Historic Presses Workshop, 16 December 2024

We invite you to join us to celebrate the launch of the Historic Presses Workshop at the Department of Typography & Graphic Communication at the University of Reading. The launch will feature demonstrations of letterpress printing and lithographic printing from stone.

To join us in person, come along to the Department of Typography & Graphic Communication, University of Reading (Whiteknights campus), 2 Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6BZ from 5.30pm on 16 December 2024.

This new printing workshop has been set up so that students and researchers can use and study an unusual and distinctive collection of historic printing presses. It comprises three research-led reconstructions: a one-pull press; a common press and a lithographic pole press each made by Alan May. These are complemented by examples of the major hand presses made and used initially in the nineteenth century, by a Harry Rochat etching press, and by a more conventional press for printing from lithographic stones. The workshop includes a collection of C19 wooden type and metal type for handsetting. A unique collection of world script metal type includes Chinese and Japanese, Cambodian, Tibetan, Bengali, Georgian and Syriac as well as Egyptian Hieroglyphs.

The Presses: Research-led reconstructions made by Alan May:

Reconstructed One-Pull Press
This press was reconstructed following Alan May’s research into how Gutenberg is likely to have printed the 42-line Bible, that is, one page at a time. Alan also considered a drawing of a press made by Albrecht Dürer in the design of the press. See Alan May’s account of how he made the press, and links to his research: https://makerpress.co.uk/the-gutenberg-press/ The press featured in the 2008 BBC film, ‘The Machine that Made Us’, fronted by Stephen Fry.

Reconstructed Common Press
The term ‘Common Press’ refers to a relief printing press made substantially in wood but with a heavy metal screw used in its impression mechanism. It appeared near the end of the fifteenth century and continued in use with only minor changes until the introduction of the iron press at the end of the eighteenth century. Alan May has made several reconstructions of this press, both full-size and small scale as he explains: https://makerpress.co.uk/the-common-press/ This press featured in the BBC series ‘Catherine the Great’ in 2019.

Reconstructed Lithographic Pole Press
This is a reconstruction the Senefelder Pole Press illustrated in Vollstandiges Lebrbuch der Steindruckerey (Munich and Vienna 1818, 1821). See Alan May’s account of the making of the press and related research: https://makerpress.co.uk/the-senefelder-pole-press/ To fit within the new workshop, and with guidance from Alan May and Michael Twyman we have reduced the height of the pole. This has not affected the working of the press.

Stanhope Press, unnamed
Acquired from Norfolk Museums, 2013.

John Brooks small Stanhope Press
Originally used by Parnells of Reading, a letterpress printing firm.

Wood & Co Albion Press, 1863, no. 7457
Acquired via Colin Banks bequest

Somerville & Crombie Columbian Press, c 1840
Acquired locally, mid-1960s

Hopkinson & Cope Albion Press, 1853
Acquired from Garratt & Atkinson, process engravers, Ealing, London when they closed down, mid-1960s.

Wood & Sharwoods Atlas Press, c. 1940s
Acquired from Bradley & Sons Ltd, Printers, Reading.

Lion Press, 1866
Acquired from the Type Archive, 2023.

‘Golding Jobber, no. 6’ Treadle Press, 1888
Acquired 2005 from Roy Mac’Neil, local printer, Reading.

Further information about the The Historic Presses Workshop:
What is distinctive and exciting about the workshop is that students and researchers can work with and experience the three major printing processes as well see historic examples of each printing process in the Lettering, Printing and Graphic Design Collections, including everyday life examples in the Centre for Ephemera Studies.

The workshop is set up so that some of the presses can be used by students undertaking modules that have been designed to encourage their use. Some of the presses are for demonstration purposes only, led by master printer Geoff Wyeth, and some presses are not yet usable.

We welcome visitors by appointment, and plan to have themed workshop events and demonstrations. Our very first demonstration by Geoff Wyeth, of the lithographic pole press delighted delegates at the SHARP 2024 conference many of whom had no idea how lithographic printing from stone was done.

We are grateful to the University of Reading for allocating and space and for refurbishment; to the School of Arts and Communication Design for supporting moving of presses and their maintenance and restoration to working order by AMR Press. Special thanks to Geoff Wyeth for workshop design and to Jude Brindley for her advice and guidance on health and safety.