The print shop will greet the new year with a vacation of sorts. We won’t be scheduled to be open until March 1 when we resume our Saturday mornings from 9 to noon schedule. Someone may be there by chance on warmer days because much work was left to be done from 2024. And if you are from away and plan to be in town we’d be glad to schedule a special opening for you. Just email Randy at randy@conestogapress.org.
With the recent acquisition of wood type we have much to learn about it. Shop volunteer Paul found this great presentation from the Humanities Research Center.
No one will be in the Print Shop on Saturday, September 21, but you can see us and a bunch of other Printers in Maryland.
Thanks to a generous donation from Julie Hocking of Hocking Printing Company, publisher of the Shopping News in Ephrata, we have a new (old) No. 14 Pearl printing press. We plan to give it the care it needs to print again, but it’s a beauty to us just as it stands. Come check it out.
In answering a question about printing cuts I found that the International Printing Museum had this great video demonstrating the process.
The Kelsey Company in Meriden Connecticut manufactured tabletop printing presses for years and supported it with printing supplies and advice. The All-Round Printer is twenty one lessons in printing with questions and a printer’s dictionary.
The scan isn’t perfect, but my goal was to create a readable document, not a more perfect printable one. The original we had to use was very yellowed and in a three ring binder so I did take the time to erase them from the scan. Let me know if you find any parts unreadable or in need of improvement.
We’re closed here at Conestoga Press for the Winter. The museum is closed to install a new temporary exhibit and we will reopen when they do the first Saturday in March. The library here at the Historical Society is open its regular hours.
There are a number of support projects in the works that I may be able to complete during our break and I’ll post them here as well as a potential field trip that we’ve been talking about, so stay tuned.
[The postcard above is this year’s membership card printed at Conestoga Press. Join HERE and support the press and other local history!]
You can now find our Bronstrup and other hand presses around the world on the Association of European Printing Museums web site in their new worldwide handpress database. Find it here.
Come join us for the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley’s Christmas Open House. We will be printing the fifth in our series of Christmas drink coasters on the Bronstrup press. You can take one along home!
There will be musical entertainment throughout the day, including organist Mark Herr, playing the lovely old pump organ. Santa will be waiting for the children to arrive, and volunteers will be available to talk with our guests about the house and the family who lived there.
Before you leave, stop by the Education Room for light refreshments and a chance to purchase old fashioned lollipops, which make great stocking stuffers! Start your holiday season with the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley, located at 237-249 West Main Street, Ephrata. We’ll see you there.
Once again, Conestoga Press has participated in the letterpress calendar of the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Printing History Association. Each month is a unique design contributed by a different member of the chapter. The calendar is sold each year as a fund raiser for the group.
Our calendar page is for March of 2024 and includes a cut from the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley’s collection. It was printed in two colors on our 1850’s Bronstrup/Ramage press.
Calendars are $25 each, shipping included and can be ordered here.
