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The deluxe hardback publisher Easton Press has printed several of Rand’s books in recent years, including editions of Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead and The Virtue of Selfishness. I have no information as to how rights to these were obtained but the legalities notations in the opening pages appear to be in order. I own the above releases and have found the quality of construction and illustration to be at least good, if not great.
Easton specializes in classics, special editions related to popular subjects, signed first editions and reproductions of famous editions. They’ve done a complete Shakespeare collection, the Winston Churchill World War II series, and now offer a facsimile Gutenberg bible with multicolor calligraphy on every page, retailing for around $900. Leather binding and 22k gold detailing for page edges and exterior gilt are essentially standard for any book produced by this company. I’d rank Easton in quality with the offerings of the British Folio Society. Their products are not the absolute apotheosis of the bookbinding art, but are worth the relatively high price.
Their latest Rand offering is a two-volume release of Anthem and We the Living. The Anthem volume is a reprint of the 50th Anniversary edition with the Leonard Peikoff introduction of 1994, as well as the facsimile pages of Rand’s corrections for the first American edition. WTL here includes the Introduction and Afterword from Leonard Peikoff of 2008. Below in the first photo, notice that in addition to offering the titles in the first place, they even sent out a sales flyer specifically promoting the books.
Easton typically does editions in runs of two to four thousand copies, which sell out and then one sees the title return in a year or two if still popular. In the next shot, one sees the thick gilt edges (22k, not 24k since binding agents are added to the gold to help adhesion and stability). Also note the silk ribbon bookmark sewn into the binding, as well as the spine hub reinforcements.
The interior artwork plates vary in quality from good to ok, depending on the artist and medium. The paper is acid-free and feels substantial. If you already own good quality hardbacks of these works, you don’t really need such editions as these. Personally, as I’ve often given away Rand titles to people in order to promote her work, I think having these is a guarantee that I’ll always have at least some examples I certainly WON’T give away. Current price for the set is $340.
Easton products can be seen at http://www.eastonpress.com.
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Re: Pete Jamison’s post 103722 of 4/15/23
My Atlas Shrugged two-volume Easton Press edition was made in 1989. It’s quite lovely.
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