Ornament
It has been a while since I got down & dirty with Maud & Gertrude, so I thought I'd better fill that hole.
This weekend has therefore been all about mocking up some bits and bobs involving holes, ornaments, Granby Light amongst others... & then for kicks trying out some paper manipulation.
Maud & I have been working on a little commission. There are holes, Bugra Butten & Somerset Newsprint...
I recently added a new specimen book to the Red Eel Press library... click on any image to view slideshow:
Shanks, P.M. & Sons, Ltd (1910) Specimens of printing types. London: P.M. Shanks & Sons, Ltd
Here at the Red Eel Press I've been playing with some rather lovely floral borders...
I've been lucky enough to add a couple of new borders to the press cabinets over the last month or so, two 24pt sets.
After a little spit and polish these new/old beauties have come up nicely...
The super 'A suite of fleurons or a preliminary enquiry into the history & combinable natures of certain printers' flowers conducted by John Ryder' arrived in the post this morning, features the lovely Granjon's Arabesque amongst others.
This week I've been printing some lovely Monotype borders in red, in particular No.167, 24pt one of my favourites.
Monotype border, No.167, 24pt & Monotype border, No.202 & 204, 24pt
Being a Librarian I felt compelled to identify, index & catalogue the ornaments, borders, corners & blocks in the type cases of the Red Eel Press. You can explore the index in more detail over at www.redeelpress.co.uk/ornaments, which I will be expanding & adding to on a regular basis.
I used my growing collection of specimen books & a couple which are available online to help with the task:
Caslon Letter Foundry, The (1953) Specimens of printing types from Stephenson Blake: the Caslon Letter Foundry Sheffield, Sheffield, The Caslon Letter Foundry
Lanston Monotype Machine Company (1917) Monotype borders & ornaments, [Philadelphia], Lanston Monotype Machine Company
Lanston Monotype Machine Company (1922) The Monotype specimen book of type faces, Philadelphia, Lanston Monotype Machine Company
Monotype Corporation Limited, The (1948) Specimens of the typefaces, borders, ornaments, rules & other material cast on 'Monotype' type composing & casting machines, London, The Monotype Corporation Limited
Stephenson, Blake & Co. Ltd (1932) Printing types: borders, initials, electros, brass rules, spacing material, Sheffield, Stephenson, Blake & Co. Ltd
This week has been all about feeding the Red Eel's ornament and borders habit...
I also don't seem to be able to resist 'victorian' art ornaments...
