TLDR: NO REPLY PRESS IS A PUBLISHER OF HANDMADE LIMITED EDITION BOOKS.

No Reply is the private press of Griffin Gonzales, who strives to publish an eclectic array of titles using centuries-old crafts. Each book is printed letterpress on a hand-operated machine, then painstakingly bound by hand. Nothing in the No Reply workshop plugs into an outlet. When you hold a No Reply book, for better or worse, you hold an object made entirely by human hands. The result can be thrilling, as hours of work and years of hard-won craftsmanship come together in an object with soul.

¶ What is a private press?

A private press is a small publishing concern operated by a craftsperson-proprietor. Private presses usually place literary and artistic endeavor before a profit motive, producing limited edition books which are printed letterpress and bound by hand. There are over a hundred currently active private presses across the globe. Well-established private presses which we especially admire include Barbarian Press, Albert Tallone Editore, and Midnight Paper Sales.

One of the fathers of the private press movement, T. J. Cobden-Sanderson, wrote that its mission should be “The transformation of the workshop from a place in which to earn a wage, or to make a profit, into a place which the greatest of pleasure & the greatest honour in life are to be aimed at, pleasure in the intelligent work of the hand, & honour in the formation & maintenance of a great historic tradition.” No Reply is firmly fixed in that private press tradition, and strives to take up that mission as its own.

¶ What is a limited edition?

It’s simple: When we say “Only one hundred copies made” we mean “Only one hundred copies made.” Our editions are never reprinted and, ultimately, their rarity increases. Because of this, they tend to become sought after over time, and often accrue in value.

¶ How is a book printed letterpress?

While other methods of printing can be superb, nothing approaches letterpress. It is a difference in kind rather than a difference of quality. Letterpress printing achieves solid colors, a deep resonance of type on paper, and, of course, its signature impression. Traditionally, small pieces of metal type are hand-set, then inked, and pressed against paper. You can feel the impression of the type on the page. There is some debate in the letterpress community about what constitutes good impression; some think it should be as light as possible (kissing) while others believe it should be heavy (biting). While we fall somewhere in the middle, we think that letterpress which doesn’t boast noticeable impression loses a quality which should be embraced, not eschewed.

In some cases — such as when we use non-English scripts — we use polymer or magnesium plates rather than moveable type. These plates are prepared using photo negative relief, and result in an ability to embrace a broader degree of creative potential.

No Reply has two presses. The first is a manual tabletop 8’’ by 10’’ Excelsior. The second is a Vandercook Universal I proofing press (specifically, No. 20673).

¶ How is a book hand-bound?

By hand! No electrical machines are used in the binding of our books. Even the simplest tasks like folding paper are done by hand (hamburger, hotdog, hamburger, hotdog…). Bookbinding is a centuries-old craft and a form of artistic expression. As a craft, the thousand steps that go into binding must be mastered — from something simple, like folding paper, to something complex, like tooling leather. As an art, the binder must inspire but not distract. The relationship between a book’s design aesthetic, paper, printing, binding, artwork, and literature is key to the reader’s interpretation and comprehension. We bind books by hand out of the pure joy of doing so, but also to endow readers with the feeling that they are holding a living, breathing text. At No Reply, nothing is done on an assembly line, and every step involves human hands.

We use a one-of-a-kind oak and iron screw press, which was made in the Civil War area and originally used as a wine press, and a 19’’ Challenge iron stack cutter (specifically, No. 4151) which was made in 1889.

¶ What materials do you use?

A great variety. No two editions use the same materials, and while some presses standardize the size or design aesthetics of their publications, No Reply does not. Each edition deserves to be built from the ground up. Oftentimes, novel or unique papermaking or other craft methods have been employed to give an edition exactly the zing it calls for.

¶ Are No Reply books signed?

They are almost always signed by the craftspeople who made them (the printer, the binder, etc.) and by the author or artist when possible.

¶ Can I become a subscriber to the press?

At the moment, No Reply doesn’t offer standing subscriptions.

¶ Can I receive the same copy number for every book?

All No Reply books are hand-numbered on the colophon page. (e.g. “You are holding No. 27 of 100.”)

To answer the question: Yes! Many collectors have placed “holds” on particular numbers or letters. This gives a collector the right of first refusal on any edition. In other words, they are given the opportunity to expressly turn the book down before we give it to another. Those who have acquired a decent collection of No Reply books are invited to inquire about placing a hold.

¶ How does No Reply decide what to publish?

Each edition has a unique origin. Our publisher, Griffin, in concert with a small but distinguished editorial board, ultimately decides what we publish. The literary output of the press has been described variously as eccentric, canonical, conservative, and populist. If you can find a rhyme or reason, let us know.

¶ Where is No Reply based?

Portland Oregon, the greatest city on earth! Initially, the press occupied a slanted sun porch in Ladd’s Addition, a neighborhood near the city center known for its American elms and rose gardens. (The press’ imprint icon is based on the neighborhood’s eccentric layout.) In 2020, at the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, the press moved to the upper right corner of Ladd’s into the historic Campa Building, which was built in 1911. Toward the end of 2021, it moved half a mile south to the Brooklyn neighborhood. The press is now based in the large studio beneath a classic Victorian house built in 1899.

¶ Are there any design or aesthetic principles to which No Reply adheres?

One, mainly: the distinction between livres d’artiste and private presswork. The former is pure self-expression, the latter is a vessel made to serve its text. As the Elsteds of Barbarian Press have written, “Private press printing is a craft, not an art. The design and making of beautiful books is only secondarily a matter of self-expression; its first excellence is to serve the author and the reader.” Otherwise, No Reply books tend to have an art deco or art nouveau flavor – though not always. Most of the typefaces used in No Reply books were cut in the early twentieth century. We have gone through phases. Perpetua. Weiss. Joanna.

¶ These books are spendy!

A poster is to a painting what a typical trade book is to a private press book. The top-notch materials and immense time that goes into each copy drives the cost far beyond what you’d find at a typical bookstore. Still, while striving for the finest in bookmaking, No Reply publishes at least one edition per year which is reasonably accessible. After all, one of the joys of private press collecting is that, unlike much art collecting, it does not require an immense budget.

¶ Do you have an extra copy of “Jack” lying around?

Sadly, no. This is a common question. With only twenty-seven copies, the first No Reply publication has become highly sought after.

¶ Where does the name “No Reply” come from?

There’s an answer: but it’s a closely guarded secret.

¶ What other presses do you collect?

No Reply has a modest but growing collection of editions from a number of contemporary private presses, including one of the world’s largest collections of Thornwillow Press books (about eighty percent of its oeuvre), and smaller but significant collections from St. James Park Press, Tallone Editore, Barbarian Press, Foolscap Press, Corvus Works, Greenboathouse Press, Arion Press, Midnight Paper Sales, and Rampant Lions Press.

If you are a private press proprietor interested in No Reply titles, let’s arrange a trade!

¶ Who collects No Reply books?

As of January 2021, No Reply books have gone to collectors in forty-seven states and thirty-odd countries. No Reply collectors are diverse in every way — in age, profession, geography, and background. The greatest joy of fine press publishing is getting to know collectors and, through conversation and a shared passion, collaborating with them.

¶ Where can I learn more about the Press?

A good place to start is Griffin’s longform interview with The Whole Book Experience (parts one and two).