Conestoga Press

Jimmy DiResta Does Bookbinding

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Randy

My favorite video blogger and maker, Jimmy DiResta makes a book.

Posted in Instructional | Tagged Binding | Comments Off

Dynamo 36pt. 48pt.

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Randy

Formerly posted as a mystery font, Stan helped us solve this one. It’s Dynamo, designed by H. Ihlenburg and patented March 3, 1881. Cast by MacKellar Smiths and Jordan, Philadelphia.

Posted in Type Catalog | Tagged Type | Comments Off

Kantner’s Book of Objects

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Randy

kantner01 kantner02

A visitor dropped by the Print Shop today to share a book, meaning to trustingly leave it with us to study until they return in a week or two to retrieve it. Knowing of our interests in engravings, this one contains 2036 fine old engravings meant to help German speaking children learn English. It was printed nearby in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1887 and called, Kantner’s Illustrated Book of Objects containing over 2000 fine engravings with explanations in English and German. Want to see it? There are at least two versions online at the Internet Archive free to download in a variety of formats.

Kantner’s Book of Objects, Boston Library Copy – Yellowed background (shown).

Kantner’s Book of Objects, Google Version – whiter background but not as detailed.

Posted in Reference Material | Tagged Cuts and Ornaments | Comments Off

Announcement Roman 14pt. 18pt.

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Randy

Typeface designed by Morris Fuller Benton and released by the American Type Foundry in 1917. (Represented here by Society Page, a revival by Nick Curtis in 2009.)

Typeface entries are for those typefaces found in the Conestoga Press shop. We will be entering them as we get them better organized. To see all entries simply choose the Type Catalog Category at the right. The title line will include the point sizes we have available.

Posted in Type Catalog | Tagged Type | Comments Off

The Inland Printer – Reading from the 1800’s

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Randy

So what might you have been reading sitting around the Conestoga Press in the 1800’s had we been operating back then. Paul G. introduced me to a couple of beautiful magazines that hawk printing equipment and show off beautiful composition and layout. You can read a couple of the volumes of The Inland Printer. It’s not quite the same as laying it out on Paul’s dining room table, but since Mrs. G. might not want us all crowding around her dining room it will have to do. Check it out.

Posted in Reference Material | Tagged Composition, Cuts and Ornaments, Equipment | Comments Off

Adding Proofs of Cuts and Ornaments

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Randy

The apprentices always enjoy proofing our cuts and ornaments. We have a substantial collection which hasn’t been organized. We’re working at getting proofs of each one and cataloging it in the same way we’ve been working to organize the type. Meanwhile we’ll show them off in our online gallery on the Equipment page. Check them out and watch as we continue to add them. Click on the image you find there to see them enlarged, sometimes with notes. This one is a frame of flowers mortised in the middle so you can change the phrase you see here.

Posted in Announcements | Tagged Cuts and Ornaments | Comments Off

Crafts at the Museum

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Randy

Saturday, June 6, 2015
10AM – 4PM / FREE ADMISSION!
SEE LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS, SHOP, AND TOUR THE MUSEUM

Tri-County Scrollers Club members will demonstrate with their scroll saws and offer various wood crafted items.
Randy Snader will share his hand penned fractur.
Jessica Harting will demonstrate the art of tatting.
The print shop will be open with apprentices ready to help visitors print their own name on our newly acquired 1800’s proof press.
See how these century-old crafts were done, try some out, and buy new treasures for yourself. While you’re at it you can visit the museum and see examples from our area’s past.

Scrollsaw and Woodcrafted Items, Letterpress, Tatting, Fraktur, and MORE! Print your name on an 1800’s proof press!

Posted in Events | Tagged Historical Society | Comments Off

The Itinerant Printer is Funded!

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Randy

The Itnerant Printer Project has been fully funded on IndieGoGo. Chris Fritton, plans to travel around travel around the country in 2015 printing on various presses and recording his adventure. Maybe we’ll be a stop on the tour. Either way, this program, following the historic tradition of the tramp printer will be interesting to follow.

The project intends to capture the spirit of the analog revival, send real samples of it into people’s mailboxes, and convey the ethos of the handmade to a broader audience via social media, and as a culmination, result in a coffee table book that features photos all of the prints, printshops, and people from the adventure.

It is also about reviving that sense of adventure in printing, along with the analog sharing of information. It’s about going out into the world, seeking work based on your skill set, making something with your hands, and delivering that object to someone. It’s about an exchange of ideas, of techniques, of information, of style, and of the consummation of all those things: prints.

Check out the Itinerant Printer blog here.

Posted in Events | Tagged Letterpress | Comments Off

Christmas Open House

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Randy

Come join us for the Historical Society’s Open House on Sunday December 7th from 1 – 4PM. Tour the Museum, sit on Santa’s lap, and stop in the print shop to print a bookmark. Buy some of our latest Christmas Cards and enjoy some Cookies.

Posted in Events | Tagged Historical Society | Comments Off

At the 2nd Annual Lancaster Letterpress Fair

Posted on October 18, 2014 by Randy

Our booth at the fair. We met some great attendees and other exhibitors and exchanged information about our press and letterpress ideas.

Posted in Events | Comments Off