Richard Wagener.
Berkeley, California: Peter Koch, Printer, 1998

This abcdarium and bestiary was commissiond by Peter Koch from the artist Richard Wagener in 1991. It came to completion seven years later in what has been hailed a tour de force of wood engraving by a modern master. Designed and printed on Zerkall paper by Peter Koch and Richard Wagener. The text, twenty-six short fictions written by Wagener that evoke the American West, is composed in Monotype Ehrhardt cast by the Golgonooza Letter Foundry. Accompanying the text are twenty-six wood engravings in black that follow the artist’s zoological alphabet, from the armadillo, Tolypeutes tricinctus, to the meadow jumping mouse, Zapus hudsonius. In addition to the zoological alphabet blocks, there are twelve engravings in red that serve as backgrounds for the initial letters used to indicate a new section. Bound by Peggy Gotthold using quarter leather and printed gray Fabriano Roma paper over boards, with gold lettering on the spine. Housed in a red cloth slipcase plus gray chemise. Signed and numbered by the artist.

Book; 110 pp.    9 x 15 inches    70 copies. O.P.       $inquire