Thanks to the Very Short List, the Observer's newsy site - a daily resource for book related and other minutia - for the tip on Mark Terry's Facsimile Dust Jacket Website.
Mark's service creates and sells facsimiles of vintage book covers for those of us who just can't get enough of these vintage graphic designs. He even has a guy, Andy Moursund, who will make posters out of a cover or covers.
I'm thinking some covers and a poster or two or three would be great in any room in the house of a book and/or art lover. Am I wrong? This is a superb idea and I can't think why no one's ever thought of it before.
All genres, including literature, are available. So if you have a favorite author, favorite book or books - this is a fun way to decorate with great vintage art.
There's nothing like a vintage book cover design to warm a reader's heart on a cold winter's night.
Start thinking Christmas presents. I'll be reminding you about Mark's site when I post my Best Presents for the Book and Film Lover on Your List.
These four covers are facsimiles by Mark Terry.
What a 'novel" idea! Talk about entrepreneurship. It reminds me of the demand for vintage posters of old black-and-white Hindi (Bollywood) movies. Vintage book covers? Well, I'm thinking all the classics starting with Mark Twain, H.G. Wells and Charles Dickens, "The Pickwick Papers" in particular. "Moby Dick" would make a greater poster too.
ReplyDeleteI know! It's such a cool idea. A 'novel idea' as you say, Prashant.
ReplyDeleteHe's been in business for a long time - about 14 years or so, I think. There are at least three other people I know who do this kind of thing - two in the US and one in Sweden. There may be dozens of them by now, but all known through word of mouth or the bookselling trade. Mark Terry was one of the first, though. Before he had a website of his own he used to sell his facsimiles through Rushton Potts who owns a used book store in Hyannis, MA. I have several of Mark's facimiles on many of my "jacketless" books.
ReplyDeleteOnce when he was on his way to Chicago he asked if he could scan the unusual DJs in my collection. But I told him that most of what I had was already in his database and that the unusual DJs numbered about only 50. He said it wasn't worth it. Oh well, his loss. Now of course I have over 150 one of a kind DJs that he STILL doesn't have in his database. I keep thinkign about emailing him, but always forget to follow through.
Oh, how very cool! I would love to decorate with posters like this. Not sure if the hubby would agree...he'd probably say that I've already "decorated" enough with all the bookshelves.
ReplyDeleteWell John, to me he's new. I've just learned about him. I still say it's a great idea. I'm not surprised others are doing it as well.
ReplyDeleteYou should follow through and email Mark. Many of these covers are works of art - in one way or another - and should be available, at the very least to be seen on a website.
You know how much I enjoy viewing your old covers when you write about vintage (which is mostly all the time).
Bev: Wouldn't it be fun? And the prices aren't bad, far as I can tell. He has tons of familiar writers and some not so familiar like the ones on my post. I just picked them because I loved the title of the books and the artwork.
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