Emily & Oscar by Joseph D'Ambrosio (1934-2009) - 1979

Portage, IN: The Compulsive Printer, 1979. First Edition. Hardcover. Like New. Joseph D. Signed. Miniature Book. 2 7/8 x 2 1/2 inches. [iv], (34) pp. A botanical retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, this book contains illustrations of trees, leaves, and script-like letter roots throughout in green printed from plastic printing plates, a technology originally called Nyloplates (or "black light" plates) made by Elmore Mundell (1911-1982) in Indiana from drawings provided by D'Ambrosio. By this time, D'Ambrosio was living in California; Mundell shipped the plates to JD'A, who mounted them on wood so the plates would be type-high for letterpress printing; text clean, unmarked. Creative 3-sided case binding covered with thinly sliced mulberry bark make in Japan, the front board contains actual leaves from a creeping fig plant and coated with 3 coats of lacquer for permanence, an extension of the back board folds around the fore edge of the book to protect the lacquered leaves, green endpapers of mulberry fibers incorporated into rice paper, spine titled in brown ink; binding square and tight. JG1119-001. Fine. LIMITED EDITION of 75 copies, this is number 62, SIGNED by D'Ambrosio and Elmore Mundell, the Compulsive Printer (1911-1982), on the colophon. The text is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Elmore Mundell had a career as a printer for R. R. Donnelley and Sons; upon his retirement, Mr. Donnelley gave Mundell all the equipment to make Nyloplates, what today we would call "photopolymer plates." The illustrations in this book are Nyloplates created by Mundell from Joe D'Ambrosio's drawings. Joe D'Ambrosio has explained that he was not happy with the printing of this book in 1979, which was caused by Mundell's battle with cancer. Seeking the advice of Jim Lorson (1928-2008), who advised D'Ambrosio to bind the edition but only charge "a very reasonable price," which resulted in the edition selling out quickly. REFERENCES: Bradbury, 20th Cent. US Miniature Books, No. 846; D'Ambrosio, A Memoir of Book Design, pp. 54-55.