A project plotting the history of Print in London through objects chosen by Londoners who work, or used to work in the printing trades. The aim is to reconnect these objects, and people, with their geographical histories.
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30.07.13
Poster printed in Whittington Press chosen by Barry Felstead
I was involved in the typesetting of the poster, which was produced by Howard Bratter. I used to go to his Print Workshop in SE11, to help him occasionally.
He had been asked by the publisher of ''Matrix'' (which is an annual publication about everything connected with printing by craft printers and print historians) to write an account of his life in the industry.
Howard went to Switzerland to borrow the matrices of the typeface Menhart (Series 397). This was a typeface produced by the 'Monotype Corporation' which to my knowledge had not been used in the United Kingdom. Howard then cast the type, with the help of Gerry Drayton. Once the type had been cast, Marina Charccur, a Brazilian graphic designer, came to the Print Workshop and produced a layout for the poster, which was to be two-colour and inserted loose into the publication.
I then followed the layout and handset the type, working in two-colours, which I had not done for many years. I had used some of the printing trade terms which I really enjoyed using. The type was then taken to the Whittington Press for printing.
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16.04.13
Diploma from London School of Printing chosen by
Jon Wozencroft
My grandfather was a letterpress printer in the West Midlands, who needless to say, wanted his son - my father - to take over the family business. Following a blazing row in 1944 when my father was 16 years old, he left home, arrived in London, and managed to enrol at the London School of Printing (as it was then called) in Stamford St. (near Waterloo station).
His move to London coincided with the German V-weapons offensive, so many of my Dad's early classes at the LSP were interrupted by a dash for the basement shelter, nevertheless, the building survived any direct hit and eventually he graduated 5 years later.
The diploma shows the range of craft skills he acquired during his time there. My Dad's main passion was for offset lithography, and ten years later he would invest in his first 2-colour sheet fed machine, set up his own business, later mastering his art by taking on 8-colour jobs alongside bread-and-butter commercial work.
London School of Printing, exterior. 1933
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02.02.13
Posters from Royal College of Art, V&A building chosen by
Richard Doust
Posters from the 1960s. All three posters were printed in the Graphic Design department when it was was located in the V&A building, I collected these and other printed items whenever the opportunity occurred. The Printmaking course was part of Graphic Design department which had extensive printing facilities, so acquiring examples was not too difficult!
Above: GraphicsRCA. Exhibition Poster 1963
This was the poster for an exhibition celebrating the first 15 years of the Graphic Design Department at the RCA. The exhibition was held in the Gulbenkian Hall in the newly opened Darwin Building on the Kensington Gore. Along with most of my colleagues, I had work in the exhibition. We hope to celebrate the 50 year anniversary with a new GraphisRCA 50+ exhibition next year, 2014.
Above: Fine Art Exhibition Poster by David Hockney 1962
In 1962 David Hockney was already a legend amongst the students at the College, he had famously challenged the RCA's examination process, and he was beginning to establish himself as a leading British artist. The opportunity to obtain this poster was too good a chance to miss! Although Hockney had left in 1962, he was always in and out of the College the whole time I was a student.
Degree Show Poster for 1963
Ex RCA building in the V&A museum
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13.01.13
'Monotype Book of Information' chosen by Ian Gabb
Behind the ex building of Monotype Corporation Limited (School for training operators) building - 19 Cursitor Street, London, EC4
MAP
Many of the typefaces familiar today were introduced during the first half of the 20th century, such as Times New Roman and Perpetua. The program of revivals of old typefaces and the commissioning of new ones was a major part of the typographic renaissance of the period. For much of that century the company ran a compositor (typesetter operator) training school in London.
I was given my copy of the 'Monotype Book of Information' by the person that initially taught me how to use the Monotype caster, Charlie Marshall. This little book is full of information and technical data relating to the Monotype typesetting system. Charlie also gave me all his apprentice tools. Ian Gabb
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16.01.2013
Alphabets: A manual of lettering for the use of students
with historical and practical descriptions.
Chosen by Eloisa Tolu
Behind the ex building of Chiswick Press building
21 Tooks Court, Chancery Lane, London EC4
MAP
This private printing press was a forerunner of the
private presses started by William Morris and others later in the 19th century. It was founded by Charles Whittingham (1767-1840) who had acquired a patent for extracting tar from old ropes. The hemp was pulped to produce a paper with a strong and silky finish while the tar was used to produce printing ink. (...) Chiswick Press specialised in the production of small dainty volumes, noted for their woodcut engravings. The books were printed by hand on iron presses (one of the presses belonging to the Chiswick Press is now in Gunnersbury Park Museum). The Whittinghams not only pioneered a movement towards finely produced books at reasonable prices but also to smaller-sized books which were easy to fit in a pocket. They thus posed a threat to other publishers of the time which favoured big books at big prices.
I found ‘Alphabet’ in a second-hand bookshop in
Eastbourn last summer, during a visit to Beachy Head,
I used to collect old manuals and this is the first one I have about lettering. Eloisa Tolu
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18.01.2013
Plain and Ornamental Lettering. A practical guide to
ticket & showcard writing, sign writing and other forms of decorative lettering. By Edwin G Fooks
Chosen by Antonio Bertossi
Behind the ex building of Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd, 39-41 Parker St., Kingsway, London WC2
MAP
Sir Isaac Pitman (4 January 1813 – 12 January 1897), knighted in 1894, developed the most widely used system of shorthand, known now as Pitman shorthand. He first proposed this in Stenographic Soundhand in 1837. Pitman was a qualified teacher and taught at a private school he founded in Wotton-under-Edge - The British School, Wotton-under-Edge. He was also the vice president of the Vegetarian Society.
(...) Many of the typefaces familiar today were introduced during the first half of the 20th century, such as Times New Roman and Perpetua. The program of revivals of old typefaces and the commissioning of new ones was a major part of the typographic renaissance of the period. For much of that century the company ran a compositor (typesetter operator) training school in London.
I bought this book around a year and a half ago through the Internet. At the time I was still living in Switzerland. I started buying old publications on typography and ornamental lettering to use as reference for my work. I like the idea of discovering these precious printed references here and there! Antonio Bertossi