Folio celebrates history with V&A exhibition

The Folio Society is to celebrate 70 years of history with an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. 

Kicking off on the 5th September, "The Artful Book" exhibition will look at Folio’s past and present as the world’s foremost publisher of illustrated books. The display, to be found at the entrance to the National Art Library at the V&A, will continue until 28th January 2018. Admission is free.

The first The Folio Society title, an illustrated edition of Tales by Tolstoy, was published in October 1947 and is included in the exhibition along with a selection of original artwork from The Folio Society archive, a selection of materials showing the history of the company and a dedicated reading corner inside the National Art Library where a range of titles can be enjoyed first hand during opening hours. Artwork by Quentin Blake, Angela Barrett, Charles Keeping, Neil Packer, Anna and Elena Balbusso, Geoff Grandfield and Harry Brockway and many others are also included.

Tom Walker, editorial director of The Folio Society, said: "There could be no more fitting tribute to the enduring legacy of The Folio Society than this rare honour of a dedicated display at the V&A. We are delighted to have the opportunity to showcase our history and celebrate our seventieth anniversary at the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance."

The first meeting of The Folio Society was held on 10th February 1947. The ‘society’ then consisted of three ambitious, enlightened men – among them the founder of The Folio Society, Charles Ede. Under the stewardship of Lord Gavron from 1982, and now Lady Gavron and the Gavron family, The Folio Society has continued to honour the founder’s promise of producing "editions of the world’s great literature, in a format worthy of its contents, at a price within the reach of everyman".