Black Letter Press

I just placed an order for the Sidereus Nuncius from the Black Letter Press.
https://www.blackletter-press.com/product-page/sidereus-nuncius-galileo-galilei

It looks to be a nice little book fitting for my small collection of latin texts. I will post some photos when I have received my copy.

>1 Hellbent2:
Look like a very nice little book, and very reasonably priced.
The same book has been published in a very nice edition by Levenger Press. See-
https://www.flickr.com/photos/warwick_carter/25632937135/in/photolist-F46vaZ

>1 Hellbent2: Is Black Letter Press a letterpress shop?

>1 Hellbent2:
Looks really nice, but it feels odd to pay 35 euros for the book and 23 euros for shipping to the US.

>3 ultrarightist:
I really have no idea. Maybe some one else here knows? I suppose, given the price, that it's not.

>4 kermaier:
That is a steep shipping cost for sure. I'm in Europe so it was slightly cheaper for me.

>2 wcarter:
Thank you. The Levenger book looks stunning. I have not heard about that press before. They seem to be producing quite a few very interesting titles.

I think it's very safe to say it's not letterpress - judging both by their prices and the fact that letterpress is never mentioned anywhere on their site. Any active press using letterpress would be marketing it.

>7 elladan0891: I think you're right.

Black Letter Press is having a 24-hour flash sale, if anyone has been eyeing a title.

https://www.blackletter-press.com/

>9 Shadekeep:, Thanks, I ordered Sidereus Nuncius during the 24 hour flash sale!

>10 Betelgeuse: Excellent! I'd be curious to hear your opinion of it, it's still on my "to be acquired at some point" list.

>11 Shadekeep: I will let you know once it arrives!

>10 Betelgeuse: Nice! It's an enjoyable little book -- and I do mean "little", at approximately 10.5 x 17 cm. Note that, rather than facing pages, the full Latin text is presented first, separated from the English text by a blank leaf.

>13 kermaier: Good to know! I am okay with the small size, I actually like smaller books. And thanks for the clarification about where the English is. I had to have a copy of this because I've been a life-long amateur astronomer, and I enjoyed reading Sidereus Nuncius in high school. I also have this probably unrealistic idea that I can teach myself Latin in my retirement, so maybe this little volume will assist.

BLP is taking pre-orders now for Giordano Bruno's De Magia. It's being issued in both hardcover and softcover. I backed it on KS, good to see it's nearing completion.

https://www.blackletter-press.com/product-page/giordano-bruno-de-magia-1

>15 Shadekeep: I may have to get that!

>16 Betelgeuse: If you like the quality and construction of Sidereus Nuncius when it arrives, then this title could be a worthy acquisition for you indeed!

I backed another of their books which is further down the pike that I am also looking forward to - Dreams of Witches — The Treadwell's Selection.

>17 Shadekeep: Wow, Dreams of Witches looks beautiful, but probably not my subject matter of choice. I'm not really into magic, either -- it's Giordano Bruno that interests me, rather than De Magia itself, so I'll have to give it some thought. And I'll have to keep an eye on future publications from Black Letter Press, now that I've discovered it on this forum. If I didn't already have the Folio Society edition of Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy, I'd probably go for the Black Letter Press version.

>11 Shadekeep: Just arrived, and it's an understated beauty, I love it. Galileo charted the motion of what he at first thought were stars around the disc of Jupiter, only to realize later that they must be moons, and thus a revolution was born.

>19 Betelgeuse: Excellent, I'm glad you like it, and thanks for your impressions. It will probably end up in my own collection sooner rather than later, now.

Another new title landed from BLP - Abu al-Kindi — De Radiis

https://www.blackletter-press.com/product-page/abu-al-kindi-de-radiis

I don't recall hearing pre-announcements of this one, though that doesn't mean there weren't any. Looks promising.

BLP is on a bit of a roll lately, another new grimoire in the catalogue - Enchiridion Leonis Papae

https://www.blackletter-press.com/product-page/enchiridion-leonis-papae

First edition is in a limitation of 333 numbered copies. Half a Beast?

BLP has a sale starting today and running until July 10th. Looks like every title is discounted, including pre-orders.

https://www.blackletter-press.com/

BLP has a new Kickstarter ending soon: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blackletterpress/hypnerotomachia-poliphili

Not quite my thing, but I appreciate that they have an editorial vision and are sticking to it.

They also have a new book forthcoming, another in their line of W. B. Yeats titles.

https://www.blackletter-press.com/product-page/w-b-yeats-a-vision

BLP has just added a new title to their Gothic horror line - The Castle of Otranto.

https://www.blackletter-press.com/product-page/horace-walpole-the-castle-of-otra...

Halloween Sale in effect until Nov 1, use code HelloooBLP20 for 20% off everything.

Storewide Black Friday sale going on at BLP, no coupon needed.

And another sale happening at the moment.

>29 Shadekeep: And another kickstarter announced today : Hidden Paths - A Foolish Fish's Guide to Magick

>30 antinous_in_london: Indeed! The sale is meant to coincide with the new KS, they often pair such things up. Here's a link to the KS for the curious:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blackletterpress/hidden-paths-a-foolish-fis...

I might be interested in The Castle of Otranto, but the product page is a bit thin on details (size? materials? illustrations?). Is anyone aware of any sources of such information?

I might be interested in the Washington Irving volume, but the size is listed as 160mm x 100mm, which would put the short side at just under 4" - could that possibly be accurate? I suppose anything is possible in the world of small publishers, but this feels unlikely.

>32 St._Troy: I suggest acquiring the Folio Society edition of the Castle of Otranto. A very nice production.

>32 St._Troy: That's correct. A number of their fiction volumes are around the same size as old fiction "pocket books". For example, I had a second edition of The King In Yellow from around 1900 which was about this size. Here's two of their titles in this range with a ruler and my hand for comparison.

Pre-orders are up for the newest release, The Monk by Matthew Lewis.

https://www.blackletter-press.com/product-page/matthew-gregory-lewis-the-monk

BLP needs to do better in providing more pictures of their releases.

I've looked at their website a few times and thought the title sounded interesting but never actually ordered because I wasn't sure what I would actually be getting.

Is the title illustrated or not? Some of their titles appear to be but the descriptions and lack of pictures of the interior contents leave it all so vague.

>36 NoBueno: Aye, they could up their marketing game, especially as many of their books are quite attractive in person. This one doesn't even have the summary information yet that their other volumes have, such as the binding and so forth, so I believe it's a very early announcement for regular customers and fans of the gothic fiction line. I expect the listing to be updated, though probably will still be light on photos.

>37 Shadekeep: So out of curiosity, did you end up getting Pseudomonarchia Daemonum? That was one I was interested in and have seen other versions online with interesting illustrations (this title lends itself to that) but could not tell if the BLP had any illustrations other than the one shown on the pic of the title page.

>38 NoBueno: I actually tossed that into the order I placed today along with The Monk. Due to the shipping costs I tend to hold off when there is one title I want until there is at least a second to bundle in. It takes the sting out of the fee.

I also have the edition from Abracax House if you are looking for a nicely illustrated one.

https://abracax.com/false-hierarchy/

I have their two-volume Infernal Dictionary as well, it's a big'un.

>36 NoBueno: I wrote to BLP suggesting they could spruce up their pages and received this nice reply in kind:

You are right, we are updating all the pages at the moment, for example:
https://www.blackletter-press.com/product-page/william-blake-for-the-sexes-the-g...

we are only 2 people working on everything, from the idea to the final book, from customer care to the promotion, and
so on... it's a bit overwhelming but we do our best to keep everything in order and at the highest standards.

I figured they were a small outfit, like most of these (the similar Troy Books is a pair of passionate publishers and some support staff). Good to see they are working towards making the online catalogue more friendly.

Yeah they deserve some slack, especially since they are tackling such niche titles they probably couldn't be much bigger and still make money.

I went ahead and ordered a copy of the BLP Pseudomonarchia Daemonum that I found from a shop in the US (so I was able to avoid the higher shipping costs and my bank's conversion fees). It will be my first BLP book and I'm excited to finally check out one of their titles in person.

>41 NoBueno: Good deal, hope you enjoy it! Where did you order through? I might use them myself in future.

>42 Shadekeep: It was listed on Abebooks by Crossroads Books out of Reno, NV. They appear to have a few new BLP books they are selling.

>43 NoBueno: Cool, thanks.

new big sale running now: https://www.blackletter-press.com/shop

Interesting new translation of this 5th century work coming from BLP - The Martyrdom of St Cyprian by Aelia Eudocia Augusta.

https://www.blackletter-press.com/product-page/aelia-eudocia-augusta-the-martyrd...

new Kickstarter happening now: Giordano Bruno "Ars Memoriae"

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blackletterpress/giordano-bruno-ars-memoria...

A seasonal offering from BLP - Schneider von Groot's Christmas Dream. It's a hardbound with an illustrated accordion-folded interior.

Just an FYI to any Canadians interested in the BLP books; they can be purchased from Anathema publishing in Quebec.

https://www.anathemapublishing.com/

New release from BLP in their literature series - The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket.

Heads up to US customers - OrbitDVD is now carrying a selection of Black Letter Press books if you want to avoid international shipping fees.

OrbitDVD is mostly known for their import boutique blu-rays and 4ks but they also have lots of books, mostly related to occult, horror, film, and pop culture.

>50 Shadekeep: I continue to hope for a new fine press edition of The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym.

I think it would be the perfect anchor text for a Conversation Tree Press Poe "Weird" volume if they branch out from the obvious stories, but could also make an interesting Amaranthine or Arete edition.

>51 LeBacon: Miskatonic Books is also a US vendor, and a good way to get around the hideous shipping costs. They don't have this one in stock yet, but hopefully soon.

>52 NathanOv: Agreed, a new fine press edition of this story is a perpetual want from me. Especially with the right illustrator.

SUMMER SALE Up to 40% Off!

Notice on homepage...

We are on vacation from July 12th to July 29th, so no orders will be shipped during this period. However, our sale continues, and you can still place orders and enjoy our fantastic deals.

Their latest Kickstarter went live today: Reginald Scot's The Discoverie of Witchcraft.

Looks pretty good, 80 of the collector's editions remaining at the moment, and if you do make a pledge you can add on some of their other books for a discount too.

Why is there a BLP thread in the Fine Press Forum? Lol...

>56 Inceptic: Mostly for their reprints and literature series, which often contains titles of interest to folks here. They are more properly a small press rather than a fine press and probably should have OT: at the start of their thread title like other non-fine presses, but overall there seems to have been enough interest to warrant their inclusion.

Pretty groovy new title from BLP, a mix of translation and facsimile reproductions - Erbario



Erbario is a large and extraordinary illustrated herbal created in Italy around 1400.

This manuscript stands out for its unique combination of about 180 botanical illustrations and textual annotations, offering a rich glimpse into medieval and early Renaissance knowledge of plants and their medicinal uses. It features three distinct styles of illustration, each contributing to the manuscript’s layered and evolving character.

The only BLP I own is a second choice William Blake For the Sexes: The Gates of Paradise. It's a beautiful little book for the price. I think I paid 21 euros. Looks much better in the hand than on the website.

>58 Shadekeep:
Thanks. Enabled.