Here’s another illustration, Sherlock is pondering after the events of Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘The Adventure of the Creeping Man’ in Neil’s story, he dwells on the fact that this question is
‘… not a three pipe problem. I suspect it was something approaching a three hundred pipe problem’
Gary wanted to show the reader Sherlock’s, and Neil’s, inspiration for ‘The Case of Death and Honey’, which lay at the heart of ‘The Adventure of the Creeping Man’. At first, we tried using the notion of rejuvenation, however, in the story the professor merely becomes empowered by an animalistic urge, he became strengthened but also wild. This image took quite a bit of time for Gary to feel was right, he actually ended up with a classic iconic image of a younger Holmes…
One of the most satisfying process’s in making illustrated books is working with an artist to find the image and the ‘flow’ of the book, sometimes the most obvious picture is not what the story requires. The reader turns the page of an illustrated book and, subconsciously, that image informs the reader what to feel about what they are about to read. They then take the image on as they read the page. which is one reason why the image must correspond to the page being read. Sometimes, just the way the text flows, does not allow for the image to be used, because you just can’t make the picture work to the paragraph. Each image needs to find the right mood, here is an evolution of an image; Mycroft is challenging Sherlock to solve the case of Death. It needed something symbolic as Mycroft is in reality dying on a bed. The first image was just too obvious, then Gary came up with standing on a cliff edge…
Here are all the editions that we are doing for Neil Gaiman’s ‘The Case of Death and Honey’ and companion book of Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘The Adventure of the Creeping Man’ that inspired Neil to write his story.
We are pleased to announce when the store will be open! ‘The Case of Death and Honey’ by Neil Gaiman; the books will be available for pre-order from: 5 pm BST on Saturday 4 September at https://www.arete-editions.com The web site is now open where you can peruse each edition.
Again, for the bibliophiles, a very comprehensive description of the:
THE ARTIST’S/LETTERED EDITION of ‘The Case of Death and Honey’ by Neil Gaiman.
Btw: We are pleased to announce when the store will be open! ‘The Case of Death and Honey’ by Neil Gaiman; the books will be available for pre-order from: 5 pm BST on Saturday 4 September at https://www.arete-editions.com The web site is now open where you can peruse each edition.
Details:
200 x 325 mm / 7.9 in x 12.8 in
An edition of twenty-six lettered and eight publishers’ copies printed in black and red on hand-made paper specially commissioned for this book by Gangolf Ulbricht. All deckle edges are retained.
Typeset in hot metal Monotype Baskerville and Gill Sans by Nick Gill at Effra Press and Typefoundry.
Letterpress printed on a FAG proof press by Phil Abel and Robert Hetherington at Hand & Eye Editions.
Each book has, bound-in to the cover, the original artwork of one of Gary Gianni’s interior illustrations.
Book is bradel bound by Richard Tong at Ludlow Bookbinders in off-white goatskin with a red leather spine, 7 Foil blocked passes to cover and spine, five raised bands on the spine. Off-white leather cover has cut-out to front board revealing original Gary Gianni artwork.
A removeable panel ‘plug’ for the original art is covered cloth and suedal protection. Twice foil blocked.
Gicleé printed full colour frontispiece tipped in.
Head and tail bands. The book has ‘set’ headcaps where the leather is formed over the headbands.
Endpapers specially designed by Gary Gianni.
Each copy is signed by Neil Gaiman and Gary Gianni.
The book is housed in a handmade, full leather, bradel bound solander box which has been designed by Richard Tong in red goatskin with cut-outs front and back revealing 8 extensively foil blocked passes on off-white leather panels, front and back, plus hand tooled gold lines to the top and bottom of the foil blocked gold label.
The box opens to reveal the book itself and two related volumes, ‘An Introduction of Sorts’ by Neil Gaiman limited to thirty-four copies – the chapbook is fully bound in Colorado cloth. And the Fine edition of ‘The Adventure of the Creeping Man’ by Arthur Conan Doyle, the story that inspired ‘The Case of Death and Honey’ with four new full-page illustrations by Gary Gianni.
The Solander Box also contains a portfolio of prints of a selection of the black and white illustrations; The portfolio is quarter bound in Colorado cloth and Elephanthide paper. One pass of foil blocking in black to the front.
The Solander box external – bradel bound in red goatskin leather with cut-outs front and back revealing 8 passes of foil blocking front and back on off-white leather panels.
The Solander box internal – trays covered in textured black coral cloth and lined with grey suedel. A well has been created in the small tray to contain chapbook/portfolio/creeping man. More frames have been created in both internal trays to framed foil blocked leather labels designed by Gary Gianni; the image from the numbered slipcase, 4 passes of blocking on black leather, and from the fine edition, 3 passes of blocking on red leather.
Price £3200
Purchase of The Artist’s/Lettered Edition is limited to one copy per buyer.
Here is a fantastic little film showing the Artist’s/Lettered edition…
We are pleased to announce when the store will be open!
‘The Case of Death and Honey’ by Neil Gaiman; the books will be available for pre-order from:
5 pm BST on Saturday 4 September at https://www.arete-editions.com
The web site is now open where you can peruse each edition.
Here are a few more photos of the Artist’s Lettered edition Solander box and books of Neil Gaiman’s ‘The Case of Death and Honey’, tomorrow we’ll be telling what time you can pre-order these books!
First peek at the Solander box for ‘The Case of Death and Honey’ by Neil Gaiman: The oversized original art/lettered edition book is housed in a handmade, full leather bradel bound solander box which has been designed by Richard Tong in red goatskin leather with cutouts front and back revealing extensively foil blocked passes on off-white leather panels, front and back, the box opens to reveal the book itself and two related volumes, An Introduction of Sorts by Neil Gaiman limited to thirty-four copies. And The Adventure of the Creeping Man by Arthur Conan Doyle, the story that inspired The Case of Death and also contains a portfolio of prints. Internally there are trays covered in textured black coral cloth and lined with grey suedel. A well has been created in the small tray to contain chapbook/portfolio/creeping man. Both internal trays floors reveal the foil blocked leather labels by Gary Gianni (image from the numbered slipcase, 4 passes of blocking on black leather and from the fine edition, 3 passes of blocking on red leather).
Some photos of the Lettered/Artists edition, this book is unique, the art shown on the cover is just one of the originals that Gary Gianni did for ‘The Case of Death and Honey’ so each book is different depending on what the original is, we’ll be putting out the full specs and price in a few days. And showing the secrets of the Solander box that the book fits into…
Each lettered edition of ‘The Case of Death and Honey’ by Neil Gaiman has a very intricate production; the box itself has a bradel bound cover, which I’ll show later this week. The book is oversized, 200 x 325 mm / 7.9in x 12.8in, larger than the numbered edition; it is bradel bound in red and off-white goatskin that has a cutout frame to the front board revealing the original artwork. Here you can see some of the work that Richard Tong @ Ludlow Bookbinders has to do, from the cutting out of the frame, to the gluing of the leather, each book requires a stunning amount of detail and time. The frame is filled with removable cloth and suedel covered ‘plug’ to protect the art, there are 7 passes of foil blocking done, of the bees to the front board frame and ‘plug’.
