Grolier Club: The Charles Whittinghams, Printers (1896) DeVinne Press UNCUT For Sale

Limited to 385 Copies • De Vinne Press • Largely Uncut • Fine Press History

A landmark bibliophilic publication from The Grolier Club — the oldest existing society of book collectors and printers in North America, founded in 1884 to promote the arts of bookmaking, printing, and bibliographical study.

This volume, authored by Arthur Warren, chronicles the lives and achievements of Charles Whittingham the Elder (1767–1840) and Charles Whittingham the Younger (1795–1876), the English printers who elevated the Chiswick Press into the forefront of fine-press printing during the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Whittinghams were central figures in the revival of high-quality British printing, known for exquisite typographic design, rich ornamentation, and a refined approach to book production that bridged craft and artistic beauty. Their work influenced the aesthetics of bookmaking across England and beyond.

The elder Whittingham pioneered best-in-class printing techniques in the late 1700s, while the younger — apprenticed to his uncle — expanded the press’s reputation and forged creative partnerships with leading publishers such as William Pickering, producing some of the most elegant editions of classic works and prayer books in the 19th century.

• One of 385 copies printed on hand-made paper by the acclaimed De Vinne Press of New York, a premier American press of the era.

• Large octavo, approximately 344 pages.

• Frontispiece portrait and numerous plates and facsimiles.

• One folding facsimile and one color plate.

• Extensive display of typographic ornaments, borders, decorative initials, devices, and head-pieces, many drawn from or inspired by original Chiswick Press designs.

• Illustrations include portraits of the Whittinghams, William Pickering, Charles Whittingham’s daughter Charlotte (an artist who contributed designs), and views of the historic press.

This edition is prized not just for its content but for its production values, reflecting the Grolier Club’s mission to publish books that are themselves examples of fine printing.

• Original three-quarter leather over cloth boards with the Grolier Club oval device embossed on the cover.

• Binding solid and intact with gentle age wear appropriate to its age.

• Interior exceptionally clean and bright with pages largely uncut and unopened — a significant plus for collectors.

• Light foxing to endpapers only; exterior shows typical toning and mild wear to leather corners and spine.

• An honest, well-preserved copy of a foundational Grolier Club title.

This book isn’t just a biography — it’s a visual catalogue of printing art, capturing the look and feel of 19th-century craftsmanship with examples of decorative typefaces, initials, and ornamental designs created or adapted by the Whittinghams and their collaborators.

The Grolier Club’s publications are collected worldwide for their historical importance, typographic excellence, and limited availability. Fine copies of The Charles Whittinghams, Printers routinely appear in rare book sales and private collections, often alongside other Grolier Club works from the same period.

• Collectors of Grolier Club publications and limited editions

• Bibliophiles and historians of printing and typography

• Designers and artists seeking authentic 19th-century typographic references

• Libraries and archives with fine press or book history collections