Printingprinting History history news 26 News 1 The Newsletter of the National Printing Heritage Trust, Printing Historical Society and Friends of St Bride Library Number 26  Spring 2010

EVENTS of type, paper and other printing sun- publisher) are available, meaning that dries; printers will also be selling second- those interesting in aquiring the book hand type and printing equipment. should be able to find a better price. Or Printing Historical Burford is easily accessible by car or one could, of course, always borrow it Society AGM bus from Oxford, and there is ample from a library (see the entry on lending parking at the school. For those who libraries, vol. 2, pp. 870–872), or The 2010 Annual General Meeting of do not know Burford, it is a charming consult it at the Bodleian (vol. 1, pp. the Printing Historical Society will be Cotswold town, with numerous places 539–540) . held on Tuesday 27 April 2010 at 5:30 to eat and shop (including antique p.m. at the St Bride Foundation, Lon- shops). Some readers may recall the don. Following the formal business, at 2008 Wayzgoose, held (to considerable 6:00 p.m., Dr John Hinks will speak acclaim) at the nearby market-town of on Printing: a revolutionary history. Witney. For more information, or to book a stall, please contact Louisa Hare, Old Park Cottage, Winderton St Bride events Road, Lower Brailes, Oxfordshire ox15 5jb. Tel: 01608 685924. E-mail: DIY Design [email protected].

The Ninth Annual St Bride Library Conference, DIY Design, will be held NEW BOOKS at the St Bride Library on 27 and 28 May 2010. Contributors will include OXFORD COMPANION Mette D. Ambeck, Martin Andrews, Paul Antonio, Hudson Bec, Petr van TO THE BOOK Detail of the ‘Rambaud’ phonetic type Blokland, Mark Frith, Linzie Hunter, The latest in Oxford University Press’s (1578) from Hendrik Vervliet’s new Helen Ingham, Michael Johnson, Ann series of Oxford companions is to the book (see below). Pillar, Teal Triggs and Wolfgang Wein- book, edited by Michael F. Suarez and gart. Full price £120.00, concessions Henry R. Woudhuysen. Published in £50.00, Friends £90.00 / £35.00. February, it consists of two volumes FRENCH RENAISSANCE Further details can be found on the bound in quarter red leather, and con- website at www.stbride.org. PRINTING TYPES tains a series of essays, followed by an encyclopaedia of publishing and print- Hendrik D.L. Vervliet’s French Renais- In June, the Friends will hold a design ing history, including much on type, sance printing types: a conspectus auction and November will see a major printing processes and machinery, paper (London: Bibliographical Society and letterpress event, a combined confer- and its manufacture, editorial practices, Printing Historical Society, and New ence and book fair. Further details will publishing, book-collecting, libraries, Castle: Oak Knoll Press, 2010) has be mounted on the Library website at book-illustration and binding. There just been posted out free to all P H S www.stbride.org. are numerous biographical entries for members; it is in lieu of two of the important figures in these areas, notably issues of the Journal that the Society for publishers, printers and artists. should have published since 2000. Oxford Guild of Printers’ The Companion contains around a Wayzgoose million words, compiled by some 400 contributors, including many names BOOK-MAKING AT The Oxford Guild of Printers will hold which will be familair to readers of DARTINGTON HALL its biannual ‘Wayzgoose’, a fair for PHN, such as Martin Andrews, Nicolas printers and collectors of fine printing, Barker, Sebastian Carter, Christopher Mary Bartlett’s Inky rags: letterpress at Burford School, Cheltenham Road, de Hamel, Mirjam Foot, Lotte Hellinga, printing & on the Burford, Oxfordshire ox18 4pl, on John Hinks, John Lane, James Mosley, Dartington Hall Estate 1935–2010 Saturday 10 July 2010, 10:00 a.m. to Paul W. Nash, David Pearson and (Buckfastleigh: Itinerant Press, 2010), 6:00 p.m. Admission is free. Stalls will Peggy Smith. has just appeared. Its production was be held by fine and private press printers, Copies are available from the OU P aided by a PHS research grant. The specialist booksellers, societies (includ- at £175.00, although various deals and copy sent to the PHS will be placed in ing the Friends of St Bride) and suppliers special offers (including some from the the St Bride Library. 2 printing history news 26

The National Printing Newspaper Makers); Dr Derek Nuttall team of six enthusiastic Young Man- (retired Head of Printing, Chester aging Printers from Lancashire under Heritage Trust: twenty School of Art); Michael Passmore the leadership of Martin Kerry. A (retired Chairman of Passmore Inter- short video of the press in use after years old (part II) national); and Professor Michael Twy- being restored can be seen by entering Derek Nuttall man (Department of and ‘Englesea Brook’ into an internet search- Graphic Communication at Reading engine. Another of the Trust’s earliest The first part of this account appeared University). achievements was the re-location and in PHN 25 in December 2009. In addition to the Trust’s Patron, restoration of a large Columbian press Bamber Gascoigne, Vice-Presidents for the Atkinson Art Gallery, Southport, The formal launch of the Printing Heri- nominated were William and Margaret in 1995. Regrettably, it has recently tage Trust was held at 11 Bedford Row, Sessions (of York) and Mrs Whittaker been made known that the Atkinson the office of the British Printing Federa- (Peter’ widow). From the start many wishes to dispose of this fine press. Over tion, on the evening of Monday 13 people had offered their services or the years many hand-presses have been April 1992. The event was well attended advice and to utilise them an Advisory restored into working order for various with some sixty people present. The Committee was established. The orig- museums, including help with the reno- main purposes of the launch were to inal members were: Dennis Arnold; vation of a rare eighteenth-century publicize the Trust, to outline its aims Sebastian Carter; Rev. Eric Chambers; wooden press for Chetham’s Library, and to encourage support, both mat- Roy Coxhead; Desmond Field; Alan Manchester. erially and financially, from the indus- Morris; Richard Russell; and Lawrence A further stimulus to get printers in try, organisations and individuals who Wallis. the north of England interested in the could become ‘Friends of the NPHT’ Although formed in the hope that a N P H T was a lecture by Lawrence for the modest fee of £10.00 per year – national museum of printing would Wallis entitled ‘A history of typograph- a sum that has never been increased. result, several other objectives were ical composition’, given at Manchester A great deal of preparation had pursued. One of these was to establish Metropolitan University in October taken place prior to the launch. Michael a close liaison with every museum in 1993. About the same time, the Trust Passmore and Lawrence Wallis used England and Wales that had any items became involved in a campaign to save their many contacts in the printing connected with printing and its related the Stephenson Blake Collection of world to draw up a list of people to trades. Valiant work on this was under- punches, matrices etc., when the old- invite. The evening started at 6:30 with taken by Desmond Field (of the John established typefoundry in Sheffield a short welcome from the Chairman, Jarrold Museum, Norwich), who began ceased production. Michael Passmore, who was followed to compile a database of museum hold- An unexpected outcome of the by Bamber Gascoigne, the Trust’s ings. This resulted in the Directory, pub- Trust’s Newsletter was the establishing Patron. After his speech, there were lished in 1997, with a revised edition in of links with similar bodies abroad, short talks by the members of a panel 2000. To extend the Trust’s work with including the U.S.A., Canada, Ireland, consisting of Michael Twyman, James museums, approaches were made to Australia, Germany and New Zealand. Mosley and Lawrence Wallis. David inform and involve the Museums’ As the remit of the Trust only applied Padbury of the BPIF then told the Association and the Science Museum. to England and Wales, informal links meeting about a ‘time capsule’ of A close relationship was formed with were also forged with the Scottish printed specimens that had been com- the Manchester Museum of Science and Printing Archive Trust and the Robert piled in 1953. The evening concluded Industry, which acquired Peter Whit- Smail Printing Museum. with Michael Passmore outlining the taker’s fine collection of line-casters. In July 1994, Friends of the NPHT, aims of the Trust and what needed to As the Trust’s funds began to grow, now numbering around 150, were in- be done in order to preserve for it became possible to offer not just ad- vited to visit the new Oxford University posterity the skills and technology that vice but also financial help to museums Press Museum and the Alembic Press. were rapidly disappearing. He showed seeking grants to obtain, restore or Following the success of this double a video, made by Oxford University display printing artefacts. To publicise visit, others were arranged including to Press, which recorded the hand-casting this, over 100 museums and libraries, the Science Museum’s storage ware- of metal types. and a few other institutions, were house, near Olympia, the British Library One of the first innovations after added to the Trust’s Newsletter mailing. and the Type Museum. A different the launch was the publication of a The regular contact thus established kind of event for Friends was an Newsletter, starting in December 1992. elicited many responses and requests evening of films held at the National Noted in this first issue was a list of the for help. Particular close contact was Film Library. founder Trustees, who were: Gwyn established with several private collec- A great many enquiries began to be Evans (director of an old-established tions (some of which, sadly, no longer received from printers and others want- printing firm); Rev. Dr Richard Hills exist). These included: The Hot Metal ing to dispose of obsolete printing (first director of Manchester Museum Press, at Elsecar; The Printing House equipment as the demise of letterpress of Science and Industry and President Museum, at Cockermouth; Amberley gained momentum, and one of the of the Paper Historians’ Association); Chalk Pit Museum; and the William recurring tasks was to try to find E. Clifford James (Regional Manager Clowes Museum, at Beccles. suitable homes for some, at least, of the of MANWEB); James Mosley (Lib- One of the first instances of prac- more interesting items, although sadly rarian, St Bride Library, representing tical help was the restoration of the many artefacts that really should have the Printing Historical Society); Miss ‘Atlas’ hand-press at the Englesea been preserved ended up as scrap. Robin Myers (representing the Wor- Brook Museum of Primitive Methodism. From its formation, the Trust’s shipful Company of Stationers and The actual work was carried out by a Chairman was Michael Passmore who, printing history news 26 3 in keeping with the Trust Deed, had to retire on reaching the age of seventy. He was succeeded by Michael Twyman, who is still Chairman. Through its history, the Honorary Treasurer has been Mr E. Clifford James, whilst I served as Honorary Correspondent and Editor of the Newsletter until 2002. In this year, the Trust’s news- letter became part of a joint publica- tion, that which you are now reading. Its first editor was Anita Phillips. Although the Trust’s funds have never reached a level which would permit large grants, many awards – usually in sums of between £200.00 and £1,000.00 – have been made to a range of museums, the most recent being a grant to the Printing Office at the Amberley Chalk Pit Museum. Inevitably there have been many changes to both the Board of Trustees and the Advisory Committee over the years, and it would seem appropriate to conclude this article by listing the current members of these bodies. They Hot-metal Linotype Tamil drawing, 1936, from the Non-Latin Collection at the are: Trustees: Martin Andrews; John Department of Typography and Graphic Communication, University of Reading Arnold; John Griffiths; E. Cliff James; Justin Knopp; John Liffen; Paul W. To set this in context, the Tamil letter- a Canon EOS 30D, and the images Nash; Steve Oram; Michael Twyman. drawings referred to above were pro- were adjusted in Adobe Photoshop to Desmond Field; Advisory Committee: duced by the Linotype Mergenthaler control positioning, size and degree of John Handford; Bradley Hotson; Company for hot-metal contrast to maintain uniformity across James Mosley; Ray Millington; Derek and comprise the oldest artefacts in the all letter-drawing images. The images Nuttall; Michael Passmore; Nigel Roche; Non-Latin Collection of the Depart- have been preserved as Adobe Photo- Richard Russell; Bernard Seward; Claire ment of Typography and Graphic shop EPS files, CMYK, 72 dpi (2835 Seymour; Anthony Smith; John Spurgin; Communication at the University of × 2324 pixels) on two sets of data and Jeremy Winkworth. Reading. This collection holds in excess discs (one set as a back-up copy), and of 10,000 letter-drawings in at least have been uploaded to the Typography Tamil PHS project: sixteen writing-systems that were Department’s server. These files will be designed for a variety of typesetting converted by the Department’s IT team a brief report and printing technologies spanning to Adobe PDF files (screen optimized) Fiona Ross most of the twentieth century. for researchers to view as part of a I am glad to report that the digital digital letter-drawing archive. Access I am very pleased to report that, fol- capture* of the ‘Light’ weight of draw- for researchers will be discussed and lowing receipt of a research grant from ings has been completed. Although not announced on the Typography Depart- the Printing Historical Society, a large specified in the original research pro- ment’s website (www.reading.ac.uk/ part of the proposed research project posal, it was felt that it was worth typography/about/typ-news.aspx) and has been completed. The proposal was spending additional time capturing the the PHS will be directly informed. as follows: ‘Research into the provenance Tamil ‘Bold’ letter-drawings under the This part of the research project was and use of the 1936 Linotype hot-metal same conditions (identical camera undertaken with the kind assistance of Tamil letter-drawings, with a detailed settings, lighting, etc.) for the sake of Jo De Baerdemaeker, to whom I am analysis of the designs, with reference completeness, and to preserve the indebted for the technical information to the peculiarities of the typefounding second weight for the archive. noted above. Also thanks are due to technology, and their legacy on subse- The images captured in digital for- the Typography Department for the quent Tamil typeforms. This will be mat comprise: Linotype Tamil Light: loan of equipment and to its IT team accompanied by the digital capture of 167 letterforms; one additional show- for technical assistance. the letter-drawings of the text (‘Light’) ing dimensions; one character set The research into the provenance weight to assist in the research and, listing; Linotype Tamil Bold: 177 and use of the Tamil hot-metal letter- perhaps more crucially, the preservation letterforms; one additional showing drawings is on-going, and research of the original drawings thereby provid- dimensions; one character set listing. findings will be written up in an article ing improved accessibility for research- The project was undertaken using later in the year. ers in type history and a potential tem- the Typography Department’s camera, I would like to thank the PHS for plate for the further digital capture of funding this research and enabling the *This term is used rather than ‘digitization’, non-Latin type drawings to create an since the latter is often taken to mean one of the preservation of these historic letter- enduring archive.’ processes of digital font manufacture. drawings. 4 printing history news 26

New officers for the PHS

At the 2010 AGM (see page 1) the Printing Historical Society will elect officers to replace Peggy Smith (Chair- man), Ken Brooks (Treasurer), and Rathna Ramanathan (Secretary), who are retiring. The office of Membership Secretary will be filled separately from the Treasurership, and we hope also to appoint a Web-master. We always encourage attendance at the AGM, and this year we offer a most promising lecture afterwards: Dr John Hinks on Printing: a revolutionary history. Light refreshments will follow.

Replicas of Moxon’s type mould Alan May

My first attempt at making a type mould based on Joseph Moxon’s description was undertaken mainly to try and get a ‘Moxon’ type mould made by Alan May better insight into his account than was possible by just reading through it. Actually making the thing was useful, number of drawbacks. The first was USEFUL CONTACTS as it highlighted a number of omissions that because minimum charges were in the drawings and clarified several involved, I had to make at least five sets National Printing Heritage Trust www.npht.org.uk features which I had not previously of parts. Also because the blanks have understood. In particular the purpose Hon. Correspondent: Jeremy Winkworth been burned out they have edges which [email protected] of the odd T-shaped projections on the are hardened and quite difficult to clean Treasurer: E. C. James bottom of each register became clear. A up so that the time saved in cutting out The Pinfold, Church Road, Dodleston, full account of my reconstruction was parts has to be offset by the extra time Chester, Cheshire ch4 9ng published in the Printing Historical needed in finishing. The picture above [email protected] Society Bulletin (no. 40) in 1996. shows one of the completed moulds. This first attempt had a number of Each comes in its own box together Printing Historical Society www.printinghistoricalsociety.org.uk shortcomings. The workmanship was with a sample , a trial casting somewhat rudimentary and the jet in Chair: Peggy Smith and a small ladle. [email protected] particular was unsatisfactory. Moxon Journal Editor: John Trevitt gives no indication of the angle of slope Rose Cottage, Church Road, for this part so I had to make a guess PAPERBACK REPRINTS Weobley, Hereford hr4 8sd based on his drawings. The result was [email protected] a jet which was far too wide. At that John Trevitt time I was also unable to understand Friends of St Bride Library Moxon’s drawing of the register-retain- The owners of mass-market paper- www.stbride.org ing screws but recently I took another back titles (Penguin, Fontana (Collins), Chair: Rob Banham [email protected] look at these and suddenly realised Pan, Granada etc.) finding that after, what he was attempting to depict. The say, five years sales – even of the most St Bride Library, Bride Lane, shape of these screws is a very small popular titles – dropped off, regularly Fleet Street, London ec4y 8ee and unimportant point, but it is so nice ‘rested’ them, and brought them back www.stbride.org to find an answer after fourteen years. after a few years with new covers. While Librarian: Nigel Roche This first mould has been used over the they were resting on one publisher’s [email protected] years as a visual aid to explain the type- list it was common for another mass- casting process to students and it occur- market publisher to negotiate a short- Printing History News Editor: Paul W. Nash red to me recently that others too might term lease of the paperback rights. 19 Fosseway Drive, Moreton-in-Marsh, find a mould of use in their teaching. During the era when such paperbacks Gloucestershire gl56 0du This thought coincided with my learning were printed by rotary letterpress from [email protected] about the process of metal cutting using rubber or later plastic plates, the orig- lasers. Could I use this process to cut inating publisher would then lend the Published by the NPHT, PHS and the out the blanks for a type mould? The plates, usually charging a standard fee Friends of St Bride Library, March answer was yes, but there were also a of £1.00 per page. 2010. Printed by Synergie, Birmingham.

Please pass spare copies of Printing History News on to an interested fiend