The company of books
Céline Leterme and Jon Dowling, co-founders of Counterprint Books
Words: Leanne Cloudsdale
Photography: Kasia Bobula
For Céline Leterme and Jon Dowling, books are more than just printed matter. They are companions that have filled their home, shaped their careers and nudged them towards a life spent in design.
Co-founders of Counterprint Books, their story began in 2003, when they met at Buckinghamshire University, England. The pair were studying Graphic Design and Advertising, with Jon leaning more towards illustration and Céline developing a quiet obsession with typography. Jon remembered, “Somehow, the two disciplines met and we started making books together for the rest of our time on the course. Our weekends were spent looking through the shelves at MAGMA bookshop, London, absorbing inspiration by osmosis.”
During their travels to Belgium and the Netherlands - Céline’s home turf - they’d scour second-hand bookshops in Antwerp or Ghent. Céline recalled, “We were searching out old editions of Graphis, typography catalogues and books on Dutch designers like Wim Crouwell or Ben Bos. We were so inspired by that older work. You could see threads of thinking that felt relevant but forgotten”.
“We’d take the books back to London and design colleagues started asking ‘Where did you find this?’ and ‘I need a copy!’. So one day (in 2008), sitting in the pub together, Jon and I came up with an idea to go back and buy more interesting books, photograph them and put them up for sale online. That’s essentially how Counterprint was launched. We built everything from there”
The origins of Counterprint were never really about resale value. A combined fascination with the magnetism of vintage books – and why they’ve stood the test of time, is what made the hunt so compelling. Jon considered, “Maybe it’s the materials, the musty smell, the anticipation of what you’ll find inside.” Céline agreed, “People want to look back at what was done in the past and find something that’s currently not on show.”
Good design doesn’t date. Consistency and clarity are immune to trends. In the world of contemporary publishing, these lessons were foundational for Céline and Jon, who were intent on producing their own titles. The shift didn’t happen overnight though. At first it was a weekend project, then a freelance side quest. Céline explained, “When we were designing logos or covers for books, we’d look through a whole stack of vintage books and Post-it note everything we liked. That stack became our inspiration. There was something so appealing about uncovering a visual language untouched by modernisation.”
During a visit to see Belgian designer Paul Ibou, he’d told them that the cover of a book should be a simple reflection of the content inside. Céline confirmed, “I like a cover with good typography and strong colour. It should stand out and invite you to pick it up.” Nodding, Jon expanded, “It sounds obvious, but when we looked back at his covers, you could see how effectively he’d distilled what was inside. This was something we adopted for Counterprint publishing from the outset.”
Smiling, Jon said, “We certainly took our time!” From full-time employment, to running a fledgling business, the tipping point came when they realised that the type of work that drew the most interest was their own publishing work. “We thought, well maybe this is the most interesting thing we’re doing. And then the lockdown happened, which for us, became an unexpected career turning point. With nothing else to do, the nation turned back to their hobbies to keep them occupied. Luckily, along with bicycles, puppies and DIY equipment, the sale of books skyrocketed. Our Counterpoint social media following grew. People were hungry for inspiration.”
Nodding, Céline added, “It was an extremely busy time. People suddenly had spare cash to spend. Every day there were more book orders. The postal system was still running, so we’d leave the postal bags outside for collection. For us, everything kept moving.”
Counterprint’s rule of thumb is deceptively simple: they only sell books they love. Jon explained, “In the beginning, when times were tight, we’d only buy books that, if they didn’t sell on our website, we’d be happy to keep. Strangely, now that we have hundreds of items for sale, we still adopt this same philosophy. I think our book collections are so personal. Like the rings of a tree, they’re a historical timeline of what we’ve been inspired by over the years. They’re the artefacts of past relationships, gifts from friends or treasured signed copies.” Jon admits he finds it hard to pulp a damaged item. “Even the word sends a shiver up my spine. It sounds like you’re killing it.” For Céline, books are mementos. “When I look at my bookshelves, they remind me of certain periods of my life or places I’ve visited. Occasionally, I can remember the exact shop where I bought them.”
Installing the 606 Universal Shelving System was a choice driven by their growing book collection and an acute awareness of weight-bearing requirements. They needed something sturdy, but most importantly – adaptable. With a grin, Céline said, “When it all arrived, beautifully packed in cardboard boxes, we installed it ourselves, which was really satisfying because we could see everything coming together.” The capacity to easily accommodate the unpredictable sizes of monographs and coffee-table books was a huge bonus. The shelves have become the backbone of the Counterprint studio. They’re the place to display books they’ve published, store vintage finds and house the constant flow of new materials. Céline shared, “Seeing all the colour on our shelves is a daily pleasure. And what’s so brilliant is that if we ever move house, we can just reconfigure the systems somewhere else.”
When asked how they maintain creative momentum, Jon described, “We’re design enthusiasts. We love design in a way that we’d still be doing something similar even if we won the lottery. I feel pride when I see the books we’ve produced or when a happy customer sends us a message. I feel like I’m doing what I should be doing.” Céline concluded, “The space I work in and the place I live, are filled with work created by people we’ve published. They all tell a story. I can’t wait to fill it up with more new memories.” For Counterprint, books are like old friends and Jon and Céline have perfected the art of keeping good company.
