Circle Press – Bluebeard’s Castle.
(Circle Press) Bluebeard’s Castle. [Poetry by] Roy Fisher for 9 3-dimensional pop-up designs by Ron King. Guildford. 1972 . Folding chemise opening at the center to resemble a pair of doors. Each quire printed on differently colored paper, color screen prints and pop-ups (2 incorporating foil and 1 with metal rods). 10 loose 4 page sections silk screened through onto Hollingsworth paper placed into a cardboard folder and held in a black plexiglas tray with a transparent lid. No. 157 of 175 copies (plus 15 proofs). Prospectuses and related ephemera laid in. Fine.
“Based on the opera by Bartok, the visual theme of the book is represented by nine pop-up constructions; the portcullis, the castle and seven secret chambers with the verse incorporated into the design printed in Optima. ”
King writes in Cooking the Books: “Bluebeard marked my break from the traditional approach in previous books. I designed it with encouragement from Pat Gilmour and aided by her research. …I sent the mock-up of the book to Roy Fisher who, in the matter of a few weeks came up with the perfect solution. The voices were to come from the rooms rather than from the characters. This was my first cutting and creasing adventure.”
Related items: Catalogue 37 - Summer 2009, Pop-up, Structure, Circle Press, Ron King, Roy Fisher