How to identify a first printing
- Hand-press limited editions, most using Hornby's proprietary 'Subiaco' type (and later the 'Ptolemy' type), with hand-illuminated initials in some copies
- Printed colophon stating the limitation; copies on paper plus a few on VELLUM (distinct higher state)
- Press device and colophon authenticate; fine handmade paper
- No number line — colophon limitation, Subiaco/Ptolemy type identify
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1895 (private) by C. H. St John Hornby (Chelsea/Shelley House, London); with Kelmscott and Doves, one of the 'big three' English private presses
- Masterpiece: the Ashendene Dante ('Lo Inferno...'/the complete Tutte le opere, 1909) and the Don Quixote (1927–28)
- Vellum vs. paper and hand-illumination are the principal state distinctions
- Standard reference: the Ashendene Press 'A Descriptive Bibliography' (the press's own 1935 catalogue)
Imprints
First editions also appear under: C. H. St John Hornby (founder). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Ashendene Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Hand-press limited editions, most using Hornby's proprietary 'Subiaco' type (and later the 'Ptolemy' type), with hand-illuminated initials in some copies Printed colophon stating the limitation; copies on paper plus a few on VELLUM (distinct higher state)
Does Ashendene Press use a number line?
Printed colophon stating the limitation; copies on paper plus a few on VELLUM (distinct higher state)
Is a book-club edition a Ashendene Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1895 (private) by C. H. St John Hornby (Chelsea/Shelley House, London); with Kelmscott and Doves, one of the 'big three' English private presses
What era does this cover?
This covers Ashendene Press (1895–1935). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.