Encampment, Wyoming

Selections from the Lora Webb Nichols Archive, 1899-1948

Book coverEncampment, Wyoming
Book coverEncampment, Wyoming
Book coverEncampment, Wyoming
Book coverEncampment, Wyoming

What a spectacular, perfectly executed waterless offset printed book this is. The jury was almost unanimously blown away by this book, which in all its simplicity exudes photography. The design is visible, but at the same time is so good that it does not intrude.

Bold decisions have been taken that go against the traditional structure of a book dealing with a historical photo collection: foreword, explanatory notes on the structure and finally the material itself. This is not the case here. As a whole, the book has a classic look, but the cover betrays the contemporary nature of its design, stating only the title, and not the name of the author. As all textual notes and explanations have been placed at back, we can dive straight into the treasure trove. Decisions, perhaps, that do not give the feeling of immediately diving into a book. Rather, before we know it, we are in early twentieth-century Wyoming. The text in the back – printed in silver on black as a poetic reference to the silver salts used in photography – makes reading a great pleasure.

The book feels fairly stiff in the hand owing to the thick boards used for the stylish linen cover, and possibly also to the heavy paper, which gives the sensation of holding authentic photographic paper. And then, to think that this book encompasses less than 1 percent of the original collection. A mouth-watering prospect.

Edition: 2020
Date of publication: November 2020
Author: Nancy F. Andersen, Nicole Jean Hill
Language: English
Final editor: Hans Gremmen; Mark Wicklund (editor-in-chief)
Image editor: Nicole Jean Hill, Hans Gremmen
Photographer: Lora Webb Nichols
Artist: Lora Webb Nichols
Publisher: Fw:Books, Amsterdam
Available through: Bookshop, webshop
Graphic designer: Hans Gremmen (Amsterdam)
Lithographer: Henk Tienkamp, Groningen
Printer: Tienkamp, Groningen
Binder: Van Waarden, Zaandam
Size book block (w x h x d in mm): 216 x 280 x 17
Number of pages: 208
Print run: 3000
Price: € 40
ISBN: 9789490119898
Font and foundry: Trade Gothic (Linotype), New Century Schoolbook (Linotype)
Binding style: Sewn hardback with flat spine, linen over 2.5 mm greyboard; hot melt gluing
Paper for interior (grammage): 135gsm Symbol Tatami White, 120gsm Butterfly zwart (remaining stock from own warehouse), Fedrigoni
Endpapers (grammage): 120gsm Butterfly zwart (remaining stock from own warehouse)
Material cover (grammage): Senator 74001, L. van Heek Textiles
Special features: Symbol Tatami White printed in duotone (black + mixed colour); photos interior are varnished; Butterfly black printed in Pantone 877; photo on front and back cover embossed and printed in duotone on 150gsm Symbol Tatami White; embossing in black foil (KURZ Colorit 9120) on front cover and spine. Printing: waterless offset with highly pigmented inks