I’ve been studying—albeit sporadically over the past several years—the design and manufacture of once-commonplace metal printing types. I hope that this section will someday reflect great progress in my efforts to establish a small, working typefoundry in my letterpress shop. Recently, a new ‘Monotype’ Compostition Caster was acquired for the foundry. There are some pictures of the successful move.
Yet another project—an old pantographic engraving machine in need of a little attention. More here.
On Tuesday, May 11, 2004, I received a long awaited shipment from Georgia. The freight was three pallets of machinery which I hoped would be my first ‘Monotype’ system, the centerpiece of which was a very fine and relatively new, British-made, 16 × 17 ‘Monotype’ Caster. Then, the story takes a horrible turn…Take a look at the pictures.
Since the arrival of my second ‘Monotype’ machine, I’ve started to record an inventory of what’s in the foundry .
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June 2006 | Typecasting
May 2006 | Letterpress
January 2006 | Letterpress
January 2006 | Letterpress
October 2005 | Letterpress
April 2005 | Letterpress
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February 2005 | Art
February 2005 | Art
February 2005 | Letterpress
Machinery and specialist tools at The Private Press of Ian Schaefer
The Lancaster New Era recently did a nice feature on my letterpress shop and typefoundry in their Antiques and Collectibles section.
The Association consists of 150 members who print and submit four letterpress pieces per year, in a quantity adequate to redistribute to the entire group. Members receive a bundle once per month. I was member number 745 from 1999 through 2006.
Members of the aptly abbreviated 'ATF' are devoted to the study, practice, and preservation of the art and processes of manufacturing metal printing type—the type once commonly used for letterpress printing.
Information and resources on letterpress printing type