Elle
B
Belle is our dreamboat, beautiful 1965 Redball Heidelberg Windmill that can twirl and whirl and crank out some serious paper.
The sight (and sounds) of her running are absolutely magical.
And, as she is a more modern gal, she self-feeds the paper with grace and some serious air power. So, basically, she’s a beauty and a beast!
HEIDELBURG Windmill
BUILT IN 1965
LD GIRL
O
Old Girl was our first press baby!
She is an "Old Style" 10x15 Chandler and Price platen press cast in Ohio sometime around 1889. She has some sultry curves!
We acquired her from a retired lifelong printer who had amassed a swoon worthy collection of print and bindery machinery spanning two centuries.
She’s our go-to girl for blind impressions and anytime we need a little help with creasing & scoring.
C&P Platen Press
Circa 1889
ittle Girl
L
Little Girl was our 3rd addition to the family and she is solid gold (figuratively speaking of course!).
She is a 1910 8" x 12” Chandler and Price platen press that has been been retrofitted with a souped-up honeycomb heat plate that allows for printing of metallic and pigment foils (as opposed to ink).
She’s usually covered in a confetti of sparkly foil dust (also called slag, but that doesn’t sound as pretty) and brings a lot of bling to our world!
Chandler & Price
BUILT IN 1910
at april
F
Fat April was a rescue press as she was soundly stuck in a basement in Arlington, VA after the 40+ years she lived there. It was quite an extraction that involved a lot of butter. Kidding about the butter, but we did have to remove a lot of house trim to get her out!
She was christened “Fat April” by the 12-year-old friend we had brought along for extra muscle and traffic control (we literally, to the utter delight of the neighbors, had to block a street while we loaded her onto the trailer).
At some point, he attempted to read one of her markings which really reads “PAT April 18XX.” and translated it to Fat April. At the time we were so punchy with relief, it was the funniest thing we had ever heard. So, it stuck!
WHAT KIND OF PRESS IS THIS? :)
BUILT IN 1910
iss pearl
M
Miss Pearl is our svelte Golding Pearl #11 improved coming off the assembly line in the glorious year of 1911.
She is just so dainty weighing in at around 700lbs depending on the day (we don’t like to get too specific).
We adopted her from a lovely local artist who had run her own letterpress business for a time.
She can often be found around town at local wedding shows giving people a glimpse into the art of fine paper and usually a fun keepsake they can take away.
Golding Pearl #11
BUILT IN 1911
PRINTERS DEVIL
Flynn
see our work
An apprentice in a printing establishment who performed a number of tasks, such as mixing tubs of ink and fetching type. Notable writers including Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, and Mark Twain served as printer's devils in their youth.
osley
B
Bosley, like Belle, is a Heidelberg Windmill, albeit slightly older.
He’s part the rat pack generation and could give Frank Sinatra a few pointers.
He handles all of our studio die-cutting and occasional scoring.
Heidelberg Windmill
BUILT IN 1952
iley roo
R
Riley Roo was another rescue press that was hours from being hauled off to the landfill! Can you imagine??
He is a 19XX Craftsman Tabletop Press and just so cute it hurts.
He needs a little TLC to get him print ready, but may have a future in our studio as a teaching press.
As he is a bit less dangerous to operate, we may offer some workshops in the future – stay tuned!
C&P Pilot Tabletop Press
small but mighty
ordon
G
Gordon is our visiting press. He’s a 5”x8” Kelsey Tabletop model and belongs to a dear friend and incredibly talented local artist.
We ordered him some squishy new rollers, and got him all spiffed up for his next chapter.
2020 extended his visit a bit longer, but we cannot wait to see him settled into new home.
Until then, he’s a keen observer of all the happenings of his much larger cousins.
Tabletop Press
BUILT IN 1965
R. Vandy
M
Mr. Vandy is a crotchety old Vandercook No. 1 Proof Press.
We’re not certain of his origins because whenever we ask, he grumbles about all of the newfangled machinery he’s surrounded by.
When we decides to cooperate, we sometimes use him for test prints with typesetting or larger format deboss items.
Proof Press
BUILT IN 1965
Write
A Note
