“Letterpress” or “letterpressing” refers to a “relief” printing technique developed by Johannes Gutenberg, a German innovator, in the fifteenth century. Amazingly, this revolutionary method was in use for over 500 years. It was replaced with more modern and efficient methods as time went by..…but has now been embraced, once again, by artisans all over the world.
Our Chandler & Price and Kelsey presses date back to the early 1900s. These amazing iron machines are wonderfully worn, a bit quirky, extremely heavy, and still turning out beautiful work over 100 years later.
Because our original designs are quite intricate, we use traditional wood-mounted copper plates to ensure all of the detail is captured. Each card is hand-fed onto the press one piece at a time, and the inked plate is pressed into cotton paper with tremendous pressure leaving an impression which you can see as well as feel. Many go through several runs when designs include additional colors and foiling, as each requires a separate plate. This process truly makes every piece unique, and results in slight variances from one to the next….which we just love.
A quick note about Sustainability
We are committed to making sustainable choices throughout our line of products. Our Notes and Cards are printed with soy-based inks on 100% Cotton Paper (tree-free!), and accompanied by 100% cotton & 100% recycled envelopes. Notepads and Jotters are printed on FSC and Green-e Certified paper…..even our 4 ply backings are 100% recycled paper.
We take great care in sourcing materials; often spending a little bit more to ensure we maintain our high quality in the most environmentally responsible way.