What to buy for an aspiring Letterpress Lady?

I’d like to buy my wife a “starter” letterpress for our anniversary.  She’s veryinto paper crafts and I know she’d like to take the next step.  I know very little about it, however,and Googling the subject is just overwhelming.

We live in an apartment, so a serious professional high-capacity machine is out of the question, but I don’t want some cheapplastic thing either.  I’d likesomething that I can haul up a few flights of stairs and sit on a butcherblock.  I’m picturing a littleblack iron beast — maybe a reconditioned antique? — that will crank outinvitations, logos, envelopes, etc. one at a time.

Is there anything that fits this description in the $500-1000 range?  Thanks very much for anytips you can give me on this!

The Adana is a wonderful press. It is light weight and easily portable. It is not cast iron like the antique Kelseys or Sigwalts you maybe thinking of. The Adanas are made from solid aluminum alloy (aircraft grade) and cast steel. The 8×5 is 35 pounds. Contact me if you need more information.

Yes, I agree with Camille, that the Adana is a good choice, but I also love my “little black iron beast”, a Kelsey 5×8. I got it used for $300, and it didn’t take long to clean up and get into good working shape. I cleaned it up, oiled it, and got new rollers, and it works beautifully.

But before you buy her a press, you might want to buy her a letterpress printing class – look around for print shops nearby where she can learn the process, and maybe even rent time on a press. Once she gets a little experience with printing, she (and you) will know better what to buy and and what to look for when buying a press.

Jessica, what a beautiful press!Burt, please take Jessica’s advice and sign your wife up for a class before you buy a press. Where I live, the Minnesota Center for Book Arts has many wonderful classes. I’m sure there is something similar near you. You didn’t say which anniversary… the 6th is traditionally iron. I don’t know of any woman that wouldn’t want to “press with that iron”.

Thanks so much to all for the helpful comments! I had heard of the Kelsey, but not the Adana; I’ll check it out.By the way, Camille: it’s our first anniversary (paper!). Thanks again…

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