An Etching in Reverse

Helping Peter Braune and the gang at New Leaf Editions bind up copies of a book they're publishing, Getting to Know You. They raised funds for the project on Indiegogo last spring; see some info and images here.

Copies are being cased in printed paper over boards. Since New Leaf is primarily an etching studio, and the book contains etchings, I suggested they create some kind of intaglio-printed sheet for the case.

This they did, and the first copies were printed as etchings, i.e. the large copper plate inked, wiped, and printed on a sheet of (white) Arches Wove. But then, just because they like experimenting, they inked the plate with a roller, turning the intaglio plate into a relief plate, and printing the "etching" in reverse. Used a lovely blue ink. Looks great.

Copies of the book will be available from New Leaf later this summer.

Now You See It...

...now you don't!

(Title Goes Here)

Sorry kids, very busy week around here (though nothing terribly interesting from a printing perspective), so all I can offer up is a placeholder. Should have something meatier for next week. If not, there's always summer reruns...

Treat Yourself to a Handpress

I have sort-of & semi-reluctantly decided to try finding the HM handpress a new home, so that I can get a slightly smaller one. I worry that this is like a ballplayer abandoning a proven & reliable glove, with all the potential for ensuing bad luck. But the current move & redesign of the studio makes the timing right.

The HM press is an Ostrander-Seymour extra heavy. The bed measures about 20 x 26 inches. Far as we know, those are the original colors. The tympan is original, the frisket was made for me.

It's a fantastic press that has printed over three dozen books for HM. The size is great for printing folios or broadsides, or printing octavos four-up. I feel disloyal offering it up, but I also like to keep life as light as possible. The O-S weighs about 2,000 lbs, with the frame making up about half of that. The buyer will have to arrange for shipping if required.

I also have a small, restored bookpress that needs a home. I rescued it from a junk shop last year. The collar that attached the screw to the platen was broken, so I had a new one made. The platen's about 10 x 8 inches. A useful nipping press.

Last & least, I'm finally getting rid of a tiny Adana 3 x 5 that I've never used. Rollers are new, everything's in great shape. Why would I use a little thing like this when I have an Ostrander-Seymour? But if you want them both, I'll throw the Adana in free. Send a note to the address in the profile at right if you want more info or images.