HEAVENLY MONKEY

Letterpress & Binding Studio

Letterpress Printing ABC

A lexicon in wood type
David Clifford (Heavenly Monkey 2005)

A miniature ABC book, the alphabet in 15-line wood type, printed in various pastel colors, each letter accompanied by a word or phrase from the letterpress printer's lexicon. David was among the last generation to go through the formal seven-year apprenticeship system in England in the 1950s. Letterpress Printing ABC is just his second book (in 1998 he printed a narrative series of linocuts by Vancouver artist Carel Moiseiwitsch, titled Forgotten).

The book (just under 3 inches square, 57 pp.) was printed on Reg Lissel's handmade HM Text paper, and bound by David in a woven paper-case structure developed during a week-long class with Claire Van Vliet. The edition was 50 numbered copies for sale and 26 lettered copies for private distribution.

Letterpress Printing ABC