Embers Handpress
Embers Handpress
Embers Handpress is a private press founded by Roy Watkins and Eve Watkins in Consigny, a small village in the Haute Marne, France in 1975, which operated until 2012. The press specialised in fine, hand-printed limited editions of poetry, literary essays, and translation. The press was at times based in France, Germany and at various locations in England and Wales.
Embers Handpress produced a relatively small but distinguished list of titles, each issued in strictly limited numbered editions, often with deluxe variants in finer bindings.
Books were produced in small numbered editions, typically between 100 and 226 copies, and characterised by fine materials and craftsmanship, including handmade papers, quarter-leather or quarter-morocco bindings, marbled boards, gilt-stamped spines, deckled edges, and fitted slipcases. Original artwork, such as etchings, were incorporated into certain editions.
The press became notable for producing exquisitely crafted books by significant literary figures, and is held in library special collections internationally. A complete set of their work is held by the National Library of Wales. [1] Their publications are also held by the Beineke Rare Book and Manuscript Library and Swarthmore College.
A copy of their publication "Trees" by Michael Hamburger was part of David Gascoyne's personal collection and is now part of the Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections at Northwestern University. Their publication of The Green Rock by Sylvia Plath is referenced by the Library of Congress "Research Guides: American Women: Resources from the Rare Book and Special Collections: Literary Works" [2].
Sylvia Plath
The press is perhaps best known for its association with the estate of Sylvia Plath. Roy Watkins described himself as an almost lifelong friend of the Hughes family[3], a relationship that led to several Plath publications. Ted Hughes was a strong supporter of small presses and granted the press rights to early Plath texts.
Publications include:
- A Day in June (1981)[4] — a short story
- The Green Rock (1982) — a short story
- The Magic Mirror: A Study of the Double in Two of Dostoevsky's Novels (1989)[5] Plath's undergraduate honours thesis submitted at Smith College in 1955, issued in a total edition of 226 copies, with 50 specially bound copies in quarter morocco and marbled paper over boards, printed on Arches Johannot handmade paper. An example can be seen on Biblio.
Complete List of Publications
1975: Henri Michaux, trans. Michael Fineberg Peace in the Breaking Flood
1978: Antonio Porchia, trans. W.S. Merwin Voices with drawings by Patrick Burke
1979: Michael Fineberg Shadow’s Edge
1979: Henri Michaux: A Selection trans. Michael Fineberg
1980: Lucien Stryk Zen Poems with brush drawings by Frank Beanland
1981: Sylvia Plath A Day in June
1982: Sylvia Plath The Green Rock
1983: Lucien Stryk Willows
1984: Basho, trans. Lucien Stryk Traveler My Name with drawings by Brian Denington
1985: Paul Celan, trans. Michael Hamburger 32 Poems with etching by Gisèle Celan lestrange
1988: Michael Hamburger Trees with illustrations by Rama Samaraweera[6]
1989: James Tate Bewitched with illustration by Laurie Smith
1989: Sylvia Plath The Magic Mirror
1989: Fedrico Garcia Lorca, trans. Noel Cobb and Eva Loewe Sonnets of Dark Love
1989: Clyde Holmes, In Season
1994: Edrica Huws, Poems
2009: Henri Michaux, trans. Michael Fineberg Afterwards
2012: Gerard Rochford Failing Light
References
- ↑ "https://discover.library.wales/discovery/search?query=any,contains,embers%20handpress&tab=In_The_Library&search_scope=In_The_Library&vid=44WHELF_NLW:44WHELF_NLW_NUI&offset=0&conVoc=false". National Library of Wales. Retrieved 2026-03-21. External link in
|title=(help) - ↑ Zimmerman, Amanda. "Research Guides: American Women: Resources from the Rare Book and Special Collections: Literary Works". guides.loc.gov. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
- ↑ Steinberg, Peter (2011). "The Magic Mirror by Sylvia Plath". sylviaplathinfo.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
- ↑ Plath, Sylvia (1981). A Day in June: An Uncollected Short Story. Embers Handpress. Search this book on
- ↑ Plath, Sylvia (1989). The Magic Mirror: A Study of the Double in Two of Dostoevsky's Novels. Embers Handpress. Search this book on
- ↑ Hamburger, Michael (1988). Trees. Embers Handpress. ISBN 9781871570014. Search this book on
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