Comments on: diy project: letterpress block wallhanging

By: J.B. Taylor

J.B. Taylor — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 21:36:55 +0000

Janet, I’d be interested in seeing your type for purchase. Is there a way you could send me photos? My husband and I run a letterpress co., and we appreciate that you are willing to give yours up, so they can be used in the way they were intended.

And to all the commenters above, who are pissy about the sad letterpressers . . . please understand that full sets of type are indeed becoming harder to find, and when we do find them, they are too $$$ to afford, so breaking them up for decorative purposes makes our job so much more difficult. Take an honorable part in helping the art of letterpress printing to continue, and not become a relic of the past. Amen.

By: Janet

Janet — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 22:50:53 +0000

Well, I have a large box of lovely type, blocks with signatures on them and advertising blocks. I will be willing to SELL them to the lovers of the print process here, since the lovers of the print process are so worried. I have not molested them in any way. They are just sitting there. Just kidding. I see your point, printers.

By: Claire

Claire — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:37:05 +0000

I have enjoyed reading all the comments. I am a letterpress printer and I love wood type! I want to say is that this wall hanging is beautiful Jessica. On another note. It is very hard as a letterpress printer to find complete sets of wood type! When buying or selling wood type for decoration please understand that it is NOT ok to break up sets!! I also have to say that it is nice that non letterpress printers do love wood type for its beauty, but this does also drive up our cost to be able to buy them.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:52:15 +0000

Chris,
That’s a pretty general statement – that the Great American Way is forging ahead without heeding the criticisms you may encounter.

You’re implying the most criticisms are accurate and should be heeded. I agree that design needs to go beyond the visual, but this isn’t really design since it’s not for a customer nor is is it solving a problem. Art yes, design no.

By: LoopyMind

LoopyMind — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:36:08 +0000

To preserve the original letterpress blocks, but still be able to sell letterpress blocks as wall decoration, one could make use of a laser-cutter / etching machine. they’d lack the authenticity of course…

By: Sara

Sara — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:13:36 +0000

Working as a designer for an old newspaper/printer, we have many sets of blocks from years ago that collect dust in the basement. Being too sentimental to let them go, but long since moved to the digital age, this would be the perfect way to appreciate them yet not have to part with them. I do think that I would use Command Strips though so as not to damage the blocks themselves.