Earlier this year, Alderbrink was founded to explore and celebrate the world’s best fine press publishers and their newest editions. As a capstone to our first year, Alderbrink’s editorial staff carefully considered more than 100 titles from more than 50 fine presses to select the winners of our inaugural Alderbrink Awards in nine categories — literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, history, science and nature, biography and memoir, poetry, and special recognition for our 2025 fine press of the year.
We considered overall design, interior and exterior art, binding and printing methods, paper quality, typesetting, and literary merit to designate the winning presses and editions, as well as the artists and designers credited for each title. There is no cash prize or physical award for our inaugural winners, but we plan on offering the latter in 2026 — including retroactive physical awards for this year’s winners.
Best fine press literary fiction
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Suntup Editions, Jason Dewinetz (design), and Mario Robinson (art)
The Lettered edition of Suntup’s To Kill a Mockingbird lovingly captures the Southern Gothic ambience of Harper Lee’s novel thanks to an elegant design by Jason Dewinetz and evocative art by Mario Robinson.
Housed in clamshell enclosure with velour-lined trays and bound in goatskin leather from the Alran Tannery in France, it features an onlay cover with a line drawing by the artist Mario Robinson, who also painted seven interior watercolor illustrations.
Printed letterpress on 120 gsm Arches Text Wove mouldmade paper by Max Koch and Bradley Hutchinson on a Heidelberg Cylinder, the text is set in Monotype Baskerville and includes a new afterword by Wayne Flint, author of My Friendship with Harper Lee. Only 26 copies were printed, all of which have sold alongside the Numbered and Artist Editions.
Best fine press science fiction
Foundation by Isaac Asimov: Conversation Tree Press and Gregory Manchess (art)
The Collector’s Edition of Conversation Tree Press’s Foundation is a spectacular homage to Asimov’s landmark work of science fiction. The oil paintings by Gregory Manchess that grace the cover and interior, as well as his pen-and-ink portraits, complement a stellar overall design and production.
Enclosed in a slipcase wrapped in a coated linen fabric with a space-inspired glitter effect, handbound in cloth, and foil-stamped in silver, this edition of Foundation was printed letterpress on Munken Pure Rough Cream 120gsm paper by Hand & Eye Letterpress in London, with landscape plates tipped in by hand. It was limited to 450 unnumbered copies, all of which have sold.
Best fine press fantasy
The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi: Morning Belle Edition and Luca Zamoc (art)
The Puppet Edition of Morning Belle Edition’s first-ever book, Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, is a truly stunning objet d’art that reflects the novel’s whimsical 19th-century style. Striking cover and interior illustrations by the Italian artist Luca Zamoc are only the tip of the iceberg here, as Morning Belle Edition took care to bring a sense of handcrafted artistry to every small detail.
Enclosed in a wooden joint-connected box with Pinocchio’s silhouette, bound in two-tone embossed leather, and stamped in gold, Morning Bell Edition’s Pinocchio was letterpress printed on 115-gram paper and features new, original illustrations by Luca Zamoc. Only 135 hand-numbered copies of the Puppet Edition were printed, all of which have sold.
Best fine press horror
Cold Hand in Mine by Robert Aickman: Nēpenthé Press and Elijah John (art)
The Deluxe Slipcase Edition of Nēpenthé Press’s Cold Hand In Mine viscerally evokes the whispering unease in Robert Aickman’s short stories. This 50th anniversary edition features cinematic illustrations by Elijah John and a new introduction by author and screenwriter Jeremy Dyson, both of whom signed each copy.
Enclosed in a bespoke slipcase and bound in Brillianta Cloth, it also includes a sewn binding, head and tail bands, color edges, and a ribbon marker, alongside eight full-page illustrations by Elijah John and a separate signed print. Only 100 numbered copies were printed, all of which have sold.
Best fine press history
Fifty-three Days by Timothy W. Ryback: Thornwillow Press
Thornwillow’s Classic Edition of Timothy W. Ryback’s pivotal work, Fifty-three Days, is a superb example of bookmaking that underscores the gravity of its subject matter. Ryback’s essential historical narrative, which meticulously details Adolf Hitler’s dismantling of a constitutional republic in just fifty-three days, is deftly complemented by Thornwillow Press’s dedication to traditional craft.
The text block is luxuriously tactile thanks to letterpress printing, with a distinct paper wrapper that has also been printed by letterpress and uniquely styled to complement Ryback’s work. Originally published in The Atlantic earlier this year, Fifty-three Days was the February 2025 edition of Thornwillow’s monthly Dispatch subscription, and copies are still available in both Classic and Patrons’ editions.
Best fine press science & nature
Arctic edited by Fergus Fleming: The Folio Society and Tom Etherington (design)
The Folio Society’s edition of Arctic: The North Pole and the North-West Passage, curated by historian Fergus Fleming, captures the awe and adversity of polar exploration. This compilation of twenty-eight gripping first-hand accounts details the immense bravery and frozen frontiers of the 19th-century quest for the North-West Passage, brought to life by over 100 striking images. Enclosed in a printed cloth slipcase, the blocked and printed cloth covers feature an ice-sheet-inspired design by Tom Etherington. Printed offset in the Bembo typeface with Mrs Eaves as display text, copies of Arctic are still available.
Best fine press biography & memoir
H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald: The Folio Society and Chris Wormell (art)
The Folio Society’s edition of Helen Macdonald’s memoir, H is for Hawk, is a gorgeously illustrated volume that complements the book’s powerful narrative of grief and nature. This edition is further enriched by a new, reflective introduction written by Helen Macdonald herself, as well as beautiful linocut illustrations by renowned artist Chris Wormell, providing vivid, integrated glimpses of the fierce hawk and the world it inhabits. Enclosed in a plain slipcase and bound in textured paper that calls to mind the rugged texture of field notebooks, the text is printed offset in Legitima. Copies are still available.
Best fine press poetry
At Our Age by Honor Moore: Thornwillow Press
Thornwillow’s Classic Edition of Honor Moore’s At Our Age is an exquisitely crafted chapbook that celebrates one of America’s most distinguished poets. This new collection of 20 poems includes works Moore has written over the past decade, some of which were originally published in Ploughshares, Tin House, and other literary magazines. As always, Moore conjures images and memories with a tactile sense of place in just a few words.
As always, Thornwillow’s edition is letterpress printed, with another distinct paper wrapper with an interwoven wave pattern. Originally published as the August 2025 edition of Thornwillow’s monthly Dispatch subscription, copies are still available in both Classic and Patrons’ editions.
Fine press of the year
Thornwillow Press
Alderbrink is delighted to announce Thornwillow Press as our inaugural selection for Fine Press of the Year. This honor is awarded in recognition of the press’s extraordinary commitment to artisanal excellence and cultural stewardship, which is most powerfully embodied in their Monthly Dispatch subscription program. The program’s varied tiers — including the Classic, Patron, and Centaur Editions — ensure that letterpress printing, executed on heavy archival stock and handsomely designed bindings, reaches a wide collecting audience. Alderbrink’s editorial staff was profoundly impressed not only by the craft, but also by the accessibility and scope of the Dispatch. Based in Newburgh, New York, Thornwillow Press was founded by Luke Ives Pontifell in 1985, and has grown to include the Thornwillow Institute and the Thornwillow Makers Village.
Congratulations to all six fine presses and seven artists and designers recognized by this year’s awards.
Alderbrink 