Bibliophemera

Here's a letterpress print announcement from Herbert Fahey for the Roxburghe Club in San Francisco in 1947. The announcement, with an attractive border of antiquarian images of printing-related scenes, is for a presentation by Felix Cunha titled, Incunabula Medica . Cunha is described as a "Doctor of Medicine, Bibliophile, Author, Savant, Traveler." The printer Fahey, whose name appears on the back, was active in the book arts in California, having served as president of the  San Francisco Club of Printing House Craftsmen   in 1929. The Book Club of California also published his book,  Early Printing in California: From Its Beginning in the Mexican Territory to Statehood, September 9, 1850 (1956, printed by the Grabhorn Press).   I would assume he might have also been a member of the Roxburghe Club, which was formed in 1928 in San Francisco. What I know about Felix Cunha is pretty much what is printed on the announcement about him. A...

Here's a 1968 announcement card for a meeting of the Roxburghe Club in San Francisco. The featured speaker is William R. Holman , former director of the San Francisco Public Library, as well as the Harry Ransom Research Center at the University of Texas. He wore and continues to wear many other hats, i.e., printer, book designer, publisher, and writer ( The Orphans' Nine Commandments ) . The Grabhorn-Hoyem Press designed and printed this card (5.5 x 8.5 inches), with its interesting typeface and partial border design. They and other printers in the San Francisco area were the subject of an 8mm film shot by Holman before he left San Francisco in 1967 for the University of Texas. The following year, 1968, he presented his film during a talk at the Roxburghe Club meeting on December 10th. Last month, I asked Mr. Holman about this piece, with respect to his film and talk at the Roxburghe Club. He said he shot the super 8mm film, describing it as "poorly made," of the Ba...