Green Chair Press • 2/16/06
There are some wonderful examples of bookmaking over at the Green Chair Press which is a California based letterpress-printing outfit started by Susan Angebranndt. In addition to letterpress, Susan’s handbound limited-edition books frequently incorporate a number of whimsical elements such as pop-ups and collages. The binding methods range from standard book-spines to “accordian style” to some unusual folded binding incorporating pockets that doesn’t require any adhesive.
Here’s a little bit more info from Susan’s website:
Some of my books are letterpress printed, some use illustrations and pop-ups. All of them strive to surprise and delight the reader by using tactile elements that enhance the words and imagery of the poem or story.
I really like her accordian style books, but I picked out this neat little Haiku Blizzard book of hers to show instead today. This book is miniscule! It measures just an inch and a half on each side, but the funny thing is that the first time I looked at the picture I thought it was a “normal” sized book.
It uses that “folded pocket” binding with no adhesives that I mentioned above (on the product page, it says it’s made using something called a “Blizzard Spine-Folding” method by Hedi Kyle) and the pockets actually hold pages of haiku poems. I guess, it would be difficult to fit anything else but Haikus in this book! The paper used is called Chiyogami(?) paper.
Susan’s work has been exhibited in various libraries and universities around the country. She also teaches letterpress and binding at SF’s Center for the Book.
The Green Chair Press website is located at:
