Letterpress Printing Information
Letterpress printing, a process that prints text on paper using a raised, inked surface and a letterpress, dates from Johannes Gutenberg's invention of the printing press. Replaced by offset printing in the 1950s, it still finds enthusiasts and applications.
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Origin
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The Koreans and Chinese experimented with movable type made from clay, wood, bronze and iron during the 11th century. Four hundred years later, Gutenberg developed a method of casting type and printing that enabled the first mass-production of books.
Developments
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The basic parts of Gutenberg's press were the bed and platen, which moved across paper laid in the bed. The platen press, in which the platen was positioned vertically, came about in the early 19th century. In 1811, Friedrich Koenig patented the first flatbed cylinder press, which used a revolving cylinder to press sheets of paper against a flatbed of type. The rotary press, which used cylinders containing mounted type or print plates, achieved even greater speed and became the press of choice from the 1870s into the 20th century.
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Considerations
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Printing press manufacturers stopped making letterpresses in the 1980s, but many still exist and are used in small shops to carry on the tradition. Typical applications include invitations, name cards, greeting cards and stationery.
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References
- Photo Credit Gutenberg image by Andrea Todeschini from Fotolia.com
