The Old Print Shop video

Take a quick step back into the past to when printing was a skill and an art form. Nowadays we take so much for granted, the push of a button on a computer can provide a finished item such as a newspaper or a book (wonderful and easy as it may be), nothing truly captures the essence of print more than using the skill of an old print Journeyman on a letterpress machine. The Columbian press (similar to the one being used in the video), was invented by George E. Clymer, probably in 1813, inspired in some measure by the earlier Stanhope press. It was designed to allow a whole newspaper page to be printed in a single pull. Typical output speed was around 210 single sided copies per hour, compare that to our up to date modern newspaper press, which can run at output speeds up to 90,000 copies an hour with 4+4 colour on every page.