by Don Roberts,
with a foreword by Will Ross
Rockwell Kent:
The Art of the Bookplate
212 pages, with 173 illustrations
ISBN: 978-0-9658811-2-8
Hardcover / $32
Limited First Edition / $42
Numbered and signed by the author with a bookplate designed by Christopher Kent as a tribute to his grandfather. The bookplate, printed from a copper plate on archival paper, is tipped in on the front endpaper. Available from Fair Oaks Press. Interested? Please email publisher@fairoakspress.com
Don Roberts
an art of empathy…
The more than 160 bookplates that Rockwell Kent designed over the span of a half century are a hidden facet of his career. Destined to disappear between the covers of books, each tiny work represents the passion for books he shared with his clients. Kent approached every commission as a “personal matter,” believing that a bookplate must reflect its owner’s life or aspirations, and in his hands, the art of the bookplate became more than an art of identity: an art of empathy.
Recipient of the Udo Ivask Memorial medal for scholarship in the book arts.
“Kent’s bold graphic style makes each bookplate a joy to behold, and the text is a fascinating read.” —Library Journal
“A most remarkable and absorbing art book reflecting the dual love of the printed word and the crafted picture.” —Midwest Book Review
“Although the book centers on Kent, Roberts slips in a mini-cultural history of the times with deft and telling detail.”
—Los Angeles Times Book Review
buy a book…
From a bookstore: If you’re lucky enough to have an independent bookstore nearby, we hope you support them! You’re unlikely, however, to find our books there. Most booksellers order their stock from a single distributor rather than various publishers. At present, we’re among the small presses who’ve lost their affiliation with a national distributor—for no larger reason than being small…
From Fair Oaks Press: Just let us know what you want, and your order will be processed upon receipt and mailed free of charge. We’ll enclose an invoice and trust you to make payment by cash or check at your earliest convenience. (Allow eight days for delivery; arrangements can be made for express mail.)
To Booksellers and Librarians: We heartily apologize for the inconvenience of ordering from us. But in addition to the standard wholesale discount, you’ll receive free shipping and heaps of gratitude!
contact us…
We enjoy hearing from readers, booksellers and librarians. If you have a question or are in any way displeased with the item or service you received, please let us know.
Email: publisher@fairoakspress.com
Telephone: 415-508-1390 (No text messages.)
Fair Oaks Press
262 Somerset St.
San Francisco, CA 94134