Incline Press, “Images of History” — Terry Wyke, MMU, Limited of 60, 2005

Images of History is one of the most distinctive productions from Incline Press, created in collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University and issued in a strictly limited run of sixty subscriber‑bound copies from a larger edition of 175. Terry Wyke’s text and selection of documentary material form a concise visual and historical survey of Manchester’s civic and industrial development, presented through a sequence of tipped‑in plates that highlight the city’s architectural, municipal and social evolution. The work sits at the intersection of private‑press craft, documentary heritage and industrial‑era visual culture, making it unusually versatile across collecting categories.

The book reflects Incline Press’s characteristic attention to traditional production methods. Sheets are hand‑printed, the tipped‑in illustrations are mounted with precision, and the binding is executed in quarter‑cloth with marbled boards, giving the volume a strong visual presence and a tactile quality consistent with the press’s mid‑2000s output. The marbling is particularly well executed in this copy, with clear patterning and bright colour retention. Wyke’s accompanying text provides concise contextual notes that frame each image within the broader narrative of Manchester’s development as an industrial and civic centre, reinforcing the academic and documentary purpose of the collaboration with MMU.

The tipped‑in plates are printed with strong tonal control and retain the crispness expected of Incline Press’s work. Each plate functions almost as an individual artefact, supported by the press’s careful mounting and layout. The signed colophon by Terry Wyke adds a further layer of provenance, and the limitation of sixty subscriber copies ensures that this remains one of the press’s scarcer productions. As a hybrid of private‑press craft and documentary visual history, the book appeals equally to collectors of fine printing, industrial heritage and limited‑edition works on paper.

Overall, the volume presents exceptionally well: the marbled boards are bright, the quarter‑cloth spine is firm, and the internal leaves remain clean and crisp. The tipped‑in plates are secure, with no lifting or corner stress. The book’s physical and visual qualities make it a strong example of Incline Press’s documentary collaborations and a desirable item within the press’s limited‑edition output.

Condition Report

Near Fine. Boards exceptionally well presented, with bright marbling, clean quarter‑cloth and a firm, square profile. Binding tight, text clean and all tipped‑in plates secure and well mounted. A small natural inclusion is present on one plate where a tiny fly was inadvertently pressed between the leaves; it is minor, unobtrusive, and does not affect the presentation of the illustration. Endpapers clean, signature clear, and no other marks or faults. A strong example of this limited run of sixty subscriber‑bound copies from the larger edition of 175.