Catholic University's new Pearl press
At a Chesapeake Chapter event Lenore Rouse, Curator of Rare Books at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. mentioned that she had gotten a donation of a Pearl press and a cabinet of type, all with a pretty good story behind it. Ray Nichols and Mike Kaylor jumped at the chance to help.
Here's Bernie's story.
In the summer of 1942 ten year old Bernie Willett acquired the Golding Pearl press. It was purchased from the office of the Englewood Journal where it had probably been used for job printing in an earlier era. The editor of the Journal might also have given him a couple brief pointers, but for the most part, Bernie was entirely self-taught as to composition, imposition and the operation of the press, learning what he needed from Ralph Polk’s The Practice of Printing, and from what Bernie remembers as a whole lot of trial and error. The fact that he was a quick study is evident in the printing of his first piece, the 1942 Thanksgiving dinner menu which he produced at the ripe old age of 11.
At the same time Bernie was editor and printer of his home town newspaper, The Demarest News (circulation 150) which for several years he printed continuously from the basement of the family farmhouse in Demarest, New Jersey.
Bernie continued to print through his high school years, producing stationery, tickets, and literature for his school and for various local organizations. He came to the attention of the Bergen Record which solicited his services as Town Correspondent. Not surprisingly, Bernie chose journalism for his major at Rutgers University, but after college and a stint in the U.S. Army, he found his lifelong vocation in advertising. His beloved Pearl press remained in his family home until that was sold, and it moved with Bernie to his home in Jericho in 1968. Bernie’s desire to see his press go to an appreciative home where it may again be used, has fulfilled a long-standing curatorial dream and the aspirations of several CUA faculty members who see the importance of letterpress printing to their teaching and research.
Lenore and Bernie Willet feeling pretty good about getting the press loaded on Mike's trailer with Ray Nichols serving as the project's devil's helper.
Bernie acquired the press when he was 12 years old and had it set up in the basement of the Willett Farm.
It was nice participating in the project. Here Lenore takes a final portrait of Bobbie and Bernie Willett before heading back home with her prize.
