The Fine Book

The fine book occupies a singular position in the history of art and craft. It is not merely a vehicle for text — it is an object in itself: the product of decisions made at every stage of production, from the selection of type and paper to the choice of binding cloth and the design of the spine.

The Limited Editions Club was founded on this conviction. George Macy believed that the great works of literature deserved editions as carefully considered as the texts themselves — and that such editions could be made available not only to institutions and the very wealthy, but to a community of discerning readers willing to invest in books made to last.

Each edition produced by the Club was the result of close collaboration between publisher, designer, illustrator, printer, and binder. The books that resulted were not facsimiles of earlier fine press traditions — they were original contributions to the history of the book, made with the materials and methods of their own moment.

The Study

The Fine Book: An Exploration of the Limited Editions Club and Contemporary Private Presses is a scholarly study currently in preparation by Diego Avendaño-Morineau, founder and publisher of the revived Club. Drawing on archival research and firsthand engagement with contemporary fine press publishers, the study examines the Club's legacy across two generations of leadership and traces its continuing influence on the collector-grade publishers working today.

An exhibition drawn from this research is currently in development. Members of the Register will be among the first to receive announcements of both the publication and the exhibition.

Est. 1929 · Revived 2026