HENRY MORRIS' BOOKSELLER TRADE TOKEN DIES

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V18 2015 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 18, Number 44, November 1, 2015, Article 29

Some of the dies and test strikes for tokens made to accompany Henry Morris' book Trade Tokens of British and American Booksellers & Bookmakers have been acquired by Princeton University Library.

In 1989, Henry Morris, director of Bird & Bull Press, produced and published the book Trade Tokens of British and American Booksellers & Bookmakers. The book was accompanied by a heavy die-cut board folder containing eleven different copper tokens minted by individual booksellers & bookmakers especially for this book. The Graphic Arts Collection and Numismatics Collection have jointly acquired the dies and proofs used in the production of the these bookseller tokens.

Morris’s original dies, medals, and proofs are housed in a mahogany box with a token inset on the top cover, along with a metal plate inscribed “Original Dies for Bookseller’s Tokens, Bird & Bull Press.”

The participants whose tokens are included here are: Bird & Bull Press, The Book Press, Dawson’s Book Shop, Detering Book Gallery, Enterprise Books, Joseph J. Felcone, Kater-Crafts Bookbinders, George Frederick Kolbe/Fine Numismatic Books, G.T. Mandl (English papermakers), Iris Nevins (marbler), and Oak Knoll Books.

The tokens (with nine duplicates), along with a rough flan, were made under the supervision of Meyer Katz at the Unity Mint in Ambler, PA, from dies engraved by Kenneth Douglas at the Green Duck Co., in Olive Branch, MS. The set of 11 tool-steel dies (22 pieces), now coated with a protective lacquer, cost Morris $9800 in 1988, which he considered a bargain.

It was great fun participating in this Bird & Bull publication. A number of years ago, Henry Morris became interested in numismatics. At one point, ancient coins caught his fancy. From there he went on to collect printing medals and tokens, forming an important collection. Henry also became interested in 18th century British tokens, from whence his remarkable imagination conjured "Trade Tokens of British and American Booksellers & Bookmakers.”

Over this period, Henry and I became friends as he acquired books reflecting his evolving numismatic interests. Conversely, he managed to sell me a goodly number of his non-numismatic Bird & Bull Press publications. “Sell" is the correct word; Henry is a terrific salesman. That ability is exceeded only his ability to produce superbly printed and designed books.

Morris has printed several books of numismatic interest, foremost among them is the superbly designed and letterpress printed edition of the John Adams book on Comitia Americana medals, limited to 60 copies. In my not so humble opinion, it is among the most finely produced numismatic books ever issued in modern times.

To read the complete article, see:
Tokens for Booksellers and Bookmakers (https://graphicarts.princeton.edu/2015/09/26/booksellers-and-bookmakers-tokens/)

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