Using a commissioned text or an interesting submission, Graham designs each book from scratch using technology rooted in the 15th century to hand-set the type. After printing, the binding is either done in-house, or large editions are bound in collaboration with artisan book binders. Sales are made through the on-line shop and specialist book fairs and dealers.
The long list of collaborators that Incline Press has worked with include the poets Nancy Campbell, Vona Groarke, Seamus Heaney, Matthew Hollis, Ian McMillan and Lemn Sissay. He has published books on graphic design by David Blamires, Jerry Cinamon, Pauline Paucker, Alan Powers and Carolyn Trant.
Original relief printing and engraving is a vital element, and he has worked with Katherine Anteney, Bert and Molly Eastman, Rigby Graham, John Liddell, Enid Marx, Ann Muir, Keith Pettit, Alice Smith, Peter S Smith and Nick Wonham.
Graham’s most groundbreaking work to date, is probably New Borders: The Working Life of Elizabeth Friedlander, 1998, written by Pauline Paucker. One of the pioneer women of typography almost forgotten by history, Elizabeth Friedlander carved a career in four countries, fleeing persecution in Germany and Italy. She arrived in England late in 1939 without any friendship networks to support her. She found war-time work forging documents for the British Intelligence service, and as a freelance designer worked for Curwen Press and Penguin books among many others. New Borders showed over 80 tipped in illustrations of her work, including original Curwen Press papers, the edition selling out within a few months.
The most complete collection of Incline Press books and ephemera is held at Chetham’s Library and Ryland’s Library in Manchester. The V&A has a copy of Art for Life: The Story of Peggy Angus, written by Carolyn Trant, which is a book that placed Peggy back as facilitator of the famous artists of southern England in the 1930s, including Eric Ravilious, Edwin Borden and Alexander Calder.
Graham is currently working on a book called Memento Mori: Memento Vivere, commemorating Kathy Whalen’s life and work, due to be released by the end of 2023.
