Print by Example

 

More explanations & details to follow at a later date, but much time has been spent cruising for printmaking technique/process books which include actual sample prints (not reproductions). Stumbled across the site of one George C. Baxley, primarily devoted to stamps but with a serious side interest in Japanese art, and thus Japanese wood-block printing. The site is a little tricky to navigate, but that's due to the tremendous amount of information included. Many of the process books he has on offer are reproduced in full, along with significant sections of text. A great site for anyone wanting a quick introduction to the medium.

Anyone out there with technique books that include actual prints, especially pre-1950, any language, please get in touch. Or just send them.

Plata O Tinta

 
Back to work at the press, printing the second volume in HM's occasional Artists' Pamphlet series. My Dark Room is David George's two-tiered essay on his work with photograms, and the medium's  unexplored artistic potential. It also presents the first ever reproduction of his photograms - each of which is, by definition, a unique work, not a matrix for reproduction (like film would be) - as photogravures. Two different original photograms were reproduced from copper photo-etchings at New Leaf Editions. Each copy of the pamphlet will feature one or the other of these as a frontis. The ten Patron copies of the book will feature both.

This project also marks our first experiment with using silver ink. Looks fantastic on the roller. The stuff we got was exactly stiff & tacky - runny would be the word. Not exactly how we like ink. However, rolled out, a little went a very long way: basically we just had to tell the roller the ink was in the room, and that was enough.
 
The next few days will be spent printing David's essay: one sheet, four pages, two colors both sides. One hundred & fifty impressions per day, which is a lot for a prosaic handpress outfit like HM. We'll see how it goes...

Ray Bradbury & the Printed Man

 

Just yesterday we were corresponding with someone regarding ongoing research into the printing and publishing work of Roy A. Squires, and mentioned in passing that Ray Bradbury seemed to be the last living author who had worked with Squires. And now there are none. Although Bradbury's writing has never grabbed us (most science fiction does not age well; in 1984 Neuromancer was a revelation, but try reading it now), one of his books is fundamentally responsible for HM's fall into book collecting, and ultimately into letterpress printing and publishing. In the early '90s a deluxe copy of the Lord John Press edition of The Last Circus & The Electrocution was on sale (half price; big deal - copies are still available from LJP) at Vancouver's Colophon Books (now long gone & much missed). It was coveted but avoided, as we knew that its purchase would lead down an expensive rabbit hole. Unfortunately, it appeared one day as an anniversary gift, and that was that. The stories didn't light big fires, but the book itself - the thing, the distinction of states within an edition - beguiled. It was printed by Grant Dahlstrom at the Castle Press (huh?), and the deluxe was on different paper than the trade - what the hell did that mean? Acquisitions quickly piled up, the distinction of letterpress printing introduced, the finer points of binding discovered, all eventually leading to the abandonment of a reasonably remunerative (but largely dull) career, replaced by the press and bench. With no regrets, and many thanks to Ray for helping tip us over the edge.

Buy Now

Our friends at Wessel & Lieberman Booksellers in Seattle are having a (rare) 30% off sale, starting tomorrow (Tuesday 29 May) and running until June 12. The sale is for items listed on their site only; the code Sale2012 gets you the discount when completing a transaction. For more than two decades this shop has been perhaps the best source for contemporary fine press and artists' books in the Pacific Northwest. Numerous shows featuring different aspects of the book arts have been presented in the shop's charming space as well. Check it out, get to know them.

Exhausten Austen

Jarrett Morrison over at the Bowler Press has launched a campaign to fund his next project, an edition of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, issued as a three decker (just like the original) and illustrated with his wood engravings. The entire thing will be set by hand, and probably take the rest of his life. (Actually he intends to issue the first volume in 2013, with about a year between each of the next volumes.) He's even posted a well-made pitch film about the project at IndieGoGo (it's like Kickstarter). He needs $20,000 to lay in materials for the entire project, and is offering a variety of incentives for contributors. If an authentic devotion to 19th century aesthetics and literature is your thing, have a look & think about helping Jarrett make it happen. 

Look Up, Way Up...

Twenty-three is the steel letter aniversary. Some cool old letters now adorn the archway leading to HM Central. A foot tall, made of sheet metal, & heavy. Designed to fall on the noggin of anyone outside the clan who comes by without calling ahead.

What news....Oliver Clark, over at Collinge & Clark, recently issued a newsletter featuring some kind words about Types/Paper/Print. He also welcomed the first copy of Jim Westergard's Oddballs to cross the Atlantic (at least, as far as we know). Be interesting to hear what they think of Jim's unique sense of humor over there...

 

Saw the deluxe issue of the catalogue for Charles van Sandwyk's recent exhibition of books held at the University of British Columbia's Rare Books Library. Designed & produced by CVS very much in the style of his own trade publications, it features an original, signed etching sewn in, issued in an edition of 100 copies. These are $300, available from the library or (probably more easily) this shop. There also is a trade edition of the catalogue (different jacket, no etching)...

Third Press is No. 5

While out looking for an anniversary present, & distracted by the sign for a flea market, look what was found poking out from below the table of an absent seller:

Luckily the guy at the next table had a phone number, and a price was quickly agreed upon for this lovely quarto-sized "paper press" (as he called it). And just last week things were backing up in the studio for want of a third press like this. It's important to recognize & acknowledge when good luck comes along. So, that guy hobbling along Terminal Drive, trying not to drop a ton of iron on his toes, was HM, hauling the thing back to the car.

So #5 (as it is apparently named) has been scrubbed clean & will now help case up the last few copies of Types/Paper/Print. Which, by he way, is now out of print (and only one copy that we know of went to a Lovecraft fan!).