdotes. Lightly seasoned with a dash of obscenity, and with selected portions of fresh tripe added as in the original recipe. Prepared with a zestful variety of type faces and served by Henry Morris. North Hills, PA: 1977. Approximately 250 copies printed on Green’s handmade paper at the Bird & Bull Press. The paste paper and grapevine paper were made at the Press and the book was bound by Gray Parrot. Inscribed by Henry Morris. Bound in half-leather and cloth boards with gilt leather spine label. A fine copy.

TAYLOR, W. THOMAS AND MORRIS, HENRY – $250

Twenty-One Years of Bird & Bull A Bibliography, 1958-1979. W. Thomas Taylor. Bird & Bull Press: 1980. 350 copies printed on Roma V.E. handmade paper at the Bird & Bull Press. The binding was by E.G. Parrot. Bound in half-leather and patterned paper boards with gilt leather spine label. 170 sets of the book and a selection of Bird & Bull press ephemera were issued in a cloth solander case with short title on morocco label to spine of case. According to Henry Morris, there was insufficient ephemera available to issue the full edition of 350 copies with case and ephemera. A fine copy housed in the case, also fine, with a full complement of ephemera.

TAYLOR, W. THOMAS AND MORRIS, HENRY – $150

Years of Bird & Bull A Bibliography, 1958-1979. W. Thomas Taylor. Bird & Bull Press: 1980. A fine copy of the book without the case and ephemera.

MURRAY, JOHN – $225

Practical Remarks on Modern Paper. With an introductory essay by Leonard B. Schlosser. Bird & Bull Press: 1981. 120 pages. 300 copies printed on Hahnemuhle Ingres-Buttenpapier and bound by Gray Parrot. Decorated boards with morocco spine. Composed in Baskerville types. A reprint of the 1829 edition in which the author described the acidic and self-destructive nature of much of the paper produced at the time. A fine copy.

A PAIR ON PRINTING ATKYN’S THE ORIGINAL AND GROWTH OF PRINTING, Caslon, William – $75

A Pair on Printing Atkyn’s The Original and Growth of Printing, William Caslon and the first English type specimen book Reproduced in Facsmilie with Introductions by Carey S. Bliss. North Hills, PA: 1982. Heaney, Thirty Years of Bird & Bull A Bibliography, 1858-1988, A33. Morris complained about binding delays due to Gray Parrot having devoted all his resources to the work of Messrs. Dwyer and Limited Partners and goes on to decry the investment schemes that attracted limited investors in the book business. Morris declined an invitation to participate in such a scheme. 500 copies printed at the Bird & Bull Press on Frankfort paper and bound by Gray Parrot. Cloth boards with paper spine label. A fine copy.

GORDON CRAIG’S PARIS DIARY 1932-1933 – $175

Gordon Craig’s Paris Diary 1932-1933. Edited with a Prologue by Colin Franklin. North Hills, PA: 1982. Heaney, A34. This was Morris’ first foray into the literary area and received many complaints from subscribers who expected books about papermaking from him. Craig’s anti-semitism only made things worse. Henry Morris had heard a talk on Craig by Colin Franklin at a 1981 Typophiles Christmas luncheon in New York and considered the 1932-33 diary to be a tempting publishing possibility. 350 copies printed on mouldmade Bugrabutten paper at the Bird & Bull Press and bound by Gray Parrot in half-leather and patterned paper covered boards with gilt leather spine label. Overall a fine copy.

SCHMOLLER, HANS – $325

Mr. Gladstone’s Washi A Survey of Reports on the Manufacture of Paper in Japan, The Parkes Report of 1871. Newtown, PA: 1984. Heaney, A38. In Heaney, Morris states that this book is his finest book on Japanese paper history and was also favorably reviewed by Fine Print in 1985. The book was popular in Japan with booksellers there selling about 40 copies. 500 copies printed on mouldmade Hahnemuhle paper at the Bird & Bull Press and bound by Gray Parrot. Decorated boards with leather spine. In slipcase together with a folder of copies of the 19 colored plates, one to a leaf. Overall a fine copy.

THREE EARLY FRENCH ESSAYS ON PAPER MARBLING 1642-1765 – $400

Three Early French Essays on Paper Marbling 1642-1765. With an Introduction and thirteen original marbled samples by Richard J. Wolfe. Newtown, PA: 1987. Heaney, A43. Morris considered this book his most expensive to produce to date and regretted his decision to use ‘Umbria’ paper due its inconsistent weight and tendency to tear unless handled very carefully. His relationship with Dick Wolfe became contentious when the marbled paper samples experienced some offset. Wolfe felt that this was a commonly encountered printing problem while Morris blamed Wolfe for shoddy work and led Morris to stop publishing his work. The book, however, was well received by most subscribers. 310 copies printed on dampened handmade ‘Umbria’ paper at the Bird & Bull Press and bound by Gray Parrot, Inc. in half-leather and marbled paper boards with gilt leather spine label. A fine copy.

MORRIS, HENRY – $100

The First Fine Silver Coinage of the Republic of San Serriffe: The Bird & Bull Press Commemorative 100 Coronas. Includes a 30-year checklist of work produced by the Press, 1958-1988. Newtown, PA: 1988. 350 copies printed on French mouldmade Arches text at the Bird & Bull Press and bound by Claudia Cohen in half-leather and cloth boards with gilt spine label. Accompanied by a cloth folio containing a one-ounce .999 fine silver encapsulated proof coin commemorating the Press’ 45th book. Housed in a fine publisher’s slipcase. Overall fine.

THIRTY YEARS OF BIRD & BULL A BIBLIOGRAPHY, 1958-1988 – $325

Thirty Years of Bird & Bull A Bibliography, 1958-1988. Compiled by Howell J. Heaney with a foreword by Henry Morris. Bird & Bull Press. Newtown: 1988. 300 copies printed on dampened B & B ‘Jericho’ paper with the inserts printed on various European handmade papers at the Bird & Bull Press and bound by Barbara Blumenthal in half-leather and patterned paper boards with gilt leather spine label. Housed in the publisher’s solander case with a folio of press ephemera. Overall fine.

THIRTY YEARS OF  BIRD & BULL A BIBLIOGRAPHY, 1958-1988 – $275

Thirty Years of Bird & Bull A Bibliography, 1958-1988. Compiled by Howell J. Heaney with a foreword by Henry Morris. Bird & Bull Press. Newtown: 1988. 103 pages. 300 copies printed on dampened B & B ‘Jericho’ paper with the inserts printed on various European handmade papers at the Bird & Bull Press and bound by Barbara Blumenthal in half-leather and patterned paper boards with gilt leather spine label. Without the case and folio of press ephemera. Overall fine.

HARRIS, ELIZABETH M – $150

The Art of Metal Engraving. A Curious Chapter in the Development of 19th Century Printing Processes. Newtown, PA: 1991. 230 copies printed on Johannot mouldmade paper at the Bird & Bull Press and bound by the Campbell-Logan Bindery in blue cloth patterned boards with gilt leather (faded) spine label. A very good copy.

HUNTER II, DARD and HUNTER III, DARD

Dard Hunter & Son. Newtown, Pennsylvania: 1998. 165 pages. One of 225 copies printed on Frankfurt mouldmade paper, composed in Ehrhardt types by Michael and Winifred Bixler and bound by the Campbell-Logan Bindery. Quarter bound in morocco with Japanese cloth sides and leather spine label. Enclosed in the publisher’s cloth covered clamshell box with spine label. Publisher’s prospectus laid in. 30 pages of black and white illustrations, 30 tip-ins, seven original folio or quarto book leaves from Mountain House books and four original samples of papers made by all three generations of Hunters.

Dard Hunter is credited with the 20th century renaissance in hand papermaking in America and produced many books on his research into and production of paper. After his death in 1966 Dard Jr. undertook the task of producing the Life Work of Dard Hunter. The work took over 12 years and was recognized for its monumental detail and quality of production. The purpose of Dard Hunter & Son was to expose the generally unrecognized talents of Dard Jr. and to give greater exposure to the earlier work that had a limitation of only 130 copies, few of which come on the market.

WILSON, ALEXANDER – $400

The Foresters – A poetic account of a walking journey to the Falls of Niagara in the Autumn of 1804. With wood engravings by Wesley W. Bates. Newtown, PA: 2000. 150 copies printed on Arches mouldmade paper at the Bird & Bull Press and bound by the Campbell-Logan Bindery in half-leather and green cloth boards with gilt leather spine label. Housed in the publisher’s cloth slipcase. Publisher’s Prospectus laid in. A fine copy.

BATES, WESLEY W. – $225

In Black & White A wood engraver’s odyssey. Newtown, PA: 2005. 140 copies printed on Zerkall mouldmade paper and composed by Winifred Bixler in Dante types and cloth bound by the Campbell-Logan Bindery. Publisher’s slipcase. Leather spine label and paper label on front cover. Fine copy.

SCHREYER, ALICE – $100

East-West: Hand Papermaking Traditions and Innovations. Newark, Delaware: 1988. One of 300 copies of a special edition printed at the Bird & Bull Press on mouldmade Arches laid text paper. 55 pages. Wraps, with cover design adapted from an 18th century decorated paper known as Dutch gilt. Catalog for a 1988 exhibit at the Morris Library at the University of Delaware celebrating hand papermaking with examples drawn from the University’s Special Collections and honoring the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Bird & Bull Press by Henry Morris. He was instrumental in each phase of the exhibition and printed the catalog. A fine copy.

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