The Thornwillow Codex is an ongoing series of masterworks, conceived as cycles of editions, each uniting important texts with elegant design and the highest traditions of craftsmanship. Every volume is letterpress printed, hand bound, and created to endure for generations.
In an age of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and remote relationships, a physical book—beautifully designed and hand-crafted to last—matters more than ever. For those who believe books should be heirlooms, not commodities, the Thornwillow Codex offers not only an opportunity to collect beautiful and important works, but also to help define and preserve a canon of ideas that matter, while perpetuating the living arts and crafts of the written word that give them form.
THE CODEX PATRONS CIRCLE
Membership in the Thornwillow Codex Patrons Circle unites a fellowship of benefactors and collectors who underwrite each cycle of editions. Subscribers during this inaugural year will determine the size of the first Codex Cycle and will be recognized as Founding Patrons.
Commitment: Each patron supports a cycle of Codex editions by both subscribing to the cycle and making a tax deductible donation to the Thornwillow Institute. Patrons will both receive the special editions of the work made exclusively for members of the Thornwillow Codex Patrons Circle and will also be recognized as anchor patrons of the Thornwillow Institute.
CODEX PATRONS CIRCLE BENEFITS
Invitations to private publication events, salons, and dinners.
Each Patron’s name is inscribed in their Codex volumes and recorded in the subscription register.
Codex Patrons Circle subscribers will have the opportunity to participate in the selection of future Codex titles.
Patrons may order additional copies of each edition bound in leather or cloth to share with others.
First right of reservation: Codex Patrons enjoy priority access to other versions of the editions before they are offered publicly.
A portion of your subscription is a donation to the Thornwillow Institute and is tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
The Codex Patrons Circle is both a fellowship of collectors and an ambassadors’ circle—underwriting the preservation of important ideas and the crafts that give them form.
PATRONAGE & THE THORNWILLOW INSTITUTE
To subscribe to the Codex is to become a Patron—underwriting not only the creation of these volumes and the preservation of the ideas they contain, but also the larger mission of the Thornwillow Institute, a 501(c)3 public charity.
The Institute is dedicated to:
Preservation & Education: Training apprentices, teaching workshops, and keeping the traditional crafts of bookmaking alive.
The Thornwillow Makers Village: Revitalizing the distressed neighborhood around the press into a thriving community of artisans and creative entrepreneurs, fostering an arts and crafts movement for the digital age.
Legacy & Continuity: Building the ongoing support needed to ensure the arts and crafts of the written word are safeguarded and will endure to support the publication and preservation of ideas that matter for generations.
Your patronage secures both the books themselves andthe living traditions that make them possible.
THORNWILLOW CODEX I
Subscription Details:
Membership:As codex editions are individually handcrafted exclusively for subscribers, the edition size is strictly limited and membership in the Codex Patrons Circle is therefore by invitation only.
Codex Patron Edition: Subscribers will receive one Codex Patron Edition copy of each title in the Cycle (three books). These volumes are bound in full leather and printed on handmade paper made especially for the edition.
Subscription Register: Your name inscribed on the register and on the colophon of your books.
Subscription:Subscribing to Codex I involves a financial commitment of $30,000, of which $20,000 is a tax deductible contribution to the Thornwillow Institute, a 501(c)3 public charity. Subscriptions may be paid in monthly installments or all at once.
CODEX I – INAUGURAL TITLES
The American Canon: To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States this first volume will feature defining foundational documents. From the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution to the Gettysburg Address and pivotal speeches and legislation of later eras, this volume is an enduring testament to the ideals and evolving story of democracy.
Never Let Me Go: This acclaimed novel by Nobel Prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro is a meditation on humanity, memory, and morality in an age of technology. Among the greatest books of our time, this will be the first fine press edition of Ishiguro’s masterpiece.
Codex I, Title 3: The third title in the first Codex Cycle will be decided in collaboration with Codex Patrons Circle subscribers.
To learn more about joining the Thornwillow CodexPatrons Circle, Codex I
Please contact us either by email: mail@thornwillow.com or by telephone: (845) 569-8883
