Resources for Letterpress Printers

Presented by the American Amateur Press Association.

Letterpress printing may no longer be a growth industry, but there are numerous people world-wide who pursue it as either a hobby or a business. This page lists some of the places where individuals interested in letterpress printing can find information, services, and products.

Although we try to maintain the latest information, contact information may have changed. Please send corrections or new entries to the webmaster address on the AAPA Contact page.

This page is organized by topic:

Internet Information: Web pages of general interest to letterpress printers
Type Foundries: Foundries that are casting new metal type
Engravers: Businesses that turn your artwork into printable engravings
Printing Press Rollers: Roller manufacturers
Printing Equipment, Services, & Supplies: All sorts of businesses related to letterpress printing
Classified Ads: Find things to buy and sell on the Web
Publications: Letterpress-related periodicals and books
Movies and videos: Letterpress-related movies and videos

Be sure to visit other AAPA pages related to Letterpress Printing:

There is also information of interest on the AAPA Graphic Arts page.

Internet Information

Getting Started

David Rose put together a comprehensive Introduction to Letterpress Printing in the 21st Century that contains an amazing amount of information, all directed toward the newcomer to letterpress printing. Note that the page has not been updated since 2005 and some links have gone stale.

Letterpress Discussion List

To join this e-mail list, send a message to Listserv@listserv.unb.ca with the content of the message the single line
subscribe letpress first_name last_name
or visit the Join or Leave the LETPRESS List Web page

Once you have established a mailing list account and logged-in to it from your browser, you can visit the Archives Page, where you can read or search the archives, available back to January 1995.

Green Dolphin Press has prepared a Letterpress FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page.

Interested in how to make a good impression on a mailing list? Check out Mailing List Manners 101.

Yahoo! Discussion Groups

There are a number of Yahoo! discussion groups related to letterpress printing. To get a current list, go to the Yahoo! Groups Sign In page and search for "letterpress". A couple of the most popular are

PPLetterpress: A forum and clearinghouse primarialy focused on printing with digital type and the photopolymer plate process.
sfletterpress: A network of hobby and commercial letterpress printers who are located on or around the United States West Coast (although there are participants from other areas).

If you have a Yahoo! user name, join a group by pressing the "Join This Group!" button on its introduction page. Otherwise, you can join by sending an e-mail request to the list owner.

Web logs

There are many letterpress-related blogs active on the Internet, including:

Adventures in Letterpress: Erin McCall is Principal of Sunlit Media, a freelance graphic, web, and identity design firm and letterpress studio based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The Bieler Press: Proprietor Gerald Lange shares information related to Digital Letterpress.
Blogxcar: Boxcar Press's blog for letterpress and photopolymer news.
Dolce Press Blog: A letterpress resource for designers, printers, and hobbyists.
G. Johanson, Printer: Gary Johanson writes about a variety of letterpress projects, including some related to the Pioneer Settlement Print Shop in Barberville, Florida, where he volunteers.
Hermetic Press: Poet and printer Phillip Gallo's divagations.
Moontree Letterpress: Activities of the Brooklyn, New York, letterpress studio.
Typefoundry: Documents for the History of Type and Letterpress.
Vanderblog: Vandercook press information.

The Briar Press

This site is devoted to promoting the art of letterpress, and to preserving some of the familiar and not so familiar graphics and images of letterpresses and the printed image.

About.com -- Printing, Engraving & Printmaking, Newspapers Invention & History

Interesting links to History of Printing, Inventions, and other related topics.

The Atlas of Early Printing

The University of Iowa's interactive map of Europe that shows the spread of printing from Mainz, as well as early paper mills, trade routes, and universities.

The Alembic Press

I just love these typecase layout diagrams!

Barenforum.org

Information about everything related to woodblocks.

Behind the Typeface: Cooper Black

A bit of fun best viewed through a high-speed link.

Book Information Website

Many links of interest to letterpress printers

Bodoni Type Specimen book (Octavo Corporation)

You can view excerpts from The Manuale Tipografico of Giambattista Bodoni -- a CD ROM containing “the greatest type specimen book ever printed.”

Boxcar Press

Boxcar Press provides loads of free information on their site, including

Manuals and technical information on letterpress equipment (in PDF format)
The Boxcar Institute Training Series: instructional videos covering topics like makeready, adjusting roller height, and base lock-up and cleaning.

“Celebrating Linotype, 125 Years Since Its Debut”

From The Atlantic: “Around for a century, Linotype machines were made obsolete in the 1970s by changing technologies--but they have not been forgotten.”

Chandler and Price Letterpress Literature

Justin Miller of Bound Staff Press has scanned a number of documents related to C&P presses.

Chris Chen's Photographs

Chris Chen has taken a lot of digital photos related to letterpress printing. Among my favorites: M & H Type Foundry Pressroom; String Lessons (how to tie up a form with string); and Moving Presses.

Cincinnati Book Arts Society

A nonprofit organization comprised of a group of professionals and amateurs from all quarters of the book, paper, and printing arts for the purpose of creating a spirit of community among hand workers in the book arts and those who love books.

College & University Letterpress Printers' Association (CULPA)

Established in 2006 to bring together students and educators at international college-level letterpress programs.

“Death of a Pressman”

A remembrance of Tom Trumble, letterpress pressman, and a meditation on preservation and nostalgia.

Downloadable Files

Dave Seat provides over a dozen letterpress-related documents in PDF, Microsoft Word, and Excel formats. Lots of information about Linotype, Intertype, and Ludlow machines.

First Impressions

First Impressions reveals how printing spread through Europe, exploring the transition from manuscript to print and explaining the technical aspects of Gutenberg's revolution. From John Rylands University Library, The University of Manchester.

Galley Gab

During 2007, Mike O'Connor produced 12 issues of of this full-color PDF magazine packed with letterpress news and information. Hosted by Metal Type.

Google Book Search

Google is scanning all the books they can get their hands on and indexing the results. You can search their database, and read the books that are in the public domain. Here are a few titles related to letterpress printing...

American Dictionary of Printing and Bookmaking by W. W. Pasko; Published 1894.
American Encyclopaedia of Printing edited by John Luther Ringwalt; Published 1871.
American Line Type Book by American Type Founders Company; Published 1906.
A Dictionary of the Art of Printing by William Savage; Published 1841.
Practical Printing: A Handbook of the Art of Typography by John Southward and Arthur Powell; Published 1884.
A Practical Treatise Upon Modern Printing Machinery and Letterpress Printing by Frederick John Farlow Wilson and Douglas Grey; Published 1888.
The Practice of Typography, a series by Theodore Low De Vinne:
- A Treatise on the Processes of Type-making, the Point System, the Names, Sizes, Styles and Prices of Plain Printing Types; Published 1900.
- A Treatise on Title-pages; Published 1902.
- Modern Methods of Book Composition; Published 1904.
- Correct Composition; Published 1904.
Typographia: an Historical Sketch of the Origin and Progress of the Art of Printing by Thomas Curson Hansard; Published 1825.
Typographical Printing-Surfaces: the Technology and Mechanism of Their Production by Lucien Alphonse Legros and John Cameron Grant; Published 1916.

Gutenberg Digital

The Gutenberg Bible is on the Web.

Gutenberg Homepage (English version)

Descriptions of the time of Gutenberg, the Gutenberg Bible, and Gutenberg's Invention. (More subjects yet to be translated from German.)

Handpress

A site set up by Richard-Gabriel Rummonds to provide information about iron handpress printing.

How to Make a Pressman's Hat

A diagram on how to turn a newspaper into a printer's hat, provided by Dennis Havlena.

International Monotype Memory Project

Loads of information about Monotypes.

The Jobbing Platen: History and Development

A history of the development of the platen jobber printing press put together by Bill Elligett.

Ladies of Letterpress

“Dedicated to the proposition that a woman's place is in the print shop.”

“Late Edition”

From the June 1997 Atlantic Monthly: John Fleischman tribute to the Miehle press used to print the Yellow Springs, Ohio, News.

Letterpress Howto

Brian Donnell, a journeyman pressman, put together this letterpress primer.

Letterpress Printers of the World

“Short autobiographies of today's letterpress printers”; created by Lance Williams.

Letterpress Printing in the 1960s

“A compilation of information 'deciphered' from my old note books whilst an apprentice letterpress machinist at The Melbourne School of Printing & Graphic Arts” -- Bill Elligett.

Liberty Platen Press

Everything you'd want to know about this early platen press, manufactured from 1860 until the early 1900s.

Linotype & Linotipisti

This Italian site is dedicated to discussing the Linotype.

Linotype Maintenance and Operation

This site is devoted to the preservation and dissemination of knowledge about the maintenance and operation of Linotype machines.

Linotype University

Larry Raid began running Linotype University in Denmark, Iowa, in 2003. Come and learn everything needed to get started in the wonderful world of line casting.

Metal Type

Dave Hughes ran Linotypes for the Yorkshire Evening Press between 1976 and 1980 and the South London Press between 1980 and 1990. He's put this Web site together for printers and typesetters who remember the old days of "hot metal" to come and reminisce.

Monotype Information

All sorts of information about Monotype typecasters; put together by David Bolton.

The Morgan Art of Papermaking Conservatory and Educational Foundation

A Cleveland, Ohio non-profit art center dedicated to the production and preservation of hand papermaking and the art of the book.

Paper Weight Conversion Chart

Comprehensive tables comparing the variety of weights of papers. Provided by Micro Format, Inc.

Pressed for Time

Documenting the last days of a vanishing breed: America's newspaper printers.

Printing's Past

Historical anecdotes/essays inspired by the printing industry, written by Frank Granger.

Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type Collection

A detailed overview of the wood type Kelly collected while researching vernacular printing in America. The site also provides a broad contextual overview of the American wood type manufacturing industry of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Tramp Printers

Excerpts from the book Tramp Printers by John Howells and Marion Dearman.

Type & Press Articles

Articles taken from 100 issues of Type & Press, published by Fred Williams until shortly before his death in 2001.

TypeArt Library

Although created by a digital foundry (Digiteyes Multimedia), this site contains a lot of information that letterpress printers will find interesting, including Typologia by Frederick W. Goudy.

Typographia by Thomas F. Adams

A full scan of an 1854 instruction book about printing and typography.

Vandercook Proof Presses

All kinds of information about Vandercook Proof Presses: model descriptions, manuals, articles, etc. Information originally put together by Mark Wilden. Site now managed by Paul Moxon.

We ♥ Letterpress

A place for all letterpress printers and lovers.

Web Museum of Calendars and Wood Types

Established to educate people on the beauties of calendars and wood type. Presented by Unicorn Graphics.

Wood Engravers' Network

Information on the history and characteristics of the historic printing medium of wood engraving.

Type Foundries

Read a comparison of American type foundries in two articles from The Tribby Tribune: “ Typecasting in 1999” and “ Typecasting Update”

Sheldon Wesson offers advice on purchasing type in “Selecting Body Type Styles”

Australian Type Company: 91 Moreland Street, Footscray, Victoria, Australia
Bell Type and Rule Company: 1128 East Eleventh Street, Los Angeles, California 90021
e-mai:: harley@belltype.com
Phone: 213-485-1609; Fax: 213-485-1600
Family owned and operated. Founded by Charles and Evelyn Bell in 1932. In 1977 Harley (son of Charles and Evelyn) moved the company to its current location. Four years later, Harley Bell and David Helbock teamed up to continue the tradition of casting foundry type, monotype composition, spacing materials, rules and borders, and Ludlow typesetting for the letterpress arts. Currently casting over 71 fonts, but virtually everything cast in the past available.
Michael & Winifred Bixler: Box 820, Skaneateles, NY 13152
E-mail: WinifredBixler@aol.com
Phone: 315-685-5181; Fax 315-685-1220
Fourteen faces (Baskerville, Bell, Bembo, Centaur/Arrighi, Dante, Ehrhardt, Fournier, Garamond, Gill Sans, Joanna, Perpetua, Univers, Van Dijck, Walbaum) with italic and some variants, in 8 to 72 point. Fonts sold by the pound ($12-$15/lb.; 20 lb. minimum)
Dale Guild Type Foundry: 4621 Route 9 North, Howell, New Jersey, 07731
E-mail: office@thedaleguild.com
Theo Rehak, formerly a typecaster at American Type Founders, set up shop in 1993 using Barth casters obtained when ATF went out of business. The Dale Guild casts type from 6 to 24 points, 72 point initials, ornaments, and borders.
Golgonooza Letter Foundry: P. O. Box 111, Ashuelot, NH 03441; E-mail (Dan Carr): dcarr7@earthlink.net; Phone: 603-239-6830.
M & H Type (also known as Mackenzie & Harris): 1802 Hays Street, San Francisco, CA 94129
E-mail: mandhtype@arionpress.com
Phone: 415-561-2546; Fax: 415-561-2545
Hundreds of fonts and borders plus composition and photopolymer. Catalogue available for $40 plus sales tax for California residents and a shipping charge of $2.50.
Moore Wood Type: Pantograph Cut End Grain Maple Type. E-mail: scott@moorewoodtype.com
NA Graphics (Fritz Klinke): P. O. Box 467, 1314 Greene St., Silverton, CO 81433
E-mail: nagraph@FRONTIER.NET
Phone: 970-387-0212; Fax: 970-387-0127
Offering newly-cast revivals of selected ATF faces.
Offizin Parnassia - Vättis (Hans-Ulrich Frey and Stephan Burkhardt): In late 2004, they purchased Harold Berliner's typecasting equipment. Location: Unterdorf 2 / Postfach, 7315 Vattis, Switzerland; E-mail: info@parnassia.org; Phone: (0041) (0)81 306 14 70.
Quaker City Type Foundry (Bill Riess): 2019 Horseshoe Pike, Honey Brook, PA 19344
Phone: 610-942-3637
Dozens of fonts available plus many handy boxes of ornaments. Catalog available for $2.
Schriftenservice D. Stempel: "Our hot metal fonts of Stempel and Haas are cast by Rainer Gerstenberg. The type foundry is located in the former 'Haus für Industriekultur' in Darmstadt (Germany)."
Skyline Type Foundry (Sky Shipley): Opened in 2004, Skyline has grown to offer a wide range of type and decorative borders. E-mail: sky@skylinetype.com; Address: PO Box 12816, Prescott, AZ 86304
Sterling Type Foundry (Dave Churchman): P. O. Box 50234, Indianapolis, IN 46250
E-mail: churchmans@comcast.net
Phone: 317-849-5665; Fax: 317-849-1616
Casts mostly cuts and borders; foundry catalog available for $2; 20 page letterpress equipment catalog is $1.50.
Stichting Lettergieten: Jacobus van Waertstraat 53, 1551 CH Westzaan, The Netherlands
Phone: 00/31/75/628.57.53 (Monday and Thursday morning).
Swamp Press (Ed Rayher): 15 Warwick Road, Northfield, MA 01360
E-mail: ed@swamppress.com
Phone: 413-498-4343
Hundreds of faces, thousands of ornaments, 4 to 72 point; fonts, sorts, and composition casting; photopolymer; e-mail, call or write for price list or quote. 131 page type specimen book is available on-line, or a printed copy can be ordered for $10 (refunded with an order of $100 or more).
Virgin Wood Type Mfg. Co.: 171 Valley Road, Rochester, NY 14618
E-mail: bill@virginwoodtype.com
"Hand made wood type for letterpress printers." Five faces available (as of early 2011).

Engravers

Visit the Foil Stamping & Embossing Association to find all kinds of related information.

A & G Engraving, Inc.: 3846 South Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90058-1713; E-mail: info@aandgengraving.com; Phone: 323-583-9085; Fax: 323-583-5487
Augustine Company: Magnesium engravings mounted type high on wood base. 1210 Industrial Blvd., Marshalltown, IA 50158; E-mail: art@augustinedie.com Phone: 641-753-3875; Fax: 641-753-0635.
Bauer Engraving Co., Inc.: 11290 Sunrise Gold Cir., Suite G, Rancho Cordova, CA 95742; E-mail: sales@bauerengraving.com; Phone: 916-631-9800; Fax: 916-631-9811.
Brown & Hartman Engraving Co.: 552 S. Quincy Ave., Tulsa, OK 74120; E-mail: bhengraving@sbcglobal.net; Phone: 918-582-1165 or 800-572-1398; Fax: 918-582-1166.
Cal Art & Engraving Inc.: Magnesium photoengravings, including 16 gauge woodmount (.918 inches) for letterpress. 340 Industrial Road, San Carlos, CA 94070; E-mail: sales@calartasap.com; Phone: 650-591-4443; Fax: 650-637-0543
Central Michigan Engravers, Inc.: Magnesium line cuts and halftone cuts mounted on cherry wood. Larger ones mounted on plywood unless specified. P. O. Box 15600, Lansing, MI 48901 (or 412 W. Gier St., Lansing, MI 48906); Phone: 517-485-5865
Hodgins Engraving: Magnesium and Copper etching. 3817 West Main St (P. O. Box 728), Batavia, NY 14020; E-mail: orders@hodginsengraving.com; Phone: 800-666-8950; Fax: 585-343-0412
Kayenay Graphics: Location: 840-T 12th St., N.W., P. O. Box 240, Mason City, IA 50401; Phone: 641-424-2535 or 800-779-2535
KPE Graphics: Specializing in mail order gold blocking dies, foil printing dies and letterpress blocks, artwork, and general reprographics. Unit 1, A6 Business Centre, Telford Way, Kettering, Northants, NN16 8UN England; E-mail: sales@kpegraphics.co.uk
Metal Magic: Copper engravings. 4840 S. 33rd St., Phoenix, AZ 85040; E-mail: files@metalmagic.com; Phone: 602-304-0404 or 800-851-4120; Fax: 602-304-9202
Owosso Graphic Arts, Inc. Photoengravers: "America's largest manufacturer of quality brass, copper & magnesium dies." 151 N. Delaney Road, Owosso, MI 48867; E-mail: engraver@owossographic.com; Phone: 800-444-5552; Fax: 989-723-5399
Pella Engraving Company: 808 East First Street, P. O. Box 127, Pella, Iowa 50219; E-mail: pellaeng@kdsi.net; Phone: 515-628-2791; Fax: 515-628-8451
Peterson Engraving, Inc.: 1242 S. Boyle Ave., Los Angeles CA 90023; E-mail: petersonengraving@sbcglobel.net; Phone: 323-264-1888; Fax: 323-264-9078.
Phillips Engraving Co.: Magnesium engravings. 2103 E. McDaniel St., Springfield, MO 65802; Phone: 417-869-4811 or toll-free 888-369-6906; Fax: 417-869-5504.
PlateCrafters: Same day Magnesium engravings. 16g and 11pt mounted on cherry for letterpress as well as 1/4 inch for hotstamping. 230 Bethlehem Pike Colmar, PA 18915; E-mail: sales@platecrafters.com; Phone: 215-997-1990; Fax: 215-822-8875.
Valley Etching, Engraving, and Design, Inc.: 120-B Whiting Farms Road, Holyoke, MA 01040; Phone: 413-536-2256; Toll free: 1-888-323-3283; Fax: 413-538-5881.
Winston-Salem Engraving Co.: 446 Brookstown Ave., Winston-Salem, NC 27101; Phone: 336-725-4268 or 336-724-1711

Printing Press Rollers

When buying rubber or synthetic rollers, consult with the manufacturer about what type are best for letterpress printing. You will usually want rollers that are somewhat softer (14-15 durometers) than those used for fast running offset presses.

A-Korn Roller, Inc.: 3545 South Morgan St., Chicago, IL 60609; E-mail: a-kornroller@a-kornroller.com; Phone: 773-254-5700 or 800-999-2346; Fax: 773-650-7355. (Also: 8495 Roslyn St., Commerce City, CO 80022)
Advanced Roller Co.: 212 Lewis Court, Corona, CA 91720; E-mail: advroller@aol.com; Phone: 909-272-3010; Fax: 909-272-4113
Columbia Rubber Mills: Location: 14800 SE 82nd Drive, Clackamas, OR 97015; Phone: 503-557-9919 x 110 or 800-547-5557 x 110; Fax: 503-557-9923.
Eli Evans Letterpress Rollers: Rollers for Adana and Kelsey presses. Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom; E-mail: ElliEvans@aol.com
Finzer Roller: Located in Illinois, North Carolina, Indiana, Florida, and Maryland.
Note: In December 2004 Finzer acquired Bingham Rollers of Atlanta, GA; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Kansas City, MO; Pittsburgh, PA; Palmyra, NY; San Leandro, CA; Searcy, AR; and Mississauga, Ontario.
Ramco Rubber Products: Location: 241 West Allen Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773; Phone: 909-592-1002.
Rubber Roller and Rubber Roll Manufacturers: This Web site provides information on the subject of rubber roller and rubber roll manufacturers and other related topics.
Tarheel Roller & Brayer Co.: Will cast composition rollers for small letterpress: C&P, Kluge, Craftsman, Pearl, Golding, Gordon, Pearl, Official, Prouty, Miller, Miehle and others up to 2-1/8 inch in diameter.
6118 Winview Heights, Clemmons, NC 27012; E-mail: hau6118@aol.com; Phone: 336-766-9823

Visit Zycon, "the search engine for manufacturers," to view their listing of roller manufacturers.

Printing Equipment, Services, & Supplies

A & D Graphics, Inc.: Hot Metal Typesetting services for printers, foilstampers, etc., on Linotype and Ludlow machines. Established 1965; John Pylarinos, President. 150-30 Hillside Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11432; E-mail: Adptg65@aol.com; Phone 718-523-9373; Fax: 718-523-9415.
American Printing Equipment & Supply Co.: Letterpress, printing, and bookbinding supplies & equipment. 153 Meacham St., Elmont, NY 10013; Phone: 516-437-9105; Fax: 516-437-9107.
Antique Machinery Removal: Antique Machinery Removal was established for the transportation of vintage printing machinery. Located in the United Kingdom.
Art Boards Printmaking Supplies: Art Boards Printmaking blocks are made letter press type high (.918" thick). Blocks are made in End Grain hard maple for engraving, and in Plank Grain soft maple for wood cuts. 612 Degraw Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217; E-mail: artboard@earthlink.net; Phone: 718-237-2592 or 800-546-7985; Fax: 718-237-0142.
Bay Island Press: Photopolymer Plates, Magnetic Bases, and other services. 1222 Lincoln Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501; E-mail: bipgraphics@earthlink.net; Phone: 510-523-7292; Fax: 510-523-3031
Bar-Plate: "The Diecutter's Source" includes equipment such as makeready supplies and tools and quoins.
Don Black Linecasting: Dealer in: Linotype, Intertype, and Ludlow matrices; Bindery equipment; Handset type; and Presses & parts. 120 Midwest Road, Unit # 5, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada M1P 3B2; E-mail: Don@donblack.ca; Phone: 416-751-5944; Fax: 416-751-5413
Boxcar Press: Supplier of photopolymer plates and supplies. 501 W. Fayette St. Studio 222, Syracuse, NY 13204; E-mail: info@boxcarpress.com; Phone: 315-473-0930; Fax: 315-473-0930
Brother Trade Est.: Dealer for printing materials such as ink, wash-up, and Heidelberg spare parts. P. O. Box 3549, Zarka 13111 JORDAN; E-mail: sawwan@firstnet.com.jo (Hesham S. Sawwan); Phone: 962 5 3612338; Fax: 962 5 3860938
Caslon Limited: Manufacturers and exporters of printing machinery and graphic arts equipment, including Adana printing presses; Caslon House, Lyon Way, Hatfield Road, St. Albans, Herts AL4 0LB, United Kingdom; E-mail: info@caslon.co.uk; Phone: +44 (0)1727 852211; Fax: +44 (0)1727 855772
Challenge Machinery: Manufacturer of paper cutters, paper drills, and other paper handling machines. Location: 6125 Norton Center Dr., Norton Shores, MI 49441; E-mail: info@challengemachinery.com; Phone: 231-799-8484; Fax: 231-798-1275
Compound Manufacturing: Parts and tools for a wide variety of guillotine paper cutters. 43 Warner Street, Greenfield, MA 01301; Phone: 413-773-8909
Craftsmen Machinery Company: Craftsmen still has some parts available for their table-top presses. Contact Sherwin Marks, P.O. Box 38, Mills MA 03054; Phone 508-376-2003.
Ralph C. Crawford Company: Printers' machinists and letterpress repair. 1769 East 23rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90058; E-mail: sales@pressrepair.com; Phone: 213-749-4497 or toll free 877-749-4479; Fax: 213-747-9409
Crown Flexo Graphics: Produces photopolymer plates for the flexographic printing industry. 2624 Verne Roberts Cir, Ste 111, Antioch, CA 94509; E-mail: graphics@crownflexo.com; Phone: 925-206-4030; Fax: 925-215-8458.
Damosel's Printers Blocks: A variety of old printing blocks. Site includes on-line museum as well as store. PO Box 496, Campbelltown, PA. 17010-0496
Demers, Inc. and Demers Parts: Independent source for replacement Heidelberg parts and for aftermarket Heidelberg presses. 11052 Challenger Ave., Odessa, FL 33556; E-mail: demerspress@verizon.net; Phone: 800-956-3612 or 727-372-1200; Fax: 727-372-1201
Eco Printing Supply: Sells flatbed plunger and rotary numbering machines (6, 7, or 8 wheel; standard or skip; forward or reverse); also sucker feet for printing and paper handling machines. 1740 Haultain St., Victoria, BC V8R 2L2 CANADA; E-mail: info@ecops.ca
The Evanston Print & Paper Shop: A community art center for bookbinders, letterpress printers, artists and designers. Located in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
GT Graphic Service & supply: Supplier for Intertype, Linotype, Ludlow, Vandercook, letterpress supplies. Fonts for Ludlow, Linotype, Monotype. Machinery mover and rigging. Greg Timko, 50C Rocky Point Road, Rocky Point, NY 11778; E-mail: greg@gthotmetal.net; Phone: 800-237-8009 or 631-821-1905; Fax: 631-821-1908
Graphic Chemical & Ink Co.: All kinds of graphic products, including letterpress inks. 728 North Yale Avenue, Villa Park, IL 60181; E-mail: sales@graphicchemical.net; Phone: 800-465-7382; Fax: 630-832-6064
Harry F Rochat Ltd: Suppliers and manufacturers of various presses, including Albion Presses. Location: 15a Moxon St., High Barnet, Herts EN5 5TS, United Kingdom; E-mail: info@harryrochat.com; Phone: 020 8449 0023; Fax: 020 8449 6132.
Hicks Brothers Printing Equipment: An equipment dealer in Fremont, California, selling a fair amount of letterpress equipment. 3080 Osgood Court, Fremont, CA 94539; E-mail: sales@printingequip.com; Phone: 415-575-0933; Fax: 510-445-1644
Iowa Type Cases: Small (9" by 4") plastic injection mold cases that fit in 9" x 13" galleys. Larry J. Raid, PO Box 170 (222 S. 2nd St.), Denmark, IA 52624; E-mail: larryjraid@lisco.com; Phone: (home) 319-528-6151 (office) 319-528-4334
JanTech Marking Equipment Co.: 13080 Three Oaks Dr., White City, OR 97503
E-mail: info@jantech.com
Phone: 541-830-0260 (In USA, 800-488-6588); Fax: 541-830-0261
Manufacturer of portable, electric, semiautomatic letterpress marking machines for identification marking and coding of manufactured component parts. Use letterpress type to imprint on flat or curved surfaces.
John Gutek Heidelberg Repair Inc.: Specializing in repair of Heidelberg printing presses: windmill, cylinders, offsets, specialty presses (SBDP foilstamper, SGS 41 inch die cutter, rotaspeed). Location: 23689 N. Midlothian Rd., Lake Zurich, IL 60047; E-mail: JGutek@aol.com; Phone: 847-550-1617; Fax: 847-550-1621.
Letterpress Things: A warehouse collection of printing equipment. Owner: John S. Barrett. 55 North Chicopee Street, Chicopee, MA 01020; E-mail: letterpressthing@aol.com; Phone: 413-222-9029; Fax: 413-732-2146
McClain's Printmaking Supplies: "Dedicated to the Art and Artists of Relief Printmaking." 15685 SW 116th Avenue PMB 202, King City, OR 97224-2695; E-mail: mail@imcclains.com; Phone: 503-641-3555 or 800-832.4264; Fax: 1-503-641-3591.
Mergenthaler Hot Metal Systems: (Sold to Thomas Fitzgerald in early 2000.) 4450 Commerce Circle, S.W., Atlanta, GA 30336; Phone: 800-321-2630 or 404-691-7670; Fax: 404-691-6086
NA Graphics (Fritz Klinke): All sorts of printing supplies: books, spacing material, border & rule, ink, press parts, leads & slugs, quoins, rollers, etc. Contact Fritz Klinke, P. O. Box 467, 1314 Greene St., Silverton, CO 81433; E-mail: nagraph@FRONTIER.NET; Phone: 970-387-0212; Fax: 970-387-0127
Photopolymer Plates: For twenty years, Gene Becker has supplied photopolymer plates. 73-48 183 Street, Flushing, NY 11366; E-mail: info@photopolymerplates.com; Phone 718-454-0654
Polymetaal Graphic Arts Equipment: A manufacturer of printmaking equipment, including presses. Located in the Netherlands.
Pressworks MAXimum Machinery: Parts, Service, & Equipment for the Graphic Arts Industry, including remanufactured Heidelberg Equipment. 12070 South Profit Row, Forney, TX 75126; Phone: 972-564-4229.
Primary Press Repair: Services presses used for printing and die-cutting anywhere in North America (U.S. and Canada). E-mail: info@primarypressrepair.com; Phone: 516-790-1768; Fax: 516-795-1675
Jim Reck: In the hot metal business for over thirty years as a repairman for Linotype, Intertype, and Ludlow machines. Willing to offer advice on setup, inks, and other letterpress topics. 14409 Valeda Drive, La Mirada, CA 90638; E-mail: jlreck@gte.net; Phone: 562-944-9184
SOS Linotype: Repair, mats, and sales for Intertype, Ludlow, and Linotype. 713 Space Park North, Goodlettsville, TN 37072; E-mail: soslino1@aol.com; Phone: 615-859-0029 or 800-367-3804; Fax: 615-859-7911
Dave Seat - Hot Metal Services: Supplier of Hot metal typesetting equipment & supplies. Linotype, Intertype, & Ludlow machines & parts. E-mail: HotMetalServices@comcast.net
Daniel Smith, Inc.: Fine artists' materials, including ink and paper. P. O. Box 84268, Seattle, WA 98124-5568; E-mail: sales@danielsmith.com; Phone: 800-426-6740 or 800-426-6740; Fax: 800-426-6740 or 206-224-0404
T and T Press Restoration: "Putting the abandoned table top printing press back into operation." Located in Hugo, Minnesota. E-mail: tandtpress@me.com; Phone: 651-730-0986
Thompson Cabinet Company: Manufacturers of wood and steel composing room equipment. 510 East Lake Street, Box 588, Ludington, MI 49431.
Woodside Press: A traditional letterpress printing company located in New York City's historic Brooklyn Navy Yard, Woodside Press provides services for hot-metal typography with their English and American Monotype; Linotype; and Ludlow typecasting. Their Web site has good descriptions of the Monotype and the Linotype. Address: Brooklyn Navy Yard, Building 3 - Suite 1008, Brooklyn, New York 11205; E-mail: Info@WoodsidePress.com; Phone: 718-222-4560; Fax: 718-222-4562
Valley Litho Supply: “Quality printing, screen printing & photography supplies at a discount.” Of particular interest: Van Son inks. Address: 1047 Haugen Avenue, Rice Lake, WI 54868; E-mail: custserv@valleylitho.com; Phone: 800-826-6781; Fax: 800-962-5924

Classified Ads

The Briar Press -- Letterpress Classifieds: Includes both “Wanted” and “For Sale” categories.
California Printers: Click on the "Letterpress" category.
craigslist: Select a geographic area, select the “sale/wanted” area, search on the word “letterpress”, and see what pops up.
eBay: There's usually lots of letterpress equipment included in the “Printing & Graphic Arts” category of this large on-line auction service.
Horse Trader: Click on the "Letterpress" category.
Metal Type Classified Ads: Categories for sale and wanted include Publications, Equipment, and General.
The Printing Equipment World Wide Network: “We're Printers Serving Printers”

Publications

Publishers of periodicals and books related to letterpress printing.

The Bonefolder: An e-journal for the book binder and book artist.
The Legacy Press: A small publishing firm specializing in books about the printing, paper, and book arts.
Letterpress Printing, a manual for modern fine press printers: Paul Maravelas's sourcebook for beginning and intermediate letterpress printers. Published by Oak Knoll Books in 2005.
Oak Knoll Books & Oak Knoll Press: Publishers of books about books, the history of books, and book arts. Their site has a Digital Books page with listings for books about books.
The Printer: Michael J. Phillips, Editor-Publisher, 337 Wilson Street, Findlay, OH 45840 USA; E-mail: theprinter4918@hotmail.com; Phone: 419-422-4958; $30 a year for 12 issues; $55 for 2 years; $80 for 3 years.
Serif: The Magazine of Type & Typography: An independent quarterly on type and typography published by Quixote Digital Typography. One year subscription: $28, Canada/Mexico $32, outside North America $36. Payment in US funds or major credit card. Address: Dept. W-1, 2038 N. Clark St, Ste 377, Chicago, IL 60614; Phone: 312-953-3679, or for 24 hour ordering in the US 800-810-3311; E-mail: serif@quixote.com; Fax: 312-803-0698
Typofile: An on-line magazine about type: Put together by Daniel Will-Harris; lots of other interesting stuff is linked to the Will-Harris House home page.

Movies and videos

Movies and videos related to letterpress printing.

The Boxcar Institute Training Series: Videos explaining topics like makeready, adjusting roller height, and base lock-up and cleaning.
Firefly Press Interview: YouTube video narrated/produced by Chuck Kraemer.
How Ink is Made: A nine minute video from Printing Ink Company of Vaughn, Ontario, Canada, showing how they manufacture printing ink. Peter Welfare, head inkmaker, describes the process.
Kat Ran Press Resources: QuickTime movies, mostly related to type casting; also lectures on the keyboard and the caster and a PDF file showing the lay of the California Job Case.
Pictorial Webster's: Inspiration to Completion: Production of Pictorial Webster's, a book that contains thousands of engravings from nineteenth century Merriam-Webster Dictionaries. The letterpress project took a decade to complete.
Prelinger Archives: The Prelinger Archives contains thousands of short advertising, educational, educational, and amateur films. You can search for letterpress-related topics among the films.
Printing with Letterpress: "Phil Abel and his colleagues at traditional letterpress printshop Hand and Eye still use techniques that inventor Johannes Gutenberg would recognise." Part of the Guardian series Disappearing acts.
TypeCulture: Movies available for download include The Creation of Printing Type, Typomania, Letterpress Printing, and The Linotype.

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