The idea for this book was conceived after a visit to Newfoundland and the famous gannet rookery at Cape St. Mary’s by wood engraver Abigail Rorer, proprietor of The Lone Oak Press. Abigail was taken by the beauty of the birds, so magnificent in their white plumage with black detailing, their fierce eyes and lethal bill and decided to illustrate and publish a small book honoring these incredible seabirds.
The book is 38 pages and measures 6 x 7.5 inches. The text is set in Van Dijck and Goudy Open with six full page engravings and five smaller engravings. Many of the engravings are multi-block with some reduction and hand-coloring. The text and engravings were printed on Zerkall Book by Abigail Rorer. Amy Borezo of Shelter Bookworks bound the book. There are 195 regular copies, 20 deluxe copies, and 5 set of sheets. The regular edition comes in a slipcase and the deluxe edition is housed in a clamshell case and includes a special binding of the book, an extra suite of signed prints, and an original silverpoint drawing of gannets encased in a special folder. Each silverpoint drawing is different.
Regular Edition: paper over board with cloth spine and spot engraving on the cover in a slipcase. $180
‘An Idea of Geometry’ Deluxe Edition: paper over boards, leather spine, leather medallion on cover. $690