Speaking of Firsts… 109 Years ago

What’s old is new again.

Below is a printing press similar to what Swift Lathers used to print his first newspaper (above) back in 1919. The type of press is a letterpress printer. Swift printed on this type of press at the Oceana Herald in Shelby. This press was phased out in the 1970’s due to the advance in early computer technology called photo-typesetting. Today, many of these heavy cast iron presses remain where they were once used. Typically weighing over 1000 lbs., they weren’t often moved after were no longer used. Today, there is an art renaissance of crafts people seeking this old equipment. Giving new life to the presses. The artist use them to put their spin on contemporary art projects using this printer. This type of printing creates a tactile and crisp form of printing. Often this is the first experience for the new printer. Most of them have lived only with the flatness of laser printers.