Duncan Glen: Poet, typographer,
publisher & educator
A collaborative project between Christopher Wakeling at Corvus Works and artist–printmaker Alfons Bytautas. The project was initially conceived several years ago during a conversation between Alfons and Christopher when it emerged both had links to the late Emeritus Professor Duncan Glen. Christopher from the mid-1980s when at Trent Polytechnic where Glen was Head of Department for Visual Communication, and with Alfons when at Edinburgh Printmakers following Glen’s retirement from education. Our aim is keep some memory of Glen’s work alive and hopefully spread his legacy a little.
The edition is in three parts: (1). writing by and about Duncan Glen, setting the scene for his life in typographic design and publishing through his Akros Press, and his lifetime in teaching typography and graphic design; (2). 26 selected poems representing his considerable output over some 40 years. The decision to select 26 poems seems an appropriate number as a reflection of the soldiers of lead and the letters of our alphabet; (3). a sequence of six colour screen prints by Alfons inspired by the poems.
Parts 1 and 2 are hand-set and printed in Stempel foundry-cast Hunt Roman and Optima typefaces designed Hermann Zapf on Somerset Book White 115gsm papers from the St Cuthbert’s Mill, Somerset. Texts will be printed in a Sienna brown, grey, blue, green with an occasional black. The extent for Part 1 is 48 pages and for Part 2 at around 32 pages. The page size is a generous 340mm high by 25mm wide. The texts will also include an etching by Alfons Bytautas, and a paper-cut illustration by Christopher Wakeling of a cover from one of Glen’s poetry collection publications. These will further be supported with photographic examples of Glen’s design and process work.
Parts 1 and 2 will be French sewn allowing for the documents to open flat and will be contained in wrappers of Fabriano Tiziano papers, blue for the poems and green for the writings. Part 3, Alfons’ screen printings are printed on Fabriano No.5, 350gsm hot-pressed white and will be held in a grey Fabriano Tiziano paper folder.
The expected completion date for printing and binding the three documents is May/June 2026. The three documents will be housed in a custom made cloth covered solander box, a date for these is not yet known.
The edition is limited to 40 numbered copies only. The price is £435.00 plus shipping. Some subscriptions are currently available, but not many. A 50% deposit on ordering a subscription, the balance in June 2026. Please email for further information and subscriptions.
In addition there will be 5 copies reserved for bookbinders at £300.00. Terms as above. Two of the five are already taken. Please email for further information.
A four page prospectus on the Somerset paper at actual size is available with a sample poem and original two colour screen print by Alfons Bytautas together with a four page text sampler which includes an additional poem. These are £15.00 plus postage.
Finally, 5 hors commerce for the artist, printer and the Glen family.
For those interested, background on Duncan Glen can be found at:
https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poet/duncan-glen/
https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2008/dec/09/duncan-glen-obituary
Email us to order a copy