Sunday, March 27, 2011

Thoughtful Alphabets

While not technically "books", Edward Gorey's Thoughtful Alphabets were printed in 1996 as limited edition posters, or broadsides. The set consists of six alphabets, each hand lettered and illustrated with clip art images. This style of illustration seemed to appeal to Mr. Gorey at this time, and the graphic quality of the broadsides is strong.




The broadsides are titled on each poster as:
Thoughtful Alphabet No. 2
Thoughtful Alphabet
No. 3
Thoughtful Alphabet No. 4
Thoughtful Alphabet
No. 10
Thoughtful Alphabet
No. 14
Thoughtful Alphabet
No. 15

The 12" x 18" broadsides were published in two limited editions, and because of their size and graphic impact, they are suitable for framing.

Printed on white paper in an edition of 100 signed and numbered copies, this edition was sold as a set of 6 alphabets. I am showing one print from set #9/100.

Printed on brightly colored paper - each broadside is a different color - in an edition of 300 signed (unnumbered) copies, the colored broadsides were sold individually. Regardless of how they were originally offered, the Thoughtful Alphabet broadsides are now often sold as single "prints".

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