Easton Press & The Folio Society: A Comparison

Easton Press and the Folio Society are two noteworthy producers of handsomely-bound literature, each with a distinct look. In this post, we’ll compare and contrast the two publishers, share some of the titles we have from each, and send you in the right direction if you’re looking to sell your collection.  

About the Publishers 

Established in 1975 and based in Norwalk, Connecticut, Easton Press specializes in premium leather-bound books, including classics, religion, poetry, and art books. Easton Press has published several sought-after series like The Greatest Books Ever Written, The Library of American Presidents, Signed Modern Classics, The Masterpieces of Science Fiction, and more. 

From London’s Shad Thames, the Folio Society crafts collectible editions of beloved books, including non-fiction, children’s titles, and multi-volume sets. Founded in 1947, the company prides itself on scouring the globe to find the perfect illustrator, typeface, paper, and binding material to produce “the world’s great literature, in a format worthy of the contents, at a price within the reach of everyman.”  

The Signature Look  

Easton Press is known for its fine leather bindings with 22kt gold lettering and decoration. The spines are often well-embellished with raised bands and a glistening Easton Press stamp. While an Easton Press book looks elegant on the shelf, you’ll discover even more sophisticated accents once the book is in your hands, including gilt page edges, beautiful endpapers, colourful ribbon markers, and commissioned illustrations from prominent artists.  

The Folio Society typically opts for colourful cloth bindings, often over richly illustrated boards, with intricate lettering to the spine. Sporting vibrant colour combinations, decorated boards and endpapers, illustrated plates, and matching slipcases, these bindings are an extension of the stories they contain. Limited releases from this publisher are especially grand—folio in size with jewel-toned cloth or fully leather-bound and housed in a clamshell box.     

From Our Stock  

Left: Some recently acquired Easton Press; R: Our ever-growing collection of Folio Society

L: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift; R: Darling Buds of May by H.E. Bates 

L: illustration by Fritz Eichenberg; R: illustration by Alice Tait

View all Folio Society books

View all Easton Press books

Looking to sell your Folio or Easton Press books?  

Both Folio and Easton Press titles are a joy for us to receive, but we still request that you follow our buying/selling protocol before stopping in with these kinds of books. We will evaluate your offer and make our selection based on condition and demand, as we do with all of our books.  

If you’d like to get in touch with our buyer, you can email us at [email protected]. You can fast-track the process by attaching a photo of your books to the email!