Acquisition

Quarto Group Inc
29 July 2004






                                QUARTO BUYS AURUM

The Quarto Group, Inc., the London-based and listed international book
publisher, announces the acquisition of Aurum Press Ltd, the London-based book
publisher. As of the last balance sheet date, the net assets being acquired
totalled 775,000.
'I am delighted with this new addition to our group,' said Laurence F Orbach,
chairman and chief executive officer of Quarto. 'With the recently announced
acquisition of Creative Publishing International in the United States, and this
new move, we are growing our book publishing side, in line with the strategy
that we outlined earlier this year. Aurum is a well-respected British publisher,
and it will continue to be run by Bill McCreadie and Piers Burnett, who retain
minority stakes in the business.

'Jacqui Small Editions will continue as a 50-50 joint venture between Aurum and
Jacqui Small, with Aurum handling the UK sales. I am sure that Quarto's
international co-edition sales team can assist in growing Jacqui's sales outside
the English-language market. Her lifestyle books complement the Quarto
co-edition books, which are more how-to oriented.'

'This is an acquisition that makes sense for both the Quarto Group and Aurum
Press and its employees' said Bill McCreadie, Managing Director of Aurum Press.
'It gives Aurum financial security and access to funds which will allow Aurum to
offer for, and acquire, titles which previously would have been beyond our
means, and to continue the excellent growth experienced in the last two years
when sales have increased by 21% . I am looking forward to working with our new
colleagues in the Quarto Group, whom we have known for many years'

Notes for Editors:

Quarto's International Co-edition Book Publishing Division creates books which
are licensed to other publishers for publication internationally. It also
includes Regent and ProVision, which are Far East-based print broking and
production services businesses, serving both third parties and the Group.

Quarto's Publishing Division primarily publishes books, under imprints owned by
the Group, and art prints, mainly for their domestic markets in the US and
Australia. In addition, it includes two UK-based publishing services businesses
primarily serving the point of sale display market, Image Factory and AP Screen.

In the year ended December 31, 2003, underlying pre-tax profit rose by 12.2% to
£5.7m and underlying EPS by 5.7% to 22.3p - a fifth successive year of increase
in underlying EPS. Dividends per share of 5.75p were up 10% and covered 3.9 x by
underlying EPS.

A Delaware registered corporation, Quarto's Head Office is situated in City
Road, London EC1V 2TT, and its shares are fully listed on the London Stock
Exchange.

Enquiries:

The Quarto Group, Inc
Laurence F Orbach (Chairman & CEO)                           020-7700 9003
Mick Mousley (Chief Financial Officer)                       020-7700 9005

Bankside Consultants Limited
Charles Ponsonby                                             020-7444 4166





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