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Surplus Value Books #13 - Standard edition
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Rick Moody’s short story, Surplus Value Books #13 is a character study of a particular bookseller. The story is told through the description of books for sale in a catalog. Values are assigned to each item in the catalog according to the bookseller’s inherent personal desire for each item. Themes of value, voyeurism and deceit are presented along with the pathology of collecting. Surplus Value Books #13 standard edition features a slipcase resembling a mailing envelope for the ‘catalog’ with a surrogate cancelled C3a, arguably the most collectible U.S. postage stamp of the 20th century. It is presented as a traditional case bound book that acts as the bookseller’s catalog and is formatted as a bookseller’s catalog. The standard edition contains photographic images of the books for sale throughout the catalog. This differs from the deluxe edition. The deluxe has the photographs contained in a separate print production folio. The frontispiece illustration contains overprinted text that reveals a few words that give the reader clues about the nature of the text. The absolute whiteness of the standard edition binding is meant to evoke a book in sheets. Chip Schilling at Indulgence Press performed all design, printing, and binding of the standard edition. The text was printed letterpress and set in Mrs. Eaves roman and italic types using light blue and black inks onto Somerset Velvet papers. All the images in the book were printed using an Epson 2000P ink jet printer. The book was half bound in alum-tawed leather with handmade linen paper covered boards.Standard Edition: 174 numbered Standard edition Price: $300.00
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Surplus Value Books #13 - Deluxe edition |
Surplus
Value Books #13 - Deluxe edition A collaboration with Daniel E. Kelm The deluxe edition is designed to be a collector’s box, and also a mental patient’s box, of personal possessions. The text is formatted as a publisher’s galley proof, presented as a galley tray inside a straightjacket enclosure. The deluxe edition also includes margin notes (marginalia by Rick Moody) in the hand of the author, some of which have whiteout applied according to the author’s instruction. Various levels make up this edition. Upon removing the galley holding the text, the reader is presented with a removable panel resembling a hospital release checklist. Holes cut into this panel reveal objects contained below. The collectible objects in the box act as literal illustrations to the story. The deluxe edition was printed letterpress by Wilber “Chip” Schilling at Indulgence Press, on handmade flax and various papers. Set in Mrs. Eaves roman and italic types. The deluxe edition is designed in collaboration between Chip Schilling and Daniel E. Kelm. Kelm and his ‘mechanics’ at the Wide Awake Garage in Easthampton, Massachusetts, bound the deluxe edition. There is a space in the deluxe edition left surprisingly empty, void of any possession. The space is sized to perfectly to house the standard edition of the book, quietly suggesting that standard book must be purchased to ‘complete’ the deluxe edition and thus leading the possessor of the deluxe edition down the obsessive path described within the text. Deluxe Edition: 26 lettered, A-Z Deluxe edition Price: $2500 |
