I would be surprised if there were any officers of the Society, other than
HHHarper himself and have a sense that it was a profit making proposition
for the benefit of HHHarper. The fact the Luther Brewer in Cedar Rapids
(whose typographic tastes leaves much to be desired) printed his books makes
no difference. The "members' were, no doubt, subscribers to his publications,
some of which are of considerable scholarly interest.
Probably, what I find most objectionable is the treacly tone of the whole
thing -- insipid prose, "deluxe" design in poor quality paper and bindings,
&c.
But anyone is free to defend HHH and we will be the better for it.!
MAMcCorison
David Klappholz wrote:
> > The Bibliophile Society was, I
> >think, something of a fraud, but I may be quite wrong.
>
> I wonder why you say this. I've always been surprised that the
> Bibliophile Society was, apparently, an organization whose members
> didn't meet on a regular basis and which, apparently, didn't sponsor
> activities. It certainly DID publish books which many bibliophiles
> of the first two decades of the 20th century appreciated, and which
> are, clearly, of sufficient interest for YOU to have acquired. The
> Society's 1920 yearbook, published when the Society had been in
> operation for about 20 years, lists such presumably fraud-resistent
> bibliophiles as Henry E. Huntington and a number of prominent, and
> presumably fraud-resistent, libraries as members. (I doubt that a
> fraudulent operation would have remained undetected by sophisticated
> individuals and libraries after 20 years.) The Society appears to
> simply have been an earlier, more limited, Limited Editions Club,
> whose publications were more than simply classics reprinted in
> stylish formats.
>
> I am, however, interested in knowing more about Harper, whose
> publications I personally have found to be rather boring. I'm also
> interested in Luther Brewer, who printed all/most Society
> publications at his Torch Press in Cedar Rapids Iowa, and who was
> apparently printer of catalogues to a number of prominent NYC
> booksellers in the 1920's.
>
> Please post responses to the entire list.
>
> Thanks
> Dave
>
> >
> >Harper seems to have been on the margin of the sophisticated (and
> >exclusive) book world. He was not a member of The Grolier Club or of The
> >Club of Odd Volumes.
> >
> >I own a number of the year books, &c. of The Bibliophile Society (which
> >I take to be his private operation) and a few of his other publications,
> >but not the ones that go for $$$. Many volumes were printed on thick
> >acidic deckled paper or on acidic "Japan vellum," bound in paper-covered
> >boards.
> >
> >Are there papers extant of HHH? Who knows who he was? If you know,
> >please let ME know.
> >
> >Thanks for help!
> >--
> >
> >Marcus A. McCorison
> >mamcc@worldnet.att.net
--
Marcus A. McCorison
mamcc@worldnet.att.net