EL AUTOBUS AZUL ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Handmade Papers from Costa Rica
Introduction by Rollin Milroy, papers by Lil Mena
Heavenly Monkey 2008
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| February, 2008 marked the tenth anniversary of HM publisher Rollin Milroy's first letterpress book. To celebrate – and finally rid the studio of leftover paper samples from the original edition – HM issued a tenth anniversary edition of El Autobus Azul - Handmade Papers from Costa Rica.
As there were just 15 copies in the original edition (five of them hors commerce), few people have ever seen Autobus. A miniature book, it was printed with a Kelsey tabletop press from hand-set 8-point Centaur and Arrighi, on Costa Rican coffee fiber paper. Each copy contained seven sewn-in folio samples of paper, and was bound in kangaroo hyde with paper edges. The anniversary edition was set exactly as in the original, although printed from polymer plates by David Clifford at Black Stone Press. Each copy contains four tipped-in paper samples (each about 1 by 2 inches) from the original sheets. The anniversary edition features the linocut created as a frontis for the 1998 edition, but not actually used (although tipped-in proofs were included at the back of some copies). Also included is the press device created for A Lone Press by Shinsuke Minegishi; its first – and only appearance – was in the book that followed El Autobus Azul, the biography of Francesco Griffo (also printed – excruciatingly – on the Kelsey).
The book (2 x 2.75 inches, 41 pp, edition of 50 numbered copies) was sewn and cased at the HM studio in printed paper over boards. Issue price $125.
DELUXE ISSUE
Six copies of the anniversary edition of El Autobus Azul were specially bound and issued in a dustjacket featuring an original lepidopteran painting on the front cover by Martin Jackson, who also rendered the title along the spine. These copies (numbers 1 to 5, and the Author's Copy) included a limitation sheet – printed on the same Kelsey 5-by-8 tabletop press used to print the original edition of the book in 1998 – signed by Martin.
(Martin is the calligrapher whose talent previous graced HM's The Mouse & The Lizard, and the deluxe copies of In the Garden of Good & Evil.)
All proceeds from the sale of these six copies was donated to the Nootka Elementary School Fine Arts Program, in Vancouver. This is a mini-school in a larger elementary, with a program structured around greater training in, and access to the arts - dance, music, theatre and media. It is the only program of its kind in the city. Both HM publisher Rollin Milroy's daughter, and Martin Jackson's grandson attend. Given our shared connection to Nootka, Martin's long-held interest in butterflies, and Costa Rica's reputation as a major migration center for the creatures, the anniversary edition of El Autobus Azul seemed a tailor-made opportunity to collaborate. The butterfly Martin chose for the cover, known as the "98" in reference to the pattern on its wings, is one of the most commonly encountered species in Central America.
This deluxe issue was sewn on two vellum tapes, and laced into a heavy paper case. The jacket (one of Reg Lissel's handmade papers) that Martin painted was fitted with a wrap of very thin, transparent handmade gampi, with flaps at top and bottom folded back around the jacket and case, holding everything together, and then wrapped around the sewn book. Martin's work remains clearly visible through the gampi (but pleasantly toned by its color); the watercolors he uses for painting the butterfly, and the India ink on the spine are well protected when the book is handled. The book was issued in a matching slipcase.
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HEAVENLY MONKEY
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Martin Jackson's rough layout for front cover & spine jacket
Jacket layout in handmade gampi wrap
The limitation sheet, printed with the assistance of a Nootka grade 2 student
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