The Italian fine press publisher Morning Bell Edition has launched its second Kickstarter campaign, raising more than $180,000 for four new, meticulously crafted, hand-bound, and letterpress-printed limited editions of the 1818 version of Mary Shelley’s Gothic masterpiece, Frankenstein.
The campaign, which far exceeded its initial funding goal, continues the press’s mission of honoring literary classics through the highest level of craftsmanship, including custom typography, hand-binding, and letterpress printing. The entire run of the Frankenstein book is strictly limited to 451 copies worldwide.
Editions and pricing
Lake Edition ($329): A Bodoni-style binding in grey cloth, with 15 letterpress-printed black and white illustrations and 120-gram Fedrigoni Arena Rough paper.
Forest Edition ($750): Bound in dark grey leather with a canvas slipcase, 15 letterpress-printed illustrations colored in silkscreen with natural pigments, a top edge dyed green with natural colors, and 120-gram Fedrigoni Arena Rough paper. Limited to 100 hand-numbered copies.
Island Edition ($1,350): Bound in high-quality three-tone leather with a hand-crafted jointed wooden bookcase, 15 letterpress-printed illustrations colored in silkscreen with natural pigments, a top edge colored green with grey scars, and 120-gram Fedrigoni Materica paper. Limited to 70 hand-numbered copies.
Arctic Edition ($2,250): Bound in three-tone leather and a handcrafted jointed wooden bookcase, with an additional cloth-covered box with gold stamping for all the objects, decorated with a gold fillet on the edge of the book cover, an original artwork by Marino Neri in ink, a complete collection of all the illustrations printed in letterpress and colored in silkscreen using natural pigments, a three-color silk-thread headband, and 120-gram Fedrigoni Materica paper. Limited to 15 hand-numbered copies.
The History of Morning Bell Edition
Morning Bell Edition is based in Modena, Italy, and was co-founded by four partners who brought a wealth of experience in the world of rare and antique books: Davide Montorsi, Federico Montaguti, Antonio Zanfrognini, and Angela Mastellone.
The press was founded on the principle of bringing literary masterpieces to life as “the editions of our dreams,” using only fine materials and the highest craftsmanship at every stage of their creation.
The Frankenstein campaign is a follow-up to the press’s equally successful debut last year, a fine press edition of Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio. That first volume was warmly received and raised over $180,000, setting a high standard for the quality and collectible nature of Morning Bell’s work.
With their latest project, Morning Bell continues to establish itself as a respected name in the world of fine press publishing, catering to collectors who value traditional letterpress printing and exquisite hand-bound artistry.
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