Welcoming a New Press: A Vandercook No. 4!
A new press in the life of a printer is a very big deal. And a dream press arriving at even the most inopportune time is a wonder to say yes to. Which I did! Last Saturday we welcomed a Vandercook No. 4 into the shop, which I bought from Viktor and Diane of Watermark Bindery. A 26" Chandler & Price guillotine came along with it from their island home on Marrowstone.
I first learned to print on a Vandercook, as many people do, in college. They are simple and beautiful presses capable of precise work yet accessible to beginners. As such, they are hard to get ahold of and go for a pretty penny so I had basically written off the idea of ever owning one. Plus I love my platen presses and the production they can pump out, though over time, especially with larger format things, I've been leaning toward smaller editions and longing for an easier access point for my artist self to play around and experiment more, especially with larger formats…
Enter the Vandercook. I'm so excited I can't express it properly and I've actually no idea what I'll print on it first. I'll start where I've started with every new press: an oil can, a rag, a little WD40 and a lot of curiosity. Getting to know a press takes time no matter your familiarity with the model. And gosh I'm happy to spend that time!
