Our New, Old Toy: A Vandercook 219

Well, it was only time that we would be reunited again. Once upon a time, the Vandercook Proofing Press was our only friend, our only tool in the letterpress world. We learned how to letterpress print on a Vandercook. It was the press that started our obsession, which soon blossomed into a business. We joked that one day we’d name our child “Vandy”. And, you guessed it – we fell in love over the hum of its slow and greasy motor.

Back in 2007, Morgan founded the AS220 Community Printshop around the donation of a Vandercook 4 Proofing Press, courtesy of Dan Wood of DWRI Letterpress. She organized classes and shop time around this workhorse, and this press soon became the press that the entire city of Providence learned to print on. When we both left AS220 and started Ladyfingers Letterpress, we couldn’t find a Vandercook to buy so we grabbed a Chandler and Price Platen Press from a local antique shop. Although we love printing on the C&P, there’s still something a bit romantic about printing on a Vandercook. It’s like your first car. You’ll never forget it.

Now we don’t have to rely on our memories to recall the joy of printing on this fabulous press – because as of next week, we will be the proud owners of a Vandercook (again!). The 219 is a tad larger than the Vandercook 4, with a printable area up to 19″ x 26″! Guys! That’s huge! Think about it!

We have a slew of new projects coming up that, as you may have guessed, are going to be a lot larger than any of the work we’ve ever done. Stay tuned to see what kinds of goodies we’re Vander-cooking up! Haha, get it? Hehe… eh? No? oh.

For old times sake, here’s a photo of us in 2007, printing in the old AS220 Printshop.