IT by Stephen King, First Edition, 1986, Unique Leather Binding by Scott Kellar

Binding Details:  “IT” is a unique fine binding designed and executed by Scott Kellar in 2017. The binding is covered in a black leather spine and foredges with sides of marbled paper by Sevim Surucu that includes a clown face image on the front cover. The spine is embossed in white and red foils and blind embossed. The page edges are trimmed and speckled red and black to include images of balloons on the foredge. The book is housed in a custom made clamshell box with a leather spine and foredges. The spine is embossed in red foil with the front cover with a cut-out grey paper side cover over marbled paper and the rear cover with grey paper sides.

The book measures 9.5” x 6.5” x 2.5” with 1,138 pages.

Book Details:  This is the first edition, first printing of Stephen King’s critically acclaimed novel “IT” published by Viking Penguin, New York in 1986. James Smyth in his article in the Guardian entitled Why Stephen King's It Still Terrifies 30 Years On wrote, “In the 30 years since publication, the public’s obsession with It hasn’t really waned. We’re obsessed because we all have fears. We all have things that scare us, be that clowns and spiders or things that lurk far deeper in our psyches. This book speaks to everybody. It’s King’s scariest novel, and I doubt that will ever change.” The following are some of the reviews:

“A landmark in American literature.” Chicago Sun-Times

“It will overwhelm you…Characters so real you feel you are reading about yourself…scenes to be read in a well-lit room only.” Los Angeles Times

“Vintage King…a magnum opus of terror…just a glance at the first few pages, and you can’t put this novel aside.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“A great scary book…a nightmare roller-coaster…packed with more chills than a Frigidaire… ‘It’ turns out to be the monster-dread in us all, the one that refuses to go away.” San Francisco Chronicle

“Epic…gargantuan…breathlessly accelerating suspense… King is our great storyteller…I imagine him as a possessed figure rocking over a smoking word processor, hunting for a beat his sentences can dance to, pounding the shocks and scares like a rock organist laying down the power chords.” Los Angeles Herald-Examiner

The book and custom clamshell box are in FINE condition.

Artist Statement: This design binding began as a collaboration with Sevim Surucu, a talented Chicago paper marble, who specializes in drawing figures within her marbled patterns. Drawing from the color scheme of her samples as well as the iconic typography from the first edition I brought together the design elements to also include balloons and a spider from the text. The evil clown face figures prominently on the front cover as it appears to emerge from the depths – or from the book itself! The cover of the box is more subtle and suggests the street grate beneath which the malignant shape-shifter “Pennywise” lurks. Lifting the grate will reveal …

Scott Kellar’s signed artist statement for “IT” will accompany the book.

About the Artist: A master of traditional fine bookbinding, Scott Kellar has been working intimately with books for over 40 years. Introduced to bookbinding as a hobby in 1972, his commitment to the craft was immediate. While pursuing a career in book conservation, Scott’s love of books expanded into the realm of design binding, where the art of the binder becomes integral to the book, adding yet another layer of imagery and interpretation to the work of the author. As a result, his artistic works have been featured in book art exhibition venues local, national and international. Awards won include the ‘Coup De Coeur’ award at the Biennale Mondiale de la Reliure D’Art, The Society of Bookbinders Award for Forwarding and the Fine Binding J. Hewit & Sons Ltd. Award. His studio in located in Chicago where he also teaches to share both his skills and vision.

Condition Report: The binding and clamshell box are in FINE condition.

Photographs of the binding, clamshell box, and signed artist statement appear in the photo section of the listing.