Visiting the Type Archive

I visited the Type Archive in Stockwell today, as they’re open to the general public for the first time ever, with a small but fascinating exibition - great if you have any interest in typography or graphic design. It’s free, and you can check days/times using Eventbrite. I definitely recommend it if you’re in the area!

I got chatting to one of their Trustees - they are an organisation of around 25 people with a passion for print, mostly long-retired experts from the printing industry (designers, engineers, machinists, etc.). They have an on-site collection of printing equipment and artefacts spanning 5 centuries(!), including large presses and a machine shop for repairing their equipment (they are entrusted with preserving the collection for the nation) - and they try to do some printing as often as possible. Although they don’t officially open most of the archive or their printing sessions to the public, it sounded like they might welcome a group visit from some interested people… anyone game? If so, add your Discourse handle to the wiki post below. If you’d like to bring any non-members, then add a +1, or +2, etc.

An interesting little summary of the archive and the traditional printing process… http://www.typearchive.org/collections.htm

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Add your name if interested in a possible private visit to the Type Archive to witness some print-related magic…
@tomhedges
@unknowndomain
@Hanry (+1 if that is allowed? :slight_smile:)
@CriticalTolerance
@RichM
@tobyspark
@Beth
@lewisss
@StudioNelle
@Twm
@asander1
@afshind
@Robert_Kiggins +1
@benh
@ntsbmvnk
@mikekelly + 1
@Benjamin

I’ve been trying to get in here for years with students too.

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes.

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Damn right. I live round the corner, and had kinda given up on it ever opening.

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I thought you might be interested :slight_smile:

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Very cool! Thanks for organising! I took a class a few years back and do some printing occasionally on my grandfather’s early 1900s platen press:

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Careful who you show that to - @CriticalTolerance might just bite your arm off for a go on it :wink:

(It’s beautiful btw - Jimmy Diresta is also a big fan of these old presses)

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Wow!!!

My long term is to try building one of these (much smaller, and not of cast iron since I’m skint). I would love to talk about the mechanisms sometime if you’re up for it.
Short term aims are pantograph for carving poster block type and then a little gutenberg type press.

I’d be up for that teaming up for any of those… been thinking about building a press for a while

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@StudioNelle has been helping me with some bits on the lasercutter - although I think she wants to use a press for a different application.

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Cool! Yeah anytime!!

Yes I’m totally interested I’m interested in letter pressing paper to achieve a debossing effect

I also have some vintage items I would love to ask the experts about.

Yeah this sounds amazing! My wife is a graphic designer and is all about typography and printing she would be so stoked on this too! Count us in if we can arrange a special visit!!

Hey Tom, was wondering if this was still in the plans to happen?

I’m not usually the type, but in this case I’m interested.