The Colophon Book Collector's Quarterly was a limited edition quarterly magazine begun late in 1929 and continuing in various guises till 1950. It was the brainchild of Elmer Adler of the Pynson Printers in New York City. His idea was that various printers around the world would be willing to contribute their time and expertise to produce signatures (articles) using their own choice of papers, typography and illustration. These articles would then be gathered together by the Pynson Printers and marketed to 2000 book lovers.
Each issue would also include an original piece of graphic art (etching, lithograph, wood engraving).
He gathered around him an editorial board of John Winterich, Alfred Stanford and F.B. Adams, Jr. and contributing editors including Rockwell Kent, W.A. Dwiggins, Frederic Goudy, Dard Hunter, Bruce Rogers, A. Edward Newton and many others who are well-known in the book world even now. It was their responsibility to provide not only editorial expertise but articles (and in the case of Rockwell Kent the Colophon logos).
Beginning in early 1930 this "adventure in enthusiasm", as Adler called it, was greeted with public enthusiasm as well and subscribers clambered for it. However, it soon ran into difficulty as the Depression made even the subscription price of $15 per year intolerable for many. By 1935 only 1700 subscribers could be found. Nonetheless, the quality of the Colophon remained unsurpassed - through the good will of printers, authors and artists - as well as with the help of a number of anonymous financial gifts. From 1935 to 1938 the Colophon entered a new phase with cheaper production values (at a price of $4 per year) before returning for four issues in 1939 to its old format. Starting again in 1948, the name New Colophon was used by Philip Duschnes and the quarterly was entirely printed by the Anthoensen Press of Portland, Maine, continuing publication till 1950 in a fourth and final format.
Many of the writers of the day, such as Sherwood Anderson and Edith Wharton, wrote autobiographical articles about their first books and many artists now famous, such as Paul Landacre, Howard Cook and Emil Ganso, provided original prints.
Sets of this periodical can still be found in many major public and college libraries, often in the rare book rooms.
