Chesapeake Chapter Wayzgoose
Saturday, November 16
Copper Torch Press Room / Library of Congress

APHA Chesapeake Chapter held its annual Wayzgoose in the Copper Torch Press room at the Library of Congress (LJ129 in the Jefferson building if you are interested). About 25 people attended, and socializing was intense. Reworking old acquaintances, comparing recent events, physical ills, and generally what was keeping everyone going strong was heard across the beautiful new room. Next year, we’ll ramp up the food as I think we all were afraid to bring something TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Turns out that isn’t a rule.

Immediately below is a group portrait of attendees.

Below that are a bunch of photos (with a few random duplications by mistake) of people in the act of Wayzgoosing. The last two photo are from a talk on “fiber books” at the Folger library later in the afternoon.

Lancaster Printers’ Fair
Havre de Grace, MD
September 21, 2024

The 11th Annual Lancaster Printers Fair in Havre de Grace was held on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2024. The event was co-sponsored by the Chesapeake Chapter of APHA, The .918 Club & Glyph Design

APHA Chesapeake Chapter members at the dedication of the common press to the Library of Congress.

The Rare Book and Special Collections Division of the Library of Congress has assembled the common press donated by APHA’s Chesapeake Chapter. This project has been in the works for several years, and we are excited to see the press installed in the new space, dubbed the COPPER TORCH PRESS. The press name was taken from the torch atop the Library of Congress building.

A huge thanks goes out to gifted APHA curators and printers Seth Gottlieb, Stan Nelson, and Chris Manson.

This press is a replica of the common press used by Ben Franklin, which is currently living in the Smithsonian NMAH.

Jack Williams of New Hampshire built the press. Swipe to see the assembly (and a glimpse of the beautiful ceiling in the new press room!) Stay tuned for updates on when you’ll be able to visit this press and pull a few proofs.

A dozen members of Upper Chesapeake Book Arts, a group with several APHA members, recently visited the Copper Torch Press at the Library of Congress in February 2024. Eric Frazier selflessly pulled and guided us through about two dozen books the attendees poured over.

For about a dozen years, the Chesapeake Chapter has designed and printed a calendar, which we sell to support our chapter events.

You can see the images for our 2024. calendar here. The calendar is now available for $25 with free shipping within the U.S. Click here to order and pay. View previous Chesapeake Chapter calendars. 2024. 2023. 2022. 2021. 2020. 2019. 2017. 2016. We still have a few from 2024 left.

APHA / Chesapeake June meeting
Tour of Prototype Press
Indian Head, Maryland
June 17, 10am – 1pm

Mark Sarigianis of the Prototype Press, Indian Head, Maryland, hosted an APHA studio tour on Saturday, June 17. The Prototype Press is the new name of the Sharp Teeth Press and was operated by Mark Sarigianis and David Johnston(1985-2015) in Oakland, California, before moving to Southern MD.  Printer and type caster Sarigianis works to produce entirely in-house first editions by local authors and artists, as well as a reimagining of better, know authors. Below are a few photos from the day. Afterward, we all gathered at the home of Eric Frazier. The problem was that the conversation was so much fun I forgot to take photos.

If you want to read the story of Misdruk’s talk, Ray Nichols has written it up with photographs  on Lead Graffiti’s website. It is problematic posting long stores with lots of big images on the APHA website.

⬇   Lauren Emeritz of Abstract Orange and Chesapeake Chapter president at the Manhattan Fine Press Book Fair, Saturday, April 29, 2023.

⬇  Jill Cypher of Lead Graffiti’s newest book she first showed at the Manhattan Fine Press Book Fair, Saturday, April 29, 2023.

Library of Congress : 25 and Counting 
Selections from a Quarter Century of Collection Development
in Rare Book & Special Collections Division
Thursday, March 23, 2023 | 1:00 – 4:00pm

Chesapeake Chapter gathers to celebrate “25 and Counting” with Mark Dimunation, Chief of Rare Books at the Library of Congress. Left to right in the back row, Eric Frazier, Rick Black, Donald Farren, Jill Cypher, Ray Nichols, Jackie Coleburn, and Lauren Emeritz.

NATIONAL NEWS at the American Printing History Association’s annual meeting included

The 2023 Mark Samuels Lasner Fellowship in Printing History was conferred to Val Lucas for her research into typecasting by Fellowship Committee: E. Haven Hawley, Chair; Johanna Drucker; Miriam Intrator.