Our Bright Young Collectors series continues today with James Freemantle, collector of Private Press books. James is a contributor to The Private Library, the journal of the Private Libraries Association, as well as Parenthesis and Matrix (Whittington Press), as well as being a member of the Oxford Guild of Printers and Double Crown Club, and proprietor of the recently established St James Park Press. James has been a Judge at the annual Fine Press Fair in Oxford, has written the exhibition catalogue entry for I.M. Imprimit for The Private Press Today exhibition at St. Brides, and runs a Twitter page on the Art of the Book.

 

The ST JAMES PARK PRESS is the private press of James Freemantle, the Press having originally been situated close to St James's Park in London, from which it took its name. 

 

Printing by letterpress on, amongst other presses: a Clymer Dixon (Super Royal) Columbian Press from 1854, a Hopkinson & Cope (Crown Broadside) Albion Press from 1861, a J. & R. M. Wood (Half Sheet Post) Albion Press from 1869, and an Arab (Crown Folio) from 1906. The Press holds a number of composition types, including Caslon, Centaur, Joanna and Spectrum, as well as a large range of display and decorated types. 

 

The primary concern of the Press is the fine printing of illustrated books, by letterpress. There is a focus on utilising wood-engravings or original illustrative work. Occasionally, the Press will agree to print commissioned work on behalf of a publisher or individual. 

 

Works by the Press have been purchased and can now be viewed at such public institutions as the National Art Library at the V&A, the Tate Library, Yale University Library, the National Library of Wales, the Newberry Library, the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas, Eton College Library, and the Bodleian, amongst others.