Pages Exhibition - Gutenberg to Ernst and more

For our next exhibition we have lots of interesting pages from books from the 15th century to contemporary Artists Books; - a facsimile page from the Gutenberg 1455 Bible (signed by Stephen Fry – made for his TV program about the Gutenberg press made by Alan May – the same person who made our Common Press), -one from the Nuremberg Chronicle (genuine 1493);some from various productions by the St Dominic's Press, at Ditchling,; surrealist pages from Une Semaine de Bonte by Max Ernst, which was sponsored by Roland Penrose who lived near Lewes in Chiddingly; various title pages from the 16th to the 19th century, and examples from contemporary Artists Books, including some Trant/Chasseaud golden oldies; some are typographical examples, some have images:any of them could be a talking point framed on the wall.

We can assure everyone no books were harmed in the making of this event!

The exhibition runs from April 27th until May 29th, closed Sundays and Mondays; at the same time we will have our usual changing selection of books, prints, cards, posters, magazines and printed ephemera.

Typography Books, Artists' Books, Printing, Artists' Prints

The Tom Paine Printing Press and Press Gallery is now building up a range of new and secondhand books on typography and graphic design, private presses, fine press books, artists' books, and artists' prints as well as letterpress and line-block material printed by Peter Chasseaud on the wooden hand-press (Common Press). I've just printed a valentine card about a foot square, using wood type on Khadi hand-made paper.

We will also be stocking books on printing history, methods and processes - including letterpress, lithography, etching, relief printing, etc.

Press now open at 151 High Street, Lewes

Exhibition of prints and books by Dmitry Sayenko


Amanda Dean, Mayor of Lewes, opening the Press

Again, what a hectic few weeks it's been! The Tom Paine Printing Press was officially opened in early December in its new premises at 151 High Street, Lewes (opposite the Bull House and Westgate Chapel), by Amanda Dean, the Mayor of Lewes. This is a perfect location, as Tom paine lived and worked in Bull House, and was married to Elizabeth Ollive in the Westgate Chapel, the marriage being legalised at St Michael's Church - only a stone's throw away. So we have three Tom Paine sites close by, and the White Hart, where Paine attended Headstrong Club meetings, just down the High Street. And of course there's also the bowling green at the Castle, where Paine played bowls with William Lee, who printed his pamphlet 'The Case of the Officers of Excise'.

The Printing Press now has a shop and gallery (Press Gallery) on the premises as part of its operations, the idea being that these will generate income to support the press. We are selling a range of, mostly printed, items related to Tom paine, and also small press books, artists' books, and hand-made prints (etchings, woodcuts, collagraphs, linocuts, lithographs), cards, etc.

The first exhibition (see photo at top) was of prints and artist's books by the Russian artist Dmitry Sayenko, from St Petersburg. He produces very powerful woodcut and linocut images, often combining them with typeset text, or with text which he cuts by hand into the block.