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ISO: Publisher C[harles?] S. Webb

From the Contact form:

I’m looking for more information about the publisher C[harles?] S. Webb, in particular anything that relates to the Narrative of the capture, sufferings, and miraculous escape of Mrs. Eliza Fraser that he printed in 1837. Information about his career, other books he printed/published, or any suggestions as to where I can find more would be really helpful. Thank you so much! —Alice Procter

Hebrew Typecasting Pilot Program at Bixler Letterfoundry: Recap!

Shani Avni and Richard Kegler

Evening tour of The Bixler Press & Letterfoundry.

The pilot program for the Hebrew Type Intensive was launched in the last week of July 2023, at The Press and Letterfoundry of Michael and Winifred Bixler, Skaneateles, New York. A four-day hands-on workshop, it provided an in-depth experience of historical aspects of Jewish printing: type casting, typesetting, and letterpress printing. As this was the inaugural event, we were curious to see where this adventure would take us. One thing that was clear from very early on: it was about to be truly intensive, just as the title promised.   [Read more]

Accepting Nominations for the 2024 Individual and Institutional Awards

Nominations are OPEN for APHA’s Individual and Institutional awards! Propose a scholar, artist, bookbinder, printer, instructor, historian, typecaster, librarian, academic or community program, group or nonprofit, collective or bookdealer! Nominate at bit.ly/aphaawards – awards will be announced in January 2024.

ISO: Publisher F. L. Rand

From the Contact page:

I’m looking for information about the St Louis publisher F. L. Rand, responsible for a series of small dictionaries used as premiums for school shoes from about 1923–1927. [Read more]

ISO: Inks Used for Early C. 20 Postcards

From the Contact page:

Hello APHA! I’m doing research on picture postcards from the early decades of the twentieth century, and I’m interested in determining when commercial printers in North America began to adopt petroleum-based or -derived inks. [Read more]

APHA Awards 2024 – Call for Nominations

The American Printing History Association (APHA) Board of Trustees and the Awards Committee invite nominations for the 2024 APHA Individual Laureate and Institutional Awards! Submit your nomination(s) at our new form now until September 13, 2023.   [Read more]

Chesapeake Chapter 2024 collaborative calendar

Ray Nichols

Each year since 2012 the printing faction of the Chesapeake Chapter has produced a calendar using a variety of printing techniques, mostly centered around letterpress. These efforts often use the opportunity to experiment with new techniques & new layouts of both printing & typography. The calendars are sold with the funds supporting up to 10 student memberships for Denker Fellows each year, as well as support for monthly speakers, trips & other projects. [Read more]

Hebrew Typecasting Pilot Program at Bixler Letterfoundry

A significant exploration of Hebrew and Yiddish type casting will take place this summer at the Bixler Letterfoundry in Skaneateles, New York. The intensive workshop will feature seminar components and training in the basics of Monotype type casting and letterpress printing. This four-day intensive hands-on workshop will feature an in-depth experience on all aspects of Hebrew letterpress printing but will focus on the Hebrew matrices in the collection of Michael and Winfred Bixler. [Read more]

ISO: Presses ca. 1828–1840 New York

From the Contact form:

1). If an Englishman purchased a printing press in 1826, is there a way to know what kind it would have been? Were there many kinds in production at that time? [Read more]

Typefounding in 19th Century Philadelphia Reexamined

Paul Shaw

Specimen of Printing Types and Ornaments, Robb & Ecklin, 1836, p.84 (RIT)

While researching Robb & Ecklin, typefounders in Philadelphia from 1836 to 1844, I discovered information that sheds new light on the history of typefounding in that city and challenges some commonly-held facts. The inquiry that led me to this new information was whether typefounder Edwin Starr (or one of his brothers) intersected with Jedidiah Howe, whose foundry Robb & Ecklin took over, or with Samuel Ecklin or Alexander Robb themselves. [Read more]