Before, and after.
The above photos clearly show the restoration work done to our Golding Pearl No. 11 Improved Press serial #1918 built c. 1920 in Massachusetts, USA.
When I decided to open Inkwell, one of my goals was to have at least one working floor model letterpress in the shop. Finding an old piece of equipment such as this, in working order can be a costly and time consuming quest. So with some patience and hard work we can now introduce our working floor model press that we affectionately named Isabella aka "Pretty Izzy".
We first found Isabella for sale on the letterpress classifieds at Briar Press. She was located in Connecticut. After negotiations with the owner, we agreed on a purchase price and pick-up date. This happened in December 2010, just as winter was beginning in Atlantic Canada and the New England states. Not an ideal time to plan a road trip, but with a clear forecast, and borrowed new van (thanks Mom & Dad!) my partner Daniel and I began the 2800 km (roundtrip) journey.
Weather was fantastic during our travels and we found our way around easily. We disassembled Isabella (would we remember how it all goes back together!?) and with the help of some local movers to do the heavy lifting, loaded Isabella into the van for her journey to Canada.
As you can see she was a colourful beast. Previous owners had really botched her surfaces with poorly applied paint. She was pretty beat up, but still in working order, so we were excited to have her and knew her potential.
The next few months were spent stripping and sanding her various cast iron parts. Working in an un-heated garage during a Canadian winter makes cast iron VERY cold to work with.
Work continued into the spring when weather allowed for more outdoor work, including painting and varnishing. So many parts, so many screws and bolts collected. Fingers were crossed through the whole process that we'd know how she went together.
Parts we painted, gears were oiled and everything fit together. Every part has its own specific function which made assembly quite easy. Everything fit into place nicely.
Here she is today. Our 90 year old black beauty - Isabella. On a warm Saturday in August we ran our first prints on her. With very little adjustment she was printing great. It was us, as press operators that needed more work. We ran about 100 Inkwell Boutique business cards and cleaned her up.
Stop by soon and see her in person!
This week marks 10 years of business for Inkwell!
Thank you to the wonderful customers who shop at Inkwell. I'm so proud and thankful to still be here and couldn't have done it without your incredible support over the years - through all the highs and lows!
Over the last decade, we've had 2 different locations, countless open houses and book signings, printing demos and letterpress keepsakes, collaborations, crafting workshops, an in-house/wholesale product line, awards, accolades, and features on TV, in books, magazines and newspapers. We've gone from a one page website to a full e-commerce site with thousands of products.
During this time, we've made countless friendships, worked alongside the best employees and makers. I can't wait to see what the next 10 years will bring!
We've seen you, our customers, through the celebrations and sorrows that life brings and our community has seen us through the joys and challenges that shop ownership presents.
I hope you feel every purchase is a transfer of the enthusiasm I feel for everything we offer in Inkwell. I hope that some of the love that each maker puts into the handmade items we sell brightens your day, whether it's something for yourself or a gift for someone else.
Ten years in business is a major milestone and we'll celebrate in person when it's safe to do so.
Thank you all for your continued support and for allowing me to live my dream.
Andrea
