Rope-a-Dope Press

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Impressed.

Over the weekend we moved a Vandercook SP20 into the studio. It is f*ing beautiful.

Thanks to Loc, Sadie, & Cat (and any other elves who magically moved this 1500 pound thing while I was at work and Robert was in NYC), and especially Mike, who owns it. Love, love, love.

Pictures of Mary's recent books: the Paul Valery cover is made from a recycled American Poetry Review (who doesn't like cutting up that rag?). And "Tragedy" is the first of a series of blank books based on a poem titled "Double."

8x6", 24 pages (blank); hardcover with coptic binding.

Detail of cover. Lama li (handmade Nepalese paper) + handcut and engraved insulating tape.

Detail of Valery cover. 6 1/2 x 8 1/4", 20 pages (blank), hardcover Japanese stab binding. Recycled American Poetry Review+ newsprint.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Ali Bombaye

If you're wondering what the significance of "rope-a-dope" is, check out Wikipedia's explanation (there's a link in the side-bar). You can also watch this excerpt from When We Were Kings on You Tube, or better yet, rent the whole thing.

DIY and indie publishing are a sort of rope-a-dope technique, non?

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Logo

Rope-a-dope logo by Robert daVies. Love it.

Projects

Rope-a-Dope Press produces handbound editions of comtemporary poetry, fiction, and artists' books, incorporating letterpress and recycled materials. To view and purchase books, visit the Rope-a-Dope Press blog.

The Golden Gloves Chapbook Series began in 2009 with our first guest editor, Chris Tonelli. Together with Rope-a-Dope founders Robert daVies and Mary Walker Graham, each guest editor will publish three chapbooks: one solicited, one through open submissions, and one his/her own.

In collaboration with The So and So Series, The Manila Broadsides were published once a month in letterpress printed limited editions. The broadsides were debuted monthly at the So and So Series readings, held in Rope-a-Dope's studio at The Distillery. To view the broadsides online, click here.

The Jungle, a hard-cover, handmade anthology of the first 18 Manila Broadsides, was released at the end of January 2008. The Jungle features 18 poets and 6 artists, as well as some pretty tricky sewing, for which one needs 6 needles and some stuff you don't even want to know about. The Jungle can be found in the Boston Public Library, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, and the University at Buffalo's Poetry Collection. SOLD OUT

The second hard-cover anthology of Manila Broadsides, titled Split Decision, was completed in the autumn of 2009. 3 COPIES REMAINING

Projects to Date lists the various organizations with whom we have collaborated. The results have been several exhibitions and fundraisers that have incorporated the mechanical creativity of the letterpress.