Kyffin - A Celebration

The Gregynog Press

The Gregynog Press was one of the major Private Presses of the British Private Press Movement of the 1900s. It produced, in its 18-year history, 42 titles to standards of design, illustration and binding that are rarely equalled. Re-established in 1978 under its Welsh title Gwasg Gregynog, it remains at the forefront of today’s fine presses, and is the only imprint still active from the heyday of the British Private Press Movement. Registered as a Charity in 2002, it continues to hoist the banner of high standards in the production of the book beautiful using traditional letterpress printing skills. A Gregynog book is not time sensitive: as the craftspeople involved well know, and subscribers appreciate, they have the responsibility of preserving these encapsulated skills for future generations of book lovers.

The Press at Gregynog is still, and has for over 80 years been, an important and unique part of the cultural and literary heritage of Wales. During the 1930s it was responsible for printing the wireless message from the children of Wales to the children of the world; latterly it was commissioned to produce the symbolic document signed by the Queen to open the National Assembly, followed by a companion volume outlining the Statutory Instruments for the operation of that body. A Gregynog book has now become the choice for presentation to a wide range of dignitaries.

The late Sir Kyffin Williams, an ardent supporter of the Press during his lifetime, generously illustrated four Gwasg Gregynog publications. Other artists commissioned include David Gentleman, Jonah Jones, Sarah van Niekerk, Hilary Paynter, John Piper, Ieuan Rees and Colin See-Paynton—the author and illustrator of the latest book, Of a Feather, due to appear in mid-2008.


Designer Bookbinders

Designer Bookbinders is one of the foremost bookbinding societies in the world. Since its inception it has been the model for many bookbinding societies in other countries, and its Fellows have an international reputation for their progressive influence on the art, design and technique of the hand bound book.

The Society, begun in 1951 as the Guild of Contemporary Bookbinders, adopted a more structured organisation and a formal constitution in 1968 under its present name of Designer Bookbinders. The objects of the Society are twofold: the preservation and improvement of the craft and design of fine bookbinding through the encouragement, exercise and maintenance of standards; and the promotion of the public’s interest in all aspects of the craft.

These aims are furthered by means of exhibitions, public lectures and master classes, the publication of relevant books, periodicals and catalogues, and the organization of an annual bookbinding competition. In 2009 the Society will also be holding its first International Competition at the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

Of the four categories of membership within the Society, the Fellows are the most highly respected members. They are considered to have achieved the highest standards and are free to exhibit their work. Another category within the Society are the Licentiates, who are deemed to show the potential to become Fellows within a five year period, and who can also exhibit alongside the Fellows.

Designer Bookbinders has regularly shown the work of its members in Britain and in many overseas countries, most recently in Japan and Belgium, but it is rare to have an exhibition devoted to a single book. The binders are a very disparate group of people who work in different parts of the country, in very different ways and who have very diverse interests and influences. The starting point is, of course, the book itself but nevertheless the finished bindings will, it is hoped, be as different from one another as the binders are – the common factors being the text and illustrations and the fact that we are all members of Designer Bookbinders.

We are immensely grateful to all those who have worked on this project, and for giving the binders this opportunity to show their work at several venues in England and Wales.