I just learned of this series of limited edition, hand bound and illustrated books from Ian Young over at the
Books To Furnish a Room blog.
(Quoting him now)
Oak Tree Fine Press have just issued the tenth book in their First Chapter Series –Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie. Each book in the series consists of the first chapter of a novel which has won the Booker Prize, presented in a signed and numbered edition.
Each book is an edition of 150 and cost between £75 / $119 (US) and £175 / $277 (US). You can buy the full set of the first 10 books for £1500 / $2,371 (US). Each book pairs the Booker winning author with an artist who creates a work based on the writing. In some instances, you can buy the artwork separately, which I've noted in the list below.
The first in the series was:
Vol. 1:
Life and Times of Michael K by J.M. Coetzee (artwork by Colbert Mashile).
Deluxe volume, hand bound in cloth, numbered and signed by the author; presented with separate signed artwork from the illustrator, in a slip case. (£175 / US$277)
Standard volume, hand bound in cloth, signed by the author (£75 / $119) - you can purchase a slip case for an additional £25 / $40.
- Vol. 2: Disgrace, J.M. Coetze (Jo Ratcliffe, artist) :: Deluxe (£175 / $277) and Standard (£75 / $119) editions available ::
- Vol. 3: Holiday, Stanley Middleton (Stanley Middleton, artist) :: Deluxe (£175 / $277) and Standard (£75 / $119) editions available: print of watercolor - edition of 26 (£150 / $237) ::
- Vol. 4: The Conservationist, Nadine Gordimer (Cyril Coetze, artist) :: Deluxe (£175 / $277) and Standard (£75 / $119) editions available ::
- Vol. 5: Sacred Hunger, Barry Unsworth (Ezequiel Mabote, artist) :: Deluxe edition with artwork (£100 / $158); artwork - a set of two woodcuts, edition of 30 (£150 / $237) ::
- Vol. 6: Blind Assasin, Margaret Atwood (Yoko Ono, artist) :: Deluxe edition with artwork (£175 / $277); artwork - edition of 30 (£395 / $625) ::
- Vol. 7: The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst (Gilbert and George, artist) :: Deluxe edition with artwork (£175 / $277); artwork - edition of 30 (£395 / $625) ::
- Vol. 8: Possession, A.S. Byatt (David Royle, artist) :: Deluxe edition (£100 / $158) ::
- Vol. 9: Schindler's Ark, Thomas Keneally (Antony Gormley, artist) :: sold out (available only in the full set) ::
- Vol. 10: Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie (Thomas Howard, artist) :: Deluxe edition (£100 / $158) ::