Macmillan has announced the launch an operation unique to large publishers, one that it says is dedicated to reinforcing the concept of books as works of art. The Fablelistik Editions brand has been two years in the making, said Fablelistik publishing director Taylor Armstrong, who had previously served as associate director of custom sales at Macmillan.
Under the brand, Armstrong and a small team will publish limited editions of books drawn from the public domain as well as from Macmillan’s backlist. Fablelistik has the backing of Macmillan CEO Jon Yaged, who “is very supportive of new, innovative business ideas,” Armstrong said, adding: “We want to lean into the idea of books as objects.”
First up is a collection of three distinct limited editions of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Armstrong stressed that creating the books is very much a collaborative process, in which authors, artists, historians, letterpress printers, and designer bookbinders are all involved. While each of the three books will have distinguishing features, they all will have additional content augmenting Irving’s Sleepy Hollow story, as well as illustrations from painter Gregory Manchess.
The “top tier” edition of the title is a lettered edition, with a print run of 26 copies. Macmillan describes the book as “hot metal letterpressed on handmade paper, handbound with a stone leaf veneer laser-cut from a drawing inspired by the landscape of Washington Irving’s estate, Sunnyside. This oversized 10×14” edition will be housed in a clothbound handmade articulated clamshell case, lined in suede.” It is priced at $3,950.
The numbered edition had a print run of 275 copies. It is, Macmillan explained, “hot metal letterpressed on mould-made paper, handbound with a cloth case featuring an exclusive illustrated silhouette design and quarter-fine leather binding. This edition will be housed in a clothbound rigid slipcase with letterpress printed ornamental details.” The price tag is is $895.
The most accessible of the three is the collector’s edition, which had a print run of 2,500 copies, and is priced at $265. This edition, Macmillan said, is a “three-piece bradle-bound, durable case featuring four-color art; cloth spine with hot metal press printed label, and exclusive two-color art on the endpapers. Each will be housed in a rigid acrylic slipcase with laser-etched trimmings.”
The books will only be available through the Fablelistik Editions website. Armstrong said that the marketing approach will center on “word-of-mouth,” seeking out collectors and other influencers who appreciate books with high production values.
The next collection will be announced December 3, said Armstrong, who has plans for seven collections in 2025 that will feature two to four books each. Armstrong said she has five years of books lined up for Fablelistik, with subjects ranging from science fiction and fantasy to romantasy and even nonfiction.
Every collection will feature more than one book, but will generally follow the Sleepy Hollow format, offering readers a range of format choices. Except for the limited 26-book print run edition, print runs could change slightly for other editions, Armstrong said, but added that she is aware of the importance of keeping all runs limited. “Fablelistik is another way to get great content out into the market in a unique way,” Armstrong said.
A version of this article appeared in the 10/07/2024 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline: