Patrick's Collection

[Patrick]

In 2009, Dave McKean designed a set of stamps for the Royal Mail. Neil Gaiman wrote little stories to go with each stamp. Here are these MYTHICAL CREATURES:



Unfolded:



The back of the mint stamp holder envelope thingy...



...with Neil Gaiman's contribution:

[srboone]

Very Cool, Patrick! Terrific art! The US post office would never go for anything like that. Besides, it'll probably be gone in 5 years.

[Patrick]

Very Cool, Patrick! Terrific art! The US post office would never go for anything like that. Besides, it'll probably be gone in 5 years.

Thanks, Squire. I really like the set. Hey, if the USPS disappears, wouldn't that make all the U.S. stamps that much more collectible? ha ha

[Patrick]

Remember the 10th Anniversary edition of AMERICAN GODS, with the Author's Preferred Text, that I posted upthread?

That Preferred Text was first published in 2003 in a beautiful Signed Limited edition produced by Hill House.

The limited edition is accompanied by a matching number paperback "reading copy" with the same preferred text by Neil Gaiman.

The S/L in its slipcase on your left, reading copy on your right:

...

The slipcase and the book (but the color is off in this photo):



Endpapers:



(to be continued)

[Patrick]

AMERICAN GODS Signed/Limited edition (continued)

This copy #542 of 750:



Some interior pages:

[Patrick]

AMERICAN GODS Signed/Limited edition (continued)

Paraphrased from a letter released at the time from Hill House Publishers:

The Reader’s Copy includes a bonus that does not appear in the Limited: included as an appendix in the Reader’s Copy is a six-hundred word section that Neil himself originally deleted from the novel. Included in this appendix is a note by Neil which explains why he removed the section.

Because the production of the Readers Copy involved completely resetting the text, it also gave Hill House the chance to correct a handful of little typographical errors. These corrections, combined with the bonus section, make the Reader's Copy unique.

If the Limited Edition is the Author's Preferred Edition, then the Readers Copy can be said to be, textually at least, the Author's Preferred Preferred Edition!

Here is my paperback Reader's Copy with matching number (#542 of 750):







Hill House sure produced some lovely editions in its time.

[srboone]

Wow! that's the way to make a limited set. Give a rereader's copy along with it--beautiful, Patrick!

[Tito_Villa]

Hill House really do make some wonderful books, really love those stamps too, can't remember seeing any around though!

[TerryE]

I love that Hill House edition of American Gods, too. (I wish he could have stayed in business) And so glad they gave us a reading copy to go with it. I wish more publishers would do that, especially if it is an exclusive text.

[Grant Wootton]

Wow Patrick, that American Gods limited is nothing short of amazing - the inclusion of a like numbered reading copy is excellent

[Patrick]

Thanks, guys. (I edited my last post above to add some information I found interesting about the Reader's Copy.)

Hill House Publishing's limited editions of AMERICAN GODS (above) and ANANSI BOYS (just a bit further upthread) are amongst the most beautiful productions in my collection.

My experience has been that it is hard as heck to find info on this publishing house, so for those who haven't heard the backstory, here's what I know (please feel free to correct or add to this):

Hill House was started by Peter Schneider, a former marketing manager for Doubleday. He went into the small press publishing business and made some fine books by authors such as Neil Gaiman and Ray Bradbury. As you can see from my few photos, this was truly a labor of love. Finances, possibly combined with personal health issues, eventually caught up with Hill House. After a few years, the company went insolvent (in 2008, I believe). My understanding is that ANANSI BOYS was their final release. Cemetery Dance and PS Publishing have taken up some of the projects that Hill House had left unfinished.

Rest In Peace, Hill House.

[Patrick]

Just for fun: Advanced Reading Copy of an edition of Neil Gaiman's NEVERWHERE that I picked up for two bucks.



I'm generally not a collector of ARCs, but the price was right.

[Patrick]

Here is the signed limited edition of Neil Gaiman's A LITTLE GOLD BOOK OF GHASTLY STUFF, produced by Borderlands Press and being released right now.



The limitation page. My copy is #425 of 500.



Table of Contents.



Overall, it's a neat little book, well worth the price paid.

[srboone]

Very nice. I saw the whole set (sold out) on the publisher's website and it look great! Camelot had a complete set of matched numbers for sale, but way out of my range. Do you have any of the others?

[Grant Wootton]

Very nice indeed Patrick, love the presentation of Ghastly Stuff