James Tshudy 1938 – 2019

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Randy

We note here with great sadness the passing of Jim Tshudy on July 18, 2019, a great friend to the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley and especially to the print shop and those of us who continue the work there. To me personally he was an inspiration and mentor from when I was a teenager poking around the museum and he encouraged me to take on projects there. He’s been sorely missed already as his visits diminished and stopped in the past few years and it’s heartbreaking to know they’ve ended. We can do no more to celebrate Jim and his contributions more than to keep the presses rolling and raise a print and a pint in his honor from time to time. Thanks for everything “guy”.

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Thoreau Society Annual Gathering Events

Posted on July 21, 2019 by Randy

I attended the 2019 Annual Gathering of the Thoreau Society in Concord, Massachusetts as I have for several years, but this year I presented a talk on “Printing Thoreau on Period Equipment” and set up my own Sigwalt Nonpareil press for participants to print a Thoreau quote for themselves. We also offered for the first time copies of our new tiny book Thoreau’s Library. (More on a later post.) They will be available at the museum and print shop for a donation.

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Craft Show at Ephrata Cloister

Posted on June 30, 2019 by Randy

I had a great time on Saturday, June 29, at the Ephrata Cloister during a large craft show there. Many people came by and printed a card on my Sigwalt press. Talked with guys who printed in High School shop classes, people with printers in their family history, and future letterpress hobbyists.

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Ringlet Type

Posted on June 22, 2019 by Randy

One of the type faces we have likely from the 1800’s. Designed by Hermann Ihlenburg for Mackellar, Smiths, & Jordan. We have it in 36pt.

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Our Bronstrup’s Early Occupation

Posted on May 11, 2019 by Randy
The earliest issue of the Terre Hill Times in the collection. Each edition was four pages with local news, human interest stories from afar, and lots of ads.

Harry Stauffer, who first employed the Ramage/Bronstrup press which is the feature of our print shop in demonstrating the old ways of printing, always said that the press once printed the Terre Hill Times. Just recently I started reading the copies on microfilm in the Society’s library for clues to the history of the press.

The Times was printed by at least two generations of the Cake family, a surname which makes Google searches for historical information very difficult. So far I have located where the Cakes had their shop in the 1894 and some genealogical information about Oscar, Anna, and W. O. The Times was published for 50 years from 1892 until 1942.

Research continues. Harry bought the press in 1953 from Clarence D. Herr of Sheridan, Pa. While the town name appears in various parts of Pennsylvania there is one near Newmanstown in Lebanon County and there is evidence on the press that a Lebanon event was printed on it.

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Come see us at the 2019 Chesapeake Printers Fair

Posted on April 21, 2019 by Randy

Come to Havre de Grace on Saturday, April 27 from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm to see us and other letterpress printers and organizations. There’s a vintage pyrex fair going on nearby as well. Click here for more information.

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Old Book / New Process

Posted on March 2, 2019 by Randy

So I found this very interesting book on scanned by google books. Of course I could read it on the Internet Archive here, but it seemed like something that would be useful to hold in your hand in the print shop. Enter “Espresso on demand book printing at Harvard Books! Cleverly named Paige M. Gutenborg (notice the printing/Star Trek mashup), you can have such books printed to order and sent to you for a very reasonable price. Check it out here: http://www.harvard.com/clubs_services/books_on_demand/

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Our Press Makes the News… in 1967

Posted on January 7, 2019 by Randy

Harry Stauffer printing on the Bronstrup for a story in the New York Times Travel Section.

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Christmas Open House @ HSCV on December 2nd from 2 – 5 PM!

Posted on December 1, 2018 by Randy

Stop by the Historical Society tomorrow at our Christmas Open House and print yourself a Holiday Coaster! You’ll need one to keep those holiday drinks from putting rings on your coffee table, so why not have one you printed yourself on a 168 year old press. I’ll see you in the print shop between 2:00 and 5:00! Corner of Oak and Main in Ephrata. Free museum tours and refreshments too!

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Lancaster Printers Fair September 14 & 15

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Randy

Come see us on Saturday, September 15 at the Lancaster Printers Fair. The 300 block of Queen Street in Lancaster will be full of stands demonstrating and selling printed goods and equipment. Street fair is from 11 – 4. There are additional activities the night before. See the whole schedule here.

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