I’ve chosen a topic for my final project, but I feel like it is a subject that could potentially be sprawling, as almost all subjects surrounding the book are. I need to be careful when researching collectible presses that I do not allow my focus to stray too much. I need to learn the histories of these presses, particularly the Easton Press, as that will be my central focus. I would like to be able to tie this aspect of bookishness into the larger conversation around vintage aesthetics in America, without allowing the project’s scope to expand too broadly. I need to do some research into appreciation of vintage and antique goods as well as consumer preference toward good with vintage aesthetic that are made with modern production techniques.

In this project, I will be doing multiple bibliographies and comparing my findings between editions and evaluating what that could say about the intention behind the creation of these books. I feel like a lot of my research will be hands-on implementation of the things we have learned in class this semester, and that will be very labor and time-intensive. I need to learn what publishing and binding practices were in use at what times, but in the past century and in the more distant history of books. I would like to learn the best way to compare two books bibliographical characteristics.

I am very curious to see how the Easton Press facsimile of the old purchaser-bound folio will measure up in terms of quality of the product, or even if it potentially surpasses the quality of the older book. Since these things are (for the most part) affordable for those that want them, have corners been cut in their manufacturing to keep costs low?