Visit to Germany

These cases for setting Chinese type are in the Museum of the Printing Arts in Leipzig which Phil was fortunate enough to visit a couple of weeks ago. As well as a vast array of type and matrices they have an enormous collection of typesetting and printing machines from the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They are all beautifully restored, not as heritage artifacts but for working. They are oiled and, where necessary wired up, and their bare metal parts are clean but not overly-shiny.

If he had to choose highlights they would be

• the B1 swing cylinder letterpress machine
• the Soviet version of a Linotype machine
• the telex-operated Linotype for transatlantic publications
• an enormous stone litho machine
• a large and fascinating exhibition of the work of Hans Madersteig and the Officina Bodoni

Bog Child

Our friends at David Fickling Books asked us to design and print these invitations to the launch of Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd. We were pleased to do so, because it is an excellent novel. We thought they came out well.

New rollers

When Patrick Harrison was taking his terrific pictures for our website a parcel arrived containing re-covered rollers for our FAG proofing press. 

We thought they looked great, and they make it easier to get the most out of this piece of precision machinery. We got a new cover for our hand roller too, perfect for adding splashes of colour.