Discussion

By Gordon Pritchard on Jul 23, 2014

Letterpress is alive and well! If you ever get back to England you must check out the Tom Paine Printing Press in Lewes Sussex. A bit of the story and pics here:
http://the-print-guide.blogspot.ca/2014/04/printshop-in-center-of-cosmos-lewes.html

By Kerry Regan on Jul 23, 2014

Frank,
Some people do still make wood type. Next time you're in Rochester, check out Virgin Wood Type Manufacturing Co., where Geri McCormick and staff still cut wood typefaces. Here's an article on the business: http://on.rocne.ws/1lwaKhM

By ferko GOLDINGEr on Jul 23, 2014

Thanks for the great post Frank. The Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum is a one-of-a-kind working museum. Besides over 1.5 Million pieces of type they also have 9 letter presses, a Linotype machine, and the equipment to make new wood type - a fascinating process to watch during a tour. A worthwhile visit only 90 minutes from Milwaukee and less than an hour from Appleton or Green Bay. http://woodtype.org/

By Roger Lyngholm on Jul 23, 2014

Frank, I heard you say "the beauty of letterpress is because you can see the impression on the back of the sheet". Say it isn't so. This may well be the case now, but I can hear legions of printers past rolling in their grave recalling the 5 years they spent as apprentices learning their craft so that the back of the printed sheet came out of the press smooth as a baby's bottom.

By Jim Hamilton on Jul 25, 2014

Though these Hamiltons are no relation (that I know of) I have long wanted to visit the museum. I hope to get a chance to get there before long. And I'm always keeping my eye out for type cases that have the handle with 'Hamilton' in raised letters. (I've just tweeted a picture of one if anyone wants to see what it looks like: @jrhinfotrends)

By Joseph Pasky on Jul 27, 2014

There was a nice segment on PBS Newshour this week about Arion press in California printing/binding "Leaves of Grass". Worth a look.