APHA / Chesapeake visit to
Birdhouse Press
Saturday, March 27, 2010

On Saturday, March 27 twelve Chesapeake Chapter members gathered at the Birdhouse Press with chapter members Nancy & John Johnson to look at their collection of presses, type, dingbats, and composing sticks and to talk about letterpress printing.

Both Nancy & John are avid printers. In addition Nancy is a bookbinder, paste paper, bead and pop-up book artist and John is a wood carver/sculpture who has moved into woodcut images to use in printing. Their Birdhouse Press studio is in a small outbuilding in their backyard, set-up like the cabin of a small boat with every cubic inch used and a with a different press in every corner. We had coffee and sweet stolen and later ate a nice sandwich lunch provided by our hosts. During lunch we held a mini symposium around the topic: What will happen to my books and printing equipment after I am gone: planning for the ultimate future.Twelve members of the Chesapeake Chapter spent a delightful morning and afternoon with Chapter members, Nancy and John Johnson at their home and studio. Both are avid printers. In addition Nancy is a bookbinder, paste paper, bead and pop-up book artist and John is a wood carver/sculpture who has moved into woodcut images to use in printing. Their Birdhouse Press studio is in a small outbuilding in their backyard, set-up like the cabin of a small boat with every cubic inch used and a with a different press in every corner. The Johnson’s fed the visitors a great lunch.

What follows are some photos of that day.

John Johnson’s 8 x 12 C&P with safety guard intact.

View of the Birdhouse Press Albion head on.

Keepsake poster offered to those who attended.

Herchel Kanter, Roland Hoover, Jackie Coleburn, Chris Manson and Jim Walzcak admire John and Nancy’s fine 1907 Albion.

The head casting detail of the Albion.

Pat Manson. Roland Hoover. Herchel Kanter, Chris Manson and Jim Walzcak take a breather in the Johnson’s living room after lunch.

Three wood type sticks that Nancy Johnson brought back from a recent type hunting trip to Wisconsin. The long one is a three footer.

John Johnson shows Jim Walzcak his cut and dingbat collection.

Nancy Johnson, Clare Imholtz and Jackie Coleburn chat about books.

Chris Manson looks carefully at some of the detail under John Johnson's watchful eye.

The bed of the Albion with John's ingenious removable roller bearers.
All in all another wonderful way to spend a Saturday.

Photos by Mike Denker.