R. Blake Stevens has passed.

Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere or not.

Robert Blake Stevens October 16 1938 April 22 2018

Quote:

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Robert Blake Stevens October 16, 1938 April 22, 2018

“They always will believe a lie
Who see with, not through, the eye”

In his own words:

“Robert ‘Blake’ Stevens was born in Toronto on October 16th, 1938 the eldest of the three children of the late Thomas Herbert Stevens and Beatrice Ena Stevens (née Lake). Blake is survived by his loving wife and business partner Susan Fraser, daughter Elizabeth, grandson Elijah, sister Brenda van Lier (Winston), and sister-in-law Gail Stevens, widow of his late brother Clyde. Life never really made much sense for Blake until he was in his thirties, when it all came together during and after his first experience with LSD. Suddenly the world was divided into two groups of people: the few who understand the above edited quote from William Blake (1757-1827), and the many who do not. A 10-year career in systems analysis and computer programming no longer holding any appeal, Blake left the corporate world and studied for two years at the New School of Art, all the while maintaining his lifelong passion for music and high-fidelity sound. In 1979 Blake founded the small but now world-renowned company Collector Grade Publications, where for a period of nearly forty years he edited and produced a series of over sixty critically-acclaimed books on modern small arms, twelve of which he wrote or co-authored himself. He felt that this endeavor was well in keeping with the adage attributed to the Buddha, who is purported to have said that one has to learn how to make their living with their left foot if they are ever going to get anywhere with their head. While death is the ultimate demarcation, requiring the end of existence in this beautiful and beguiling world, it may lead to the opportunity for Blake’s soul to be reborn into another world of the same order as itself, which would be reward indeed for faithfully enduring the last ordeals in his struggle with cancer.”

Cremation has already taken place. A date to honour Blake will be forthcoming in the next months. Condolences may be made online at MacCoubrey Funeral Home, and if so wished, a donation in Blake’s name to the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation.

Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Robert Blake Stevens October 16 1938 April 22 2018.

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I'm sure Warren will have a cogent comment or two.
-TomH

Just found out that Blake has passed away and the fraternity has lost one of the best gun book publishers bar none.
I was just talking to Blake a few weeks ago and did not realize how severe his condition was.
Blake knew what the collector and gun enthusiast wanted in a book and and Blake knew how to deliver it.
Blake was a fountain of information and was one of the few that knew how to put a book together.
I'd had the opportunity to look at some of the sows ears that Blake received to make into a sell-able book and he was the master of turning the "sows ear to a silk purse".
People used to bring boxes of mixed papers and Brownie camera quality photo's to Blake and in most cases he could make a good book out of it. There were the odd exception but very few.
I just think of the boxes and boxes of documents I bought for him from the Pattern Room and other sacred worshiped places of the gun fraternity over the years.
I recall coming back to Canada looking like an immigrant with boxes and briefcases of paper for him.
We are all going to miss Blake with his encyclopedic knowledge and huge reference library.
R.I.P.

Think I will now go and have a "wee dram" of the "water of life"

True words from Warren there. A hard task-master who knew exactly what he needed and what the gun collecting fraternity wanted. R.I.P Blake

RIP Blake, I have some of his written work here too of course...

Truely a loss.

Blake Stevens and Collector Grade has been a great resource for arms students and collectors.

A friend of mine is collecting his books (60 !) and is short only "Gas Trap Garands" and "The Grand Old Lady of No Mans Land".

I sold books from him for 20+ years. He will be missed. RIP.

Knew Blake for about 40 years.

Knew him too. Not well though. He came into the shoo I worked in long ago. When he was first trying to sell the FN book, he'd walk around gun shows with a pile of 'em in his hand.