The modern fine press traces its origins back to the Arts and Crafts Movement that emerged in England at the end of the nineteenth century. Craftspeople like William Morris (1834-1896) looked backwards in time to early book production in the fifteenth century for inspiration. Such presses placed emphasis on the sympathetic rendering of a given text through attention to the physical properties of the printed work, including the quality of paper, illustration, binding, overall design, typeface and the mode of printing. Production values were high and the size of edition low. Besides the books that they produced marking the festive season, it was also a common practice of these small and fine presses to produce ephemeral keepsakes that came to be treasured in their own right, such as the ones in this display.
Display curated by P.J. Carefoote and installed by Linda Joy.