Printing History News 14

Printingprinting History history news 14 News 1 The Newsletter of the National Printing Heritage Trust, Printing Historical Society and Friends of St Bride Library Number 14 Spring 2007

Printing Historical Press at Coedpoeth, near Wrexham, Other St Bride events is another fine example of a printing Society AGM office that specialized in letterpress Friends AGM & Jan Tschichold. Tues- posters, which its proprietor is offering day 19 June. An exhibition of the work The 2007 Annual General Meeting of to the Wrexham County Borough of Tschichold and an illustrated talk by the Printing Historical Society will be Museum. Chris Burke, based on his forthcoming held on Tuesday 27 March 2007 at Friends of the NPHT can help to book. Exhibition preview from 5:30 5:00 p.m. at the St Bride Library. At stimulate the interest of museum p.m, talk at 7:00 p.m., admission £5 5:30 Tony Edwards, Professor of managers, curators and directors by (£3 concessions). The talk will be pre- Textual Studies at DeMonfort Univer- visiting those museums listed in the ceded by the AGM of the Friends of St sity, will speak on ‘Directions in the Trust’s Directory, and perhaps using Bride at 6:00 p.m. study of English incunables’. All are their influence to promote a revival of welcome to the lecture. interest in the history and technology 6,000,000 Impressions. Varied in of a basically simple process which was, form, the books produced by Tara Friends of the NPHT arguably, the most important inven- Publishing of Chenai, India, are united tion in the history of civilization. Any by the central vision of combining Derek Nuttall feed-back or comments about printing experimentation with communication, collections are always welcome. Please content and politics. Tara is especially When, in 1989, along with a number contact: Dr Derek Nuttall, Langdale, known for pioneering the book made ch4 of other enthusiasts, I initiated the Pulford Lane, Dodleston, Chester entirely by hand for the general reader. 9nn National Printing Heritage Trust, it was . Exhibition: Wednesday 9 May–Thurs- with the intention (or hope) of setting day 14 June. Lecture (by Gita Wolf and up a national museum of printing. This Rathna Ramanathan) and preview: was at a time when it was obvious that St Bride Conference Tuesday 8 May. traditional letterpress printing was soon to become defunct, but whilst Great British Design? there were still many influential people Other events in printing who were keen to ensure The Sixth Annual Friends of St Bride that the technology of this venerable Conference will be held at St Bride on The influence of the Venetian printing industry should not be forgotten. Thursday 31 May and Friday 1 June house of Aldus Manutius, a lecture by A recent visit I made to the new 2007. Uncovering the ‘great’ in British Dr Martin Davies. To be held at 7:00 Gutenberg Museum at Mainz showed design, a stellar cast of speakers will p.m. on Tuesday 3 April, at Bernard me what can be achieved. Although no open our eyes to some of the better- Quaritch Antiquarian Booksellers, 8 similar national museum of printing hidden secrets of graphic design and Lower John Street, Golden Square, has been established in Britain, and print. Speakers will include Suw Char- London w1f 9au. Dr Davies is former some of the nation’s collections have man (Open Rights Group), Susanna Head of Incunabula at the British been put into storage (or even disposed Edwards, Max Gadney (BBC), Ken Library. His lecture is one of the Globe of), a number ‘working museums’ – Garland, Kerr Noble, Morag Myers- Education Events, in the series Shake- such as Amberley, Norwich’s John cough (Studio Myerscough), Michael speare and Venice. Tickets cost £15.00 Jarrold Museum, Ironbridge Blists Hill, C. Place, Rick Poynor, Nick Robertson (£10.00 concessions, including Friends Beamish and Cockermouth – continue (Wordsalad) and Patrick Walker (Dust of Shakespeare’s Globe). Tickets to carry the torch. Collective). In addition, there will be the include a glass of wine and must be In 2007 there is still a handful of usual mix of graphic displays, specialist booked in advance from the Globe Box traditional letterpress printers earning booksellers, demonstrations, social Office. Telephone: 020 7902 1470. their crust, but week by week their events and an auction of collectable (or Fax: 020 7902 1475 (Monday to numbers are declining. Bill Sessions of disposable) books and objets d’art. Friday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.). All York has written to inform me that one St Bride Institute, Bride Lane, Fleet mailed tickets are subject to a postal of Yorkshire’s last letterpress printers, Street, London ec4y 8eq. Admission: charge of £1.50. a Mr Ken McWhan of Leeds, who is £100 (£50 concessions) rising to £150 65, has now ceased trading. He is (£75) after 10 May. Contact the St Archival sources for the lives of printing anxious to see his complete workshop Bride Foundation on 020 7353 3331, workers in the 16th century: the case – which was established in the early [email protected]. of Spain, a lecture by Dr Clive Griffin 1930s – preserved in its entirety. For further details see the website at (of Trinity College, Oxford). To be Similarly, in North Wales, the Star www.stbride.org. held on Monday 14 May 2007 at 5:15 2 printing history news 14

p.m. at the Taylor Institution, Oxford. Terrace is no exception, but it is published in the journal Typography Held by the Oxford Bibliographical exceptional in the range and quality of Papers in 2005. Society. Members may bring guests. the items which have survived. They Humphrey Stone, son of the wood- include a set of curtains designed engraver Reynolds Stone, is a distin- The woman bookbinder of the William specially by Morris for his London guished typographical designer. He Morris circle, a lecture by Marianne drawing-room and a unique, hooked trained at the Oxford University Press, Tidcombe. To be held on Tuesday 15 Morris rug. Other textiles are more and spent a year sitting at the feet of May 2007 at 6:00 p.m. at the Garwood prosaic and include the Walker family’s Giovanni Mardersteig in Verona. He Lecture Theatre, South Wing, Univer- table and bathroom linen, much of worked at Chatto and Windus and sity College, Gower Street, London. which dates back to the mid-nineteenth Weidenfeld and Nicolson, before being The Bibliographical Society’s ‘Homee century and gives a rare view of the assistant designer under P. J. Conk- and Phiroze Randeria Lecture’. Mem- lives of those who occupied the house. wright at Princeton University Press. bers may bring guests. Monday 9 July. William Morris in Later he became art director for Hammersmith, led by Dr Aileen Reid, Stanford University Press, California, author and academic curator of the and the Compton Press, Wiltshire. Book Fair collection at 7 Hammersmith Terrace. Michael Harvey, whose career began Dr Reid will spend time looking closely in Ditchling learning to carve inscrip- The PBFA will hold a large fair at the at Morris and the part he played in the tions, has designed over fifteen hundred Novotel London West, 1 Shortlands, lives of his friends and colleagues in the lettered dust-jackets, taught in English Hammersmith w6 8dr, on Friday 8 Hammersmith area. Walker arrived in art colleges and in the USA, and been June (2:00–7:00 p.m.) and Saturday 9 the Terrace in 1879, just a year after on the faculties of seven international June (10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.). Formerly Morris moved into nearby Kelmscott calligraphic conferences. He has carved held at the Commonwealth Institute, House, and the two became firm many inscriptions, including those in this annual event is both an antiquar- friends. The study morning looks at the National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing ian/second-hand and a private press Morris’s final years at Hammersmith, in London, and has created prints, book fair, and will involve more than a at their friendship and the many inscriptions and sundials with Scottish hundred specialist booksellers and fine mementoes of it that survive in the poet Ian Hamilton Finlay. His six printers. Admission is free. house, including hitherto unseen books include Creative lettering today material from the Kelmscott Press. and he has designed typefaces for Emery Walker Trust Monotype, Adobe, Dutch Type Study Mornings Library and Fine Fonts (his partner- Pen to Printer ship with Andy Benedek). These study mornings will give partici- John Nash is a lettering craftsman pants a chance to explore a specific The Edward Johnston Foundation’s working with brush, pen and chisel. area of interest led by an expert in the Seventh Ditchling Annual International Born in the United States, he came to field. Numbers will be limited to eight Seminar will take place over the week- England in 1968 and, after working so that those attending will be able to end of 18–20 May 2007. The inter- briefly with Donald Jackson, studied study objects at close quarters on an national speaker is the distinguished with Ann Camp, Gerald Fleuss and interactive basis. The sessions will start American artist and designer Susan Gaynor Goffe at Digby Stuart College, at 10.00 a.m. and run for about two Skarsgard, known for her original fine Roehampton Institute. Since 1985 he hours. Coffee and refreshments will be art works, site-specific installation art, has been involved mainly with inscrip- provided. Tickets may be obtained graphic design and hand-lettering, and tional letter-carving, having worked from the Administrator on 020 8741 currently working as a Lead Product with Tom Perkins in England, Pieter 4104 at a cost of £30.00 per head. We Designer at General Motors, where she Boudens in Belgium and John Benson anticipate a heavy demand and each designs lettering for automotive name- in the USA. He is co-author with applicant will be limited to two tickets. plates and vehicle emblems, and man- Gerald Fleuss of Practical calligraphy Tuesday 22 May. Paintings and ages the Brand Identity for the Saturn (Hamlyn, 1992). works on paper at 7 Hammersmith and Opel Corporations. The other John Sherman is in his twenty-first Terrace, led by Michael Hall, editor of speakers are: year at the University of Notre Dame. Apollo. Hall has written extensively on James Mosley, Visiting Professor in Previous to this, he began his teaching architecture and art history. He will the Department of Typography and career at the University of Illinois at discuss some of the paintings and Graphic Communication at the Urbana/Champaign and Louisiana drawings in the house, which were col- University of Reading. Until his retire- State University, earning his MFA in lected by Walker over his lifetime and ment in 2000 he was Librarian of St graphic design from Indiana University include a little-known drawing of May Bride Library, London. He writes and in 1981. John’s research interests are Morris by Burne-Jones. lectures on the history of letterforms split between several areas. First, he has Wednesday 13 June. Morris patterns and printing types, and teaches at the had a long interest in Eric Gill which in 7 Hammersmith Terrace, led by Rare Book School at the University of has led him to write the first catalogue Linda Parry, textile historian and some- Virginia and at the École de l’Institut of the massive University of Notre time Deputy Keeper of Furniture, Text- d’histoire du livre, Lyon. His essay The Dame Eric Gill Collection and host an iles and Fashion at the Victoria and nymph and the grot, on the revival of international conference on Eric Gill Albert Museum. Textiles played a very the san serif letter in eighteenth-century and the Guild of Saint Dominic in important part in the decoration and England, was republished in 1999, and November 2000. He has recently housekeeping of Victorian and his account of the work of the calli- designed the font Felicitas (inspired by Edwardian homes. 7 Hammersmith grapher Giovan Francesco Cresci was Gill’s Perpetua), is now working on a printing history news 14 3

students). If you add a voluntary dona- tion equal to at least ten percent of the admission fee and sign a simple Gift Aid form, the Trust (as a registered charity) will be able to recover the tax you have paid, enhancing the value of your pay- ment by about twenty-eight percent. Tickets may be booked on the internet or by telephone. For the former see www.emerywalker.org.uk and click on the ‘Book a Visit’ button. Follow the instructions to complete the booking form and return it by post, together with a cheque and SAE. The Trust anticipates that once again there will be a strong demand for tickets. To give those who do not have internet access an equal opportunity to book tickets, applications are not accepted by e-mail or via the website contact form. To book by telephone, please call 020 Celtic inspired font titled Maura and is tally shows something of the conditions 8741 4104 and leave a message on the active in a variety of design projects. of employment offered to men, women answering machine giving your name, a For a brochure and booking form and children in the nineteenth century. contact number and a choice of dates. please send an SAE to The Edward As such, it is a valuable and probably You will be called back to complete the Johnston Foundation, the Old School unique visual testimony of what some booking process. Applications will be House, Church Lane, Brighton bn6 would call ‘the good old days’. For treated on a strictly first-come, first- 8tb. Website: www.ejf.org.uk. E-mail: further details see the article in the served basis. To avoid disappointment, [email protected]. latest issue of Small printer. it is recommended that, when booking, you have ready a second choice of date and time. For group bookings, please The Robinson Frieze Emery Walker Trust contact Sue Bright (see below) without Bernard J. Seward delay as there is heavy demand for News these. These images (above and below) are taken from the complete set of sixteen During 2007 Walker’s house will be Emery Walker’s study carved stone reliefs, probably made in open every Thursday and Friday During Walker’s lifetime, he used the the 1870s, which decorated a curved between 12 April and 27 July, and room adjoining the drawing room on lintel above the tower entrance to the between 6 and 28 September. It will the first floor as a study. During the factory of E. S. and A. Robinson in also be open on the following Satur- 1960s it was converted into a bath-

Bristol’s Redcliffe Street. They are to be days: 28 April, 19 May, 16 June and 7 room. The redundant fittings have now preserved in storage for future integra- July. There will be three one-hour tours been removed and the room now forms tion with other exhibits making up each day (at 10:30 a.m., 12:00 noon part of the tour. In due course (when the Museum of Bristol, due to open in and 2:00 p.m.) for which tickets must funds permit), it will be restored to its 2009. be booked in advance. The admission 1930s condition – which is known from With the huge volume of space left at fee is £10 per person (£5 for full-time a contemporary photograph. the former Industrial Museum by the departure of the aviation and maritime galleries, there has been a one-off opportunity to present the entire collection of reliefs, arranged approx- imately in the arc they would have held on the original building, which was severely damaged by fire in the Blitz. At this time all records of the stones were destroyed, so nothing is now known about the sculptor or his fee for the job. Had the building remained un- damaged and in use to the present day, it is doubtful that the extraordinary detail we see here would have survived traffic fumes and acid rain. The frieze illustrates the variety of occupations involved in the production of printing and stationery, and inciden- 4 printing history news 14

Appeal for volunteer Guides For membership or other details please Spartan, Swing Bold, Temple Script, and Trustees contact the Chair (see below) or Times (a range) and Univers). Also a consult the Society’s website: The Trust is looking for volunteer 12 inch hand-lever guillotine, plus www.printinghistoricalsociety.org.uk. guides to help show visitors the house stand and spare blade; leads and rules; and collection on one or two days each numbering boxes; furniture; and a large stock of round-corner and other month. There is a training day before NPHT ‘Honorary the house opens (usually in March) fancy cards, boxed stationery, etc. and an information pack is provided. Correspondent’ Offers for individual items, or for The Trust is also seeking new Trustees. the lot (in the region of £500), please Paul W. Nash to Mrs Judy Farr, 24 Victoria Gardens, Knowledge of finance and investment, ba14 7lj fund-raising or local conservation and Trowbridge, Wilts . Tel: history would be of use, but are not I will only be able to continue as Honor- 01225 755 605. ary Correspondent to the NPHT until essential; enthusiasm and commitment Impressions to the Trust’s key aim of keeping the the end of 2007. The Trust is therefore seeking a new Trustee who would be A few copies remain of Impressions, a house and collection together are the series of title-pages and other speci- most important qualities required. willing to take on the position from 2008. If you might be interested in the mens printed (in imitation of certain If you can help with the above, or well-known private presses) to mark know someone who might be prepared job, please contact me or Michael Twyman at the address given below. the fiftieth anniversary of the Private to help, please write to Sue Bright or Libraries Association. Eight specimens, e-mail to [email protected] plus title-leaf and c0ntents list, in a for a brief description of the rôles. The ULTRABOLD portfolio. Forty copies, price £20.00. Emery Walker Trust, 7 Hammersmith Printed letterpress by Paul W. Nash at Terrace, London W6. For forthcoming The second issue of the St Bride Library the Strawberry Press, and available study mornings see page 2. journal, Ultrabold, is now in proof and from him (see below). is due to appear next month. Copies will be sent to all paid-up Friends of PHS Journal the Library. The next issue of the Printing Historical St Bride Library opening hours exhibitions are open at the same times Society Journal (number 10) is due to SMALL ADS be published next month. It will contain Tuesday 12:00–5:30 p.m. the following articles: Oxford type ornaments Wednesday 12:00–9:00 p.m. Patricia Thomas, ‘Bob Lowry: print- Thursday 12:00–5:30 p.m. er to the University?’ Thomas discusses The Old School Press has been unrav- and illustrates the work of Bob Lowry elling the connections between the during the 1940s and 1950s, working surviving type ornaments from Oxford in Auckland, New Zealand, and yet University Press, the displays of them USEFUL CONTACTS excited by modernist developments in in their seventeenth- and eighteenth- England. He never achieved his ambit- century type specimens, the extant National Printing Heritage Trust ion to work officially for the University matrices (many dating from Fell’s www.npht.org.uk of Auckland. time), and several catalogues by Hart Chair: Michael Twyman Robert Oldham and Erik Desmyter, and Morison. It is more complicated [email protected] than might be thought. The results of ‘The Liberty press: a platen job press Printing Historical Society the work will be published in a small invented by Frederick Otto Degener’. www.printinghistoricalsociety.org.uk Oldham and Desmyter have inven- subscription edition, together with Chair: Peggy Smith toried the surviving examples of the showings of the extant ornaments [email protected] Liberty press, and here they introduce singly and in arrangements. For details their census with an account of and/or to subscribe, please visit Friends of St Bride Library Degener’s invention and the history of www.theoldschoolpress.com or write www.stbride.org his firms in the USA and Europe. to The Old School Press, The Old Chair: Rob Banham [email protected] Margaret M. Smith, ‘Printing red School, The Green, Hinton Charter- house, Bath ba2 7tj. underlines in the incunable period: St Bride Library, Bride Lane, Sensenschmidt and Frisner’s 1475 Fleet Street, London ec4y 8ee edition of Justinian’s Codex’. Smith Vicobold, type and sundries www.stbride.org examines the one example of red- For sale (or free to a suitable museum Librarian: Nigel Roche printed underlining that she has found or collection), a Vicobold platen press [email protected] to date, in the contexts of the uses of (motorised), 10 × 15 inch platen, with hand-rubricated underlines in the safety-guard. Plus some 100 cases of Printing History News Editor: Paul W. Nash period, and of the printers’ other work. type (including Albertus, Baskerville 8 Fairfield Drive, Witney, Oxfordshire In additional there are numerous italic, Bodoni (a range), Broadway ox28 5lb reviews, including of John A. Lane’s Cheltenham, Clearface, Colona, [email protected] Early type specimens in the Plantin- Dorchester Script, Figaro, Flash, Gill Moretus Museum, Marianne Sans (a range), Imprint Shadow, Kino, Published by the NPHT, PHS and the Tidcombe’s The Doves Press and Klang, Madonna, Mercury, Old Friends of St Bride Library, March Maureen Watry’s The Vale Press: English, Palace Script, Perpetua bold 2007. Printed by W. H. Evans and Charles Ricketts, a publisher in earnest. titling, Rockwell, Rockwell Shadow, Sons Ltd, Chester.

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