Dropmore Press
Encyclopedia
The Dropmore Press was a private press
founded in 1945 by the newspaper-owner James Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley
. He acquired the type, paper-stock, printing equipment and press-man of the Corvinus Press
, which closed in 1945, following the death of its owner Viscount Carlow in the previous year. The Press was run by a committee of Directors, who selected texts and oversaw the work of the press-man (A. H. Cardew). Kemsley and his fellow Directors (among whom Edward Shanks
was perhaps the most active) attempted to run the Press on commercial grounds (Carlow's Corvinus Press had been a hobby), with limited success. Most of the books were printed in editions of between 300 and 1000 copies, and their style was generally formal and similar to the better 'trade' publications of the period. The books appear staid, both in design and literary terms, when compared with the publications of the Corvinus Press. Some Dropmore Press books were printed by commercial printing-firms, rather than by Cardew at the Press itself. Around 1950 the journalist Ian Fleming
joined the board of Directors, though his influence was at first relatively minor. In 1954 the Press was in severe financial difficulties and was offered to Fleming, who apparently agreed to buy it (although the deal was never finalized). The press closed in 1955, having published more than forty books, some under the parallel imprint of the Queen Anne Press. Dropmore printed minor works by Evelyn Waugh
(who complained about the inaccuracy of the text) and T. S. Eliot
, and published an important catalogue of The royal philatelic collection by Sir John Wilson and Clarence Winchester in 1952. Dropmore also produced a relatively large quantity printed ephemera
in the form of catalogues and prospectuses
for its publications, and published Book Handbook, a bibliophile magazine which developed into The Book Collector
(a project with which Fleming was heavily involved at this period).
Private press
Private press is a term used in the field of book collecting to describe a printing press operated as an artistic or craft-based endeavor, rather than as a purely commercial venture...
founded in 1945 by the newspaper-owner James Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley
Viscount Kemsley
Viscount Kemsley, of Dropmore in the County of Buckingham, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1945 for the press lord Gomer Berry, 1st Baron Kemsley...
. He acquired the type, paper-stock, printing equipment and press-man of the Corvinus Press
Corvinus Press
The Corvinus Press was a private press established by George Lionel Seymour Dawson-Damer, Viscount Carlow in Red Lion Court, off Fleet Street, London in early 1936. Carlow was a keen book-collector, amateur linguist and typographer, and ran the Press purely as a hobby, with the help of a press-man...
, which closed in 1945, following the death of its owner Viscount Carlow in the previous year. The Press was run by a committee of Directors, who selected texts and oversaw the work of the press-man (A. H. Cardew). Kemsley and his fellow Directors (among whom Edward Shanks
Edward Shanks
Edward Richard Buxton Shanks was an English writer, known as a war poet of World War I, then as an academic and journalist, and literary critic and biographer. He also wrote some science fiction....
was perhaps the most active) attempted to run the Press on commercial grounds (Carlow's Corvinus Press had been a hobby), with limited success. Most of the books were printed in editions of between 300 and 1000 copies, and their style was generally formal and similar to the better 'trade' publications of the period. The books appear staid, both in design and literary terms, when compared with the publications of the Corvinus Press. Some Dropmore Press books were printed by commercial printing-firms, rather than by Cardew at the Press itself. Around 1950 the journalist Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
joined the board of Directors, though his influence was at first relatively minor. In 1954 the Press was in severe financial difficulties and was offered to Fleming, who apparently agreed to buy it (although the deal was never finalized). The press closed in 1955, having published more than forty books, some under the parallel imprint of the Queen Anne Press. Dropmore printed minor works by Evelyn Waugh
Evelyn Waugh
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh , known as Evelyn Waugh, was an English writer of novels, travel books and biographies. He was also a prolific journalist and reviewer...
(who complained about the inaccuracy of the text) and T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
, and published an important catalogue of The royal philatelic collection by Sir John Wilson and Clarence Winchester in 1952. Dropmore also produced a relatively large quantity printed ephemera
Ephemera
Ephemera are transitory written and printed matter not intended to be retained or preserved. The word derives from the Greek, meaning things lasting no more than a day. Some collectible ephemera are advertising trade cards, airsickness bags, bookmarks, catalogues, greeting cards, letters,...
in the form of catalogues and prospectuses
Prospectus (book)
A book prospectus is a printed description of or advertisement for that book, usually issued before publication in an attempt to generate interest and advance orders. The word derives from Latin, meaning literally something which gives a view or prospect...
for its publications, and published Book Handbook, a bibliophile magazine which developed into The Book Collector
The Book Collector
The Book Collector is a magazine for book collectors that commenced publication in 1952. On its foundation editorial board were Ian Fleming, John Hayward and P.H...
(a project with which Fleming was heavily involved at this period).