General Printing: An Illustrated Guide to Letterpress Printing [Paperback]

Glen U. Cleeton (Author), Charles W. Pitkin (Author), Raymond L. Cornwell (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0978588142 | ISBN-13: 978-0978588144 | Publication Date: September 1, 2006 | Edition: Reissue

General Printing is a comprehensive guide to letterpress printing. With 300 photos and 140 illustrations, it offers detailed step-by-step visual instruction. Key topics include: handsetting type, taking proofs, mitering rules, locking up a form, adding packing and make-ready, feeding a platen press, advanced composition, design, typography, and tricks of the trade. "The best all-around introductory book for traditional letterpress printing, this manual is profusely illustrated with detailed and useful photographs and should occupy a prominent place on the shelf of every letterpress printer. It will serve as the next best thing to an apprenticeship at the feet of a master printer, and is certain to be used as a handy reference throughout your printing journey." --David S. Rose, Introduction to Letterpress Printing

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The best all-around introductory book for traditional letterpress printing, this manual is profusely illustrated with detailed and useful photographs." -- David S. Rose, Introduction to Letterpress Printing

About the Author

Glen U. Cleeton served for many years as Dean of the School of Printing Management at Carnegie Institute of Technology. Charles W. Pitkin was assistant professor of printing at Carnegie Institute of Technology, where he produced many of the photos for the book; later he was vice president and director of manufacturing for Doubleday & Company. Additional content was contributed by Raymond L. Cornwell, former professor of graphic arts at the State University of New York, Oswego.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Liber Apertus Press; Reissue edition (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0978588142
• ISBN-13: 978-0978588144
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #228,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful reissue of classic textbook, May 14, 2008

By 

Harald Anderson "Living at 78 rpm" (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: General Printing: An Illustrated Guide to Letterpress Printing (Paperback)

This is a 2006 reissue of a textbook that went through several revisions from 1941 to 1963 and is often recommended as a beginning textbook in letterpress circles. While it is a good beginning book, I personally question the value of its reissue, given its focus on a large printshop and the dated nature of the material.

Although the book makes several references to teachers and classmates, it does stand well on its own.

The textbook is intended as a general overview, covering typesetting, mis-en-page, and printing. Since the volume was intended for those pursuing a career in printing (as opposed to hobbyists and job printers), the authors focus on larger presses (Heidelberg) and give only brief mentions of hobby-type presses. Similarly, most of the printing examples are large-run jobs (articles, advertisements) and most types of smaller tasks (stationery, business carde, greeting cards) are skipped.

The greatest value of this book (and the reason I did not resell my copy) is in its exercises and discussions on typesetting (a lost art). These are invaluable, in my eyes. Still, most hobbyists will outgrow the book quickly after a bit of individual experimentation. Unfortunately, the book does not discuss electroplating in depth, which would have proven valuable.

The volume is slightly dated as well. While there is a modern preface, a modern editor could have added materials on new developments - such as photopolymers. Similarly, as our understanding of manuscripts and the early history of the printing press have advanced tremendously in the past 30 years, scholarly users will smirk at the historical sections.

There is still a great need for an affordable general survey/study of modern methods of letterpress in its modern form, but early sources such as this provide a good start.