Thanks to Graeme Howe for sending in these recruitment ads, from the end of 1953.
I would imagine in those days the first one to apply would get the job, and earn enough money to live on. How times have changed!
1953 Recruitment Ads
Category: Australia/NZ
Printing the Northland Age, 1962
Many thanks to Graeme How, from New Zealand for sending in this illustrated article.
Machinery In The Modern Printing Plant of the ‘Northland Age’ –
Letterpress Coffee Table
Long-time Metal Type contributor Graeme How, from New Zealand, has found a great way of displaying his old letterpress memorabilia.
Says Graeme: “I have a typecase with type and also some printing blocks, Intertype border slides and mats which I rescued when The Wairoa Star changed to offset in 1977. I was having a cleanout recently and decided to build a coffee table using what I had saved. The glass table-top had to be removed so the reflections would not be photographed.
Wairoa Star Centenary September 2021
A regular contributor to Metal Type, Graeme How, got in touch to tell me about his local newspaper, The Wairoa Star, celebrating its centenary.
We have five pages of articles about the Wairoa Star sent in by Graeme, check the “Related Pages” menu to see the others.
Model C Nebitype Restoration
The Press Gang team that work as volunteers in the print shop in The Settler Building at Taranaki Pioneer Museum in Stratford NZ had a great win over Queen’s Birthday week-end 2019 with the first composed line being cast on their recently-acquired Model C Nebitype line casting machine (Serial No. 78).
It was donated to us by The Printing Museum, Wellington, NZ in 2018. From the beginning of restoration of the machine Rob Clarkson has been at the forefront although there’s been a handful of other people that have helped along the way, notably John Nicholson, with grateful assistance from Doug Holland.
Pressed Letters Printing, Australia – Video
William Amer sent in this video of his letterpress print shop, that was selected for the Sydney Film Festival, 2015.
Says William: “My claim to fame is that since 2009, there is finally a printer in the heritage village of Rockley, mid west NSW. And it is a Yorkshire born tradesman that’s done it. My wife’s historical research tells us that I am the only one, ever!
Automated Typesetting, 1971
Many thanks to George Finn for sending in this video from the Sydney Morning Herald.
Says George: “The video was extracted from a video tape I was given when I retired in 1989. It was used to give visitors an overview of newspaper production prior to taking a tour of the plant. Sorry the quality is not the best.
Preservation in NZ
Terry Foster, a long time contributor to Metal Type, describes the uphill struggle he faces trying to get public backing for preserving letterpress machinery in New Zealand.
While the recent increase in public interest in letterpress printing is welcome, it would seem to be centered around the “craft and artisan” areas, not so much larger, more industrial equipment.
Parekura Horomia 1950-2013
Many thanks to long-time Metal Type contributor Graeme How for sending in this article.
Said Graeme: “Our local Member of Parliament Parekura Horomia died this week at the age of 62. He started his working life as a linotype operator at the Gisborne Hearld.
Dropping In!
Thanks to Les Smith for sending in this story. Says Les: “Another story from a typesetting company in Sydney, Australia.”
THE TIME had come to replace the Royal in the basement.