The Coffee Room

Louisville: Contre Coup Press, 1987. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Fine. McCurdy, Michael. One of 95 copies, octavo size, 51 pp., signed by Stanley Elkin and Michael McCurdy. Timothy Hawley's Contre Coup Press is the quintessence of a private press; very small print runs, printed on a real press (Timothy uses a vintage Vandercook SP20), using only the best materials, the resulting publication being a sparkling, luminescent gem. The Contre Coup Press began in St. Louis and in 1985 moved to Louisville, with Timothy Hawley printing whatever catches his fancy.

This volume brings together a short script by Stanley Elkin (1930-1995) with the wood engravings of Michael McCurdy (1942-2016), signed by both at the colophon. A lovely book, the paste paper for the binding by Carol Blinn and the wood engravings printed directly from the blocks.

___DESCRIPTION: Bound in paste paper over boards with a blue cloth shelfback, ivory paper spine label with black lettering and brown decoration and rules, title page in brown and black, the three full-page wood engravings bound in throughout, with a small in-text engraving at the final page of text; handset print on Frankfurt Cream paper, octavo size (9 1/8" by 6 1/2"), pagination: [4, preliminary pp.] [i] ii-iii [1, blank] [1, Character list] [1, blank] [1] 2-39 [1, blank] [1, colophon].

___CONDITION: Fine, with clean boards, the paste paper without wear or rubbing, straight corners without rubbing, a strong, square text block with solid hinges, the interior is clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; clean, crisp, and as new.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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