Dating back to the 15th Century, letterpress is a form of relief printing in which the raised surface of text and/or image is inked and then pressed into paper creating a beautiful debossed impression that can be both seen and felt on the surface of each printed sheet.
All but abandoned by the production world in favor of faster and more efficient printing methods, letterpress printing is now appreciated for the very fact that it is not the result of such mass production. Letterpress is a craft, and a skilled printer does this craft beautifully.
It is the tactile quality of the letterpress printed page that is truly unique to the process. Letterpress printing delivers a deep impression that is easily felt and seen on soft paper; conversely, a skilled printer can create a page where a printed message can reside practically undetectable to traversing fingers. Although the heavier impression is not traditionally an effect desired by trade printers, today this highly tactile quality is one of the most charming and unique characteristics of letterpress. At Spoon&Sailor, we embrace both printing practices and, in doing so, aim to deliver to you your heart’s desire…minus the childhood ponies (at least at full scale.)