Dear Mr. Hunter : The Letters of Vojtech Preissig to Dard Hunter, 1920-1925 [signed]

In 1920 Vojtech Preissig contacted Dard Hunter to enquire about having a custom, handmade paper produced for a book project. This initial contact led to a lengthy correspondence and friendship which demonstrated a shared passion for all aspects of the book arts. The name Dard Hunter has become synonymous with hand-made paper as an artform. Hunter spent his life researching almost-lost techniques and writing about his discoveries. His expertise was not limited to paper, however, but encompassed the entire scope of bookmaking, type design, type cutting, casting, printing. Vojtech Preissig was a Czech artist with strikingly similar aspirations and sensibilities to those of Dard Hunter. Although his work is less widely known, Preissig was prolific and dedicated to the book arts to a point of self-sacrifice. Dear Mr. Hunter consists solely of Preissig’s letters to Dard Hunter. The ultimate fate of Dard Hunter’s letters in reply is unknown. But Preissig’s side of the correspondence offers many insights in its matter-of-fact unveiling of the process of artistic development. This book includes illustrations of Preissig’s work, an introduction by Timothy Conroy, and a foreword by Richard Kegler. A standard edition of 1000 copies will be produced for private distribution. A deluxe edition of 50 copies will be hand bound by Richard Kegler in quarter leather with silk-screened paper covered boards and will include paper by Dard Hunter, III, Dard Hunter’s grandson.