Customer Reviews

Letterpress: The Allure of the Handmade

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

not so much a technical manual but more an overview of contemporary use of letterpress, both as artform and a technique that works well in tandem with digital technology.. excellent photos & jury's writing is clear & concise. certainly worth the price.

[ this is adapted from a longer review with photos at my blog liberal sprinkles ]

I have limited knowledge about letterpress so I found this book interesting. It is an updated edition of a book first published in 2004, which is timely as letterpress has made a comeback in recent years, and not just within the handmade community. Jury's book is a comprehensive take on the history of letterpress, which has been used commercially for over 500 years. He discusses the art and craft of this medium, digital technology and mass production versus handmade, design versus art versus craft. He says letterpress is "not innately superior" to digitally designed and mass-produced print and has to be flexible and stay relevant and functional, not just decorative to survive.

The book has some gorgeous examples of pages and materials printed by letterpress, wonderful for those interested in typography, print and design. Wouldn't it have been lovely, though, if it had a letterpressed cover?

I haven't read this book. My comment is on the first review--last line. "Worth the price"? It's 600 DOLLARS (+/-). I love books and know that collectibles can run into the $millions. Surely, this is a fine book, but just maybe a work-a-day letterpress printer can find a more economical guide!