Jaffe Center to Host 10th Annual Letterpress Appreciation Day

Letterpress


By brittany sylvestri | 9/17/2019

The Jaffe Center for Book Arts (JCBA) at Florida Atlantic University will host its tenth annual Letterpress Appreciation Day on Sept. 18 from noon to 8 p.m. at the Wimberly Library, third floor, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus.

“Every year on September 18thwe celebrate Type High Day or Letterpress Appreciation Day, which has its origins in the height of type,” said John Cutrone, director of the JCBA. “All of the metal and wood type we use in letterpress printing, from the very smallest to the largest, measures an exact .918 inches in height.” 

During the open house, visitors will be introduced to the print aspects of the Jaffe Center, which is home to historic relief presses that are used by students and artists to create hand-printed books and literary broadsides. Guests can tour the shop, print a souvenir poster on the 1890 Wesel Iron Hand Press. 

“It’s an empowering thing for everyone,” said Cutrone. “We are so accustomed nowadays to clicking ‘print’ on our computer and finding a full color print a few seconds later but printing on the hand press gives everyone who does it a great sense of accomplishment.”

The event will also include a feature on Harriet Tubman and two screenings of the documentary “Los Ultimos: Endless Letterpress.”

The event is free and open to the public. For a list of all the events, or more information, click here.

-FAU-

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