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Five Ripe Pears

William Saroyan; illustrated by Joseph Goldyne.
Berkeley, California: Bluewater Books, 1996

Designed by Peter Koch in collaboration with Joseph Goldyne and printed letterpress on handmade Moravia paper from the Velke Losny Mill. The text, a short story by Saroyan that first appeared in The Yale Review, was composed at the press in Poliphilus and Blado, with Delphian, Libra, and Trajan for display. Paired with the text are ten etchings by Golydne, which were proofed and editioned by Kay Bradner. The cover is printed on custom handmade paper from the Magnolia Mill. Bound in a hand-sewn paper case and housed in a quarter leather clamshell box constructed by the Taurus Bindery. Leather spine features gold lettering and hand-tooling of a repeated pear designed by the artist. The edition, which originally numbered fifty copies, was reduced down to forty copies in the final stages due to foxing. Each plate is signed by the artist.

Four copies are currently available.

Book; 56 pp.    22.5 x 22.5 inches    40 copies.       $12000.00

Variant title page from <i>Five Ripe Pears</i>. Cover and box from <i>Five Ripe Pears</i>.