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Alcuin Society

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Alcuin Society
Founded1965 (1965)
FounderGeoffrey Spencer
Founded atVancouver, BC
TypeNonprofit
Legal statusActive
PurposePromoting interest in book arts, fine printing and book collecting
Location
Publication
Amphora
Websitealcuinsociety.com


A voluntary association established in 1965 by Geoff Spencer, the Alcuin Society is a non-profit organisation founded for the book arts. It is located in Canada. It should not be confused with the Alcuin Club, an Anglican publishing society. Among the other six founding members were Basil Stuart-Stubbs,[1] Sam Black and Bill Duthie (founder of Duthie Books).[2] The society is named after Alcuin of York.[3]

Alcuin Award

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Since 1981, the society has awarded an Alcuin Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada.[4] It is Canada's only national book design competition. Winners of the award are Canadian book designers whose books were published in the country in the previous calendar year. To qualify, a book must be designed by a Canadian designer and published by a Canadian publisher.[5]

The University of Saskatchewan Archives and Special Collections displayed books which had been distinguished with awards by the Alcuin Society.[6]

Robert R. Reid Award and Medal winners

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In 2007 the Alcuin Society inaugurated the annual Robert R. Reid Medal for Lifetime Achievement in the Book Arts in Canada, and named Read as the first recipient.[7] The full list of winners is given on the Alcuin Society website.[8]

Publications

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  • The society's journal is Amphora (ISSN 0003-200X)[10]
  • From Writer to Reader is an ejournal (ISSN 1911-7302)[3] It is deposited with E-LIS.[11]

Arms

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Coat of arms of Alcuin Society
Notes
Granted 15 June 2007.[12]
Crest
Issuant from a circlet of maple leaves Or and dogwood flowers Argent a demi-sixteenth-century pressman affronty Proper habited Azure holding in the dexter hand a composing stick and in the sinister hand a punch Or.
Escutcheon
Per chevron Azure and Argent in chief two open books Argent edged Or and in base a handpress Azure.
Supporters
Two owls Or each gorged with a collar Azure pendent therefrom a hurt that to the dexter charged with a quill and a knife in saltire Or that to the sinister charged with a rose Argent standing on a rocky mound Proper above barry wavy Azure and Argent.
Motto
Boni Libri Bene Confecti

References

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  1. ^ ABC Book World.
  2. ^ Leroux, Éric; Bedwell, Linda; Burr, Christina; Grosbois, Guy De; Hould, Claudette; Landon, Richard; Rainer, Jim; Speller, Randall; McDonald, Rod (2007), Gerson, Carole; Michon, Jacques (eds.), "Chapitre 13. L'imprimerie et le livre matériel", Histoire du livre et de l’imprimé au Canada, Volume III : De 1918 à 1980, Thématique Art et littérature (in French), Montréal: Presses de l’Université de Montréal, pp. 367–406, ISBN 979-10-365-0422-8, retrieved 2024-02-13
  3. ^ a b "Home".
  4. ^ "Book Design Awards – Alcuin Society". alcuinsociety.com. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
  5. ^ "Alcuin Awards: Call for Entries". Alcuin Society. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
  6. ^ "The Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design". University of Saskatchewan. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Stoffman, Judy (3 March 2022). "Printing virtuoso Robert Reid created paper masterpieces". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Robert R. Reid Medal". Alcuin Society. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  9. ^ "The Art of Bookbinding – Robert R. Reid Medal Event with Odette Drapeau". Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild. March 11, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  10. ^ "Amphora". Amphora. Alcuin Society. 24 August 1967. OCLC 2225811.
  11. ^ Eprints.rclis.org.
  12. ^ "Alcuin Society". Canadian Heraldic Authority. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
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