Featured Exhibitor: Ascensius Press

Scott Vile, director of Ascensius Press has been immersed in the printing and book industry for nearly 50 years. His passion was born in the graphic arts department of his high school where he first began printing at the age of 15. While attending Rochester Institute of Technology in the 1980’s, Vile discovered the complexities of design, typography, and “beautiful books” in a course on the history of the book held in the Melbert B. Cary Memorial Library where he found himself enamored by their vast collection. Upon graduating, with the intention of pursuing a career in printing, Vile began collecting letterpress equipment. 

He went on to work at the Anthoensen Press in Portland, Maine, a respected scholarly press in operation from 1875 to 1989. When the press closed down, Vile inherited the customers, starting his career as a commercial letterpress printer. As his collection of equipment grew, he moved his operation, eight years ago, to a 4000 square foot, 2-story building in Bar Mills, Maine, making it the largest press of its kind on the east coast. 

Vile publishes a new book approximately every year to a year and a half, each time producing only 26 copies. His newest book Areopagitica by John Milton features a  frontispiece with a portrait of the author cut into wood by Barry Moser. A Hatfield, Massachusetts resident, Moser is the Irwin and Pauline Alper Glass Professor of Art at Smith College.

“Because of my background I like to stick with customers who are interested in the history of the book and printing. I am focused on doing work that involves the book itself,” Vile said. 

Some of his clients include the Grolier Club, the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Maine Historical Society, Bowdoin College, Rockefeller University, the Boston Athenæum and many more. Vile’s personal library contains over 4,000 books on printing, typography, books about books, and a number of rare books. 

While Vile shared that he does not typically operate as a dealer, he has gathered a small inventory of limited edition books, he has published over the years , which he has decided to sell. At the fair, he will display and sell copies of four different pamphlets, on the book, printed last summer; limited copies of mid-priced self published books, and three or four more precious books. He will also feature books with work by artist Thomas Cornell whose illustrations have not been offered for sale in many years. 

Come visit Ascensius Press and see Scott Vile’s displays at the Northampton Book Fair in the Northampton Community Arts Trust, at 33 Hawley Street, on the 22nd and 23rd of November.

Written by Cassandra Mayer - September 26th, 2024