Three Yeats Books

This set of three books of William Butler Yeats’ poetry were designed and printed towards the end of 2015, the year which celebrated the 150th anniversary of Yeats’ birth. I had the opportunity to work with Yeats’ poetry for a number of projects during the year but wanted to take the chance to make my own books.

Each book contains one longer poem on which a three page fold-out linocut is based, as well as a selection of four or five shorter poems. The linocuts for each were exhibited earlier in the year with the Hamilton Gallery offsite at the Hawk’s Well Theatre as part of my exhibition, ‘Words and Fragments’. The linocuts had always been planned with these particular poems in mind and to fold down to fit within the books.

They were set in 18 point Caslon and printed on 170gsm Somerset Book on the Arab treadle press at my workshop. The accompanying fold out linocuts were inked by hand and printed on 250gsm Somerset Velvet using the Farley proofing press in Graphic Studio Dublin. They have been printed in an edition of 50, the first 20 of which (deluxe) are quarter bound in cloth with a printed cover and contain a three plate linocut. The other 30 (standard) are bound in Hahnemuhle Bugra Butten paper with a single colour linocut. A set of the deluxe is presented in a slip case. The deluxe binding was undertaken by Duffy Bookbinders. The bound size is approximately 17cm x 24 cm.

The three books and their contents are:
Wild Swans at Coole
He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
When you are old
A Coat
The White Birds

Sailing to Byzantium
The Choice
No Second Troy
Red Hanrahan’s Song about Ireland

The Song of Wandering Aengus
Down by the Salley Gardens
Who Goes with Fergus
An Irish Airman Foresees his Death
The Lake Isle of Innisfree

The books were launched at the Winter Fair at the National Print Museum at the end of November and I was delighted with the very complimentary responses I received.

The three plate linocuts have also been printed in editions of 50 and are available in the Hamilton Gallery in Sligo and Graphic Studio Gallery in Dublin.

Book prices:
The deluxe are priced at €85 or €250 for the set of three. The standard paper covered are priced at €45. Please contact me directly for sales!

 

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