Acquisition

Quarto Group Inc
15 November 2004


                             THE QUARTO GROUP, INC.

Acquisition of Australian book business

Quarto, the international book publisher, announces the acquisition of Lifetime
Distributors 'The Book People' Pty. Limited.

Lifetime is principally involved in selling books directly to the public,
through display marketing at workplaces. Based in Sydney, Australia, Lifetime is
the largest display marketer of books in Australia, and one of the few
businesses, in the field, to operate nationally. Sales are made by franchised
regional operators who, following thorough marketplace testing, purchase
inventory, cutting out several levels of middlemen. The sales proposition is
value for money. Agents visit workplaces on regular sales cycles with
assortments of books and related items. The business was founded in 1990.

For the year ended June 30, 2004, Lifetime's unadjusted audited pre tax profit
was A$176,000. Net assets were A$708,000. For the four months ended October 31,
2004 unaudited sales were A$7.9 million with a pre tax profit of A$330,000.
Quarto is acquiring 75% of the equity from the departing and retiring
shareholders, for a cash consideration of A$1.5 million. Mr Mark Bonello,
Managing Director, retains his 25% stake in the business and has entered into a
Put and Call Agreement with Quarto.

'This transaction is a wonderful opportunity for Lifetime and for Quarto' said
Laurence F Orbach, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Quarto. 'For many
years, Quarto has been selling books to Lifetime, and has been impressed with
its powerful sales operation. We believe that we can help Lifetime to improve
its operational efficiency as we have done with Book Sales, Inc. in New York,
which also distributes books bought from other publishers.

'We intend to help Mark Bonello improve executive operations and, as with all
Quarto's operating units, Lifetime will continue to operate autonomously and in
accordance with its own business model.'

'This acquisition is another step in Quarto's strategy to increase its business
in content generation, publishing, and distribution. '

Notes for Editors:

Quarto is an international book publisher. Listed on the London Stock Exchange
under the symbol QRT, Quarto's head office is situated in City Road, London EC1.
It is a Delaware corporation.

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

Quarto's Publishing Division publishes books and art prints, under imprints
owned by the Group, primarily in the US and Australia. July's acquisitions,
Creative Publishing international and Aurum Press, form part of this Division.
In addition, it includes two UK-based publishing services businesses primarily
serving the point of sale display market - Image Factory and AP Screen.

2003 was Quarto's fifth successive year of increase in underlying EPS. On
October 22, 2004, Quarto announced that its unaudited results for the third
quarter, and nine months, ended September 30, 2004 continued the substantial
growth of profit demonstrated at the six months' stage. Lifetime is Quarto's
third acquisition in the second half of 2004.

Enquiries:
The Quarto Group, Inc.                                     020-7700 9000
Mick Mousley (Finance Director)

Bankside Consultants Limited                                020-7444 4166
Charles Ponsonby




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