Kickstarter Debuts Exquisite Objects Showcase

In an effort to showcase the ways Kickstarter can support old-world craftsmanship, the crowdfunder has launched Exquisite Objects, a dedicated page highlighting a selection of beautifully produced publishing, art and design projects throughout February.

Kickstarter publishing director Margot Atwell said that EO was designed to showcase the growing number of campaigns launched to support the production of handcrafted print works. She described these projects as a “celebration of fine printing.” The Kickstarter campaigns raise publication funds but, she emphasized, they also “build community. They make sure there’s an audience for these books.”

The projects selected will be showcased for the month of February, on the Exquisite Objects page and in Kickstarter Reads, the platform’s twice-a-month newsletter, Kickstarter magazine and the Kickstarter blog.

The projects selected for the EO page include both live on-going campaigns and completed Kickstarter projects. Among the works on display are a letter press handbound edition of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby from Thornwill Press that has raised $75,000 (the goal was $10,000) with 30 days left in it campaign.

The EO page also features Classic Books, Reimagined Through Illustration, a series by Beehive Books which features lavishly illustrated, slipcased, hardcover editions of Peter Pan, Crime and Punishment, and The Blazing World illustrated by an all-star trio of visual artists. Beehive has raised $93,000 of a $150,000 goal for the project with 29 days left.

Atwell said the new Exquisite Objects page will highlight the craft of fine publishing and innovative design work. “It will show works across categories and include music projects, showcase the content and tell the story of how these objects are produced.”