Welcome ...
The Penguin Collectors’ Society was founded in 1974 by a small group of enthusiasts meeting in Richmond, Surrey; today there are over 500 members worldwide.
We study twentieth-century book design, particularly Penguin Books, and help to preserve and conserve Penguin Books and material relating to Penguin, and ensure the ready availability of that material for present and future research.
Actually collecting Penguin Books is not, of course, a prerequisite for membership. Any enthusiast for the good book design, typography, illustration and writing with which Penguin Books have been associated since 1935 will find something of interest here.
Current And Recent
Spring Meeting
The Society’s 2009 Spring Meeting will take place at the Christ the Saviour Church Hall in Ealing [map]. If will feature a unique display ‘Meet the Little Penguin’ - a ‘small’ exhibition of the Penguin Books issued in small formats - not just the ‘Sixties’ of 1995 but many others from far away places and earlier times. The meeting will open for PCS members at 13.30 and for the general public at 14.00. It will close at 16.00.
New Publication
The Society’s latest publication is titled Penguin Classics, a 144–page updated edition of the 1994 Miscellany of the same name. Containing a dozen articles on all aspects of Penguin Classics from The Odyssey and E.V. Rieu to the 21st century Red Series and Modern Classics this beautiful publication is essential for anyone with an interest in the ‘L’ series. Copies are available for £10 on the publications page.
Recent News
An exhibition celebrating 70 years of Penguin book cover design has gone on show at the Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead. The exibition will run until the end of May, 2009. For more details visit the gallery’s web site.
Bristol University has recently received a substantial grant from the Arts and Humanities Reseach Council to upgade, catalogue and make available online the Allen Lane special collection of Penguin editorial files and books. A full-time archivist, Rachael Hassall, has been appointed and a team of seven academics assembled. A range of events is planned over the next three years ranging from conferences to exhibitions, poetry readings and Penguin days. A major three-day conference is planned for 2010 to celebrate Penguin’s 75th birthday. The PCS will be actively involved with the University’s team and further details will appear here and in future issues of the Penguin Collector. This is good news for all Penguinists. For further details visit the university’s website.
The PCS Noticeboard
For news of the Society’s recent and planned events and publications click here.
The Penguin Collectors’ Society: a company limited by guarantee — registered in England no. 4261702; Registered UK Charity no. 1093965. Registered office: 31 Myddelton Square, London EC1R 1YB.
Page last updated: 8 February 2009