Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum Blog Blog http://woodtype.org/posts/blog/rss.xml Sun, 19 May 2013 19:33:19 -0500 ℗ & © 2013 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://room34.com en hourly 1 <![CDATA[Help Hamilton Move: Unpacking in a New Location]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/20 http://woodtype.org/posts/20#comments Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/20 We are busy here at the new museum location.We are almost entirely out of the original location. It is strange and sad to see it so empty. However, the new location will allow us to expand in many ways. It doubles the amount of space the museum occupies, which means more of the collection will be on display, we will have dedicated residency studios, and we can develop a classroom and library. In May we will be preparing the space with new paint, new lights, and doing a few repairs. Then in June and July we hope to have many volunteers who will help us set up the new pressrooms, displays, and classrooms. We can't wait to reopen and start printing again.

If you would like to help us unpack in our new location, at 1816 10th Street, Two Rivers, WI, please join us for one of our 'Move Events'. This is your chance to help re-open the new Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum. The museum is closed to the public for tours and general admittance, but you are welcome to join us as a volunteer as the museum unpacks and sets up in our new location. The museum will be closed through July of 2013, so there are many dates available that you can help. The more help we get, the sooner we re-open the doors.

We are looking to get a hearty team of volunteers each weekend, so bring your friends. We had some wonderful helpers while we packed up the entire collection, and now the type, presses, and printed pieces need to find their home in the new museum location. This is one more way to ensure that Two River's, printing, and design history will be preserved and you can be a part of it.

In June and July we will be having groups of about 12 setting up the new location space. The task for each 'Move Event' will be outlined on the specific event page. This is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the museum's history. You can help us set up of the premier wood type collections in the world. Your part would help us keep this collection safe and available for years to come.

If you want to join us as a volunteer for the move please expect to work an 8 hour day. We will start at 9 am with introductions and a more detailed description of the task and work until 5 pm with a one hour lunch break. Water, coffee, and tea will be provided all day.

Since we have a large project ahead of us it would be best if you could join us for two days in a row. We recognize that this isn't always an option for everyone, so please let us know. We have received some discount rates for volunteers from local places to stay and you can find those details on the event page.

We are packing up a 14 year-old museum with some very heavy, sometimes dusty, and mostly old materials. Because of this you must sign a waiver of liability to participate. We will provide safety materials, like dust masks and gloves. Please dress in layers and be sure to wear sturdy shoes as we will be working on concrete floors all day in an old factory.

You must register for a "Move Event" since there will only be so many people to a team. Please check our calendar for the available dates in June and July. There is no cost for these events, it is a volunteer role. Thank you for your support! Join us in moving the museum! If you have any questions please e-mail the museum at info@woodtype.org.

]]> We are busy here at the new museum location.We are almost entirely out of the original location. It is strange and sad to see it so empty. However, the new location will allow us to expand in many ways. It doubles the amount of space the museum occupies, which means more of the collection will be on display, we will have dedicated residency studios, and we can develop a classroom and library. In May we will be preparing the space with new paint, new lights, and doing a few repairs. Then in June and July we hope to have many volunteers who will help us set up the new pressrooms, displays, and classrooms. We can't wait to reopen and start printing again.

If you would like to help us unpack in our new location, at 1816 10th Street, Two Rivers, WI, please join us for one of our 'Move Events'. This is your chance to help re-open the new Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum. The museum is closed to the public for tours and general admittance, but you are welcome to join us as a volunteer as the museum unpacks and sets up in our new location. The museum will be closed through July of 2013, so there are many dates available that you can help. The more help we get, the sooner we re-open the doors.

We are looking to get a hearty team of volunteers each weekend, so bring your friends. We had some wonderful helpers while we packed up the entire collection, and now the type, presses, and printed pieces need to find their home in the new museum location. This is one more way to ensure that Two River's, printing, and design history will be preserved and you can be a part of it.

In June and July we will be having groups of about 12 setting up the new location space. The task for each 'Move Event' will be outlined on the specific event page. This is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the museum's history. You can help us set up of the premier wood type collections in the world. Your part would help us keep this collection safe and available for years to come.

If you want to join us as a volunteer for the move please expect to work an 8 hour day. We will start at 9 am with introductions and a more detailed description of the task and work until 5 pm with a one hour lunch break. Water, coffee, and tea will be provided all day.

Since we have a large project ahead of us it would be best if you could join us for two days in a row. We recognize that this isn't always an option for everyone, so please let us know. We have received some discount rates for volunteers from local places to stay and you can find those details on the event page.

We are packing up a 14 year-old museum with some very heavy, sometimes dusty, and mostly old materials. Because of this you must sign a waiver of liability to participate. We will provide safety materials, like dust masks and gloves. Please dress in layers and be sure to wear sturdy shoes as we will be working on concrete floors all day in an old factory.

You must register for a "Move Event" since there will only be so many people to a team. Please check our calendar for the available dates in June and July. There is no cost for these events, it is a volunteer role. Thank you for your support! Join us in moving the museum! If you have any questions please e-mail the museum at info@woodtype.org.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/20 0 <![CDATA[More Packing]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/19 http://woodtype.org/posts/19#comments Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0500 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/19 We have been busy packing since the beginning of the year. And now our first truck load has gone to the new location which is only 10 blocks away from the original location at 1816 10th Street, Two Rivers, Wisconsin! You can see how many of our Hamilton friends and family have helped up pack and get to our new home.

]]> We have been busy packing since the beginning of the year. And now our first truck load has gone to the new location which is only 10 blocks away from the original location at 1816 10th Street, Two Rivers, Wisconsin! You can see how many of our Hamilton friends and family have helped up pack and get to our new home.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/19 0 <![CDATA[Packing up the Museum]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/18 http://woodtype.org/posts/18#comments Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0600 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/18 For the last month we have been packing up one of the largest collections of wood type in the world. Here you can see what it takes to pack up 1.5 million pieces of type, a large collection of presses and machines, and many patterns for making wood type. While it takes a lot of boxes and bubble wrap, it also takes a lot of hands. Thank you to everyone that has made the trip to Two Rivers to help wrap, pack, and move this wonderful collection. We couldn't do it without you! This move will make us a stronger organization and we cannot wait to reopen and begin printing, teaching, and giving tours again.


Click on an image below to view more.

]]> For the last month we have been packing up one of the largest collections of wood type in the world. Here you can see what it takes to pack up 1.5 million pieces of type, a large collection of presses and machines, and many patterns for making wood type. While it takes a lot of boxes and bubble wrap, it also takes a lot of hands. Thank you to everyone that has made the trip to Two Rivers to help wrap, pack, and move this wonderful collection. We couldn't do it without you! This move will make us a stronger organization and we cannot wait to reopen and begin printing, teaching, and giving tours again.


Click on an image below to view more.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/18 0 <![CDATA[Help Hamilton Move]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/17 http://woodtype.org/posts/17#comments Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0600 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/17 If you would like to help the museum pack and move to a new location please join us for one of our 'Move Events'. The museum is closed to the public for tours and general admittance, but you are welcome to join us as a volunteer as the museum goes forward with their move to a new location in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Check our calendar for the latest 'Move Event' dates. If you can't make any of the dates we currently have scheduled please check back, because we will constantly be updating the calendar. We have done such a wonderful job of raising money for the move because of our many supporters. This is just one more way to ensure that Two River's, printing, and design history will be preserved.

We will be having both weekend and weekday teams for packing, moving, and unpacking in the new location. Each 'Move Event' has a team leader and (hopefully) a hearty team of volunteers. Teams of volunteers will be doing varying tasks like packing type and patterns into boxes, packing cases of type onto pallets, dismantling the displays, and performing general packing and prep work. Once we are in the month of April and beyond those volunteer teams will be helping us unpack and set up the museum in our new location. The task for each 'Move Event' will be outlined on the specific event page. This is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the museum's history. You can help us move one of the premier wood type collections in the world. Your part would help us keep this collection safe and available for years to come.

If you want to join us as a volunteer for the move please expect to work an 8 hour day. We will start at 9 am with introductions and a more detailed description of the task and work until 5 pm with a one hour lunch break. Water, coffee, and tea will be provided all day.

Since we have a large project ahead of us it would be best if you could join us for two days in a row. We recognize that this isn't always an option for everyone, so please let us know. We have received some discount rates for volunteers from local places to stay and you can find those details on the event page.

We are packing up a 14 year-old museum with some very heavy, sometimes dusty, and mostly old materials. Because of this you must sign a waiver of liability to participate. We will provide safety materials, like dust masks and gloves. It is important to be prepared for dramatic temperature shifts, it may be really cold or really hot in the museum on the specific day you volunteer. Also, be sure to wear sturdy shoes as we will be working on concrete floors all day in an old factory.

You must register for a "Move Event" since there will only be so many people to a team. There is no cost for these events, it is a volunteer role. Thank you for your support! Join us in moving the museum! If you have any questions please e-mail the museum at info@woodtype.org.

]]> If you would like to help the museum pack and move to a new location please join us for one of our 'Move Events'. The museum is closed to the public for tours and general admittance, but you are welcome to join us as a volunteer as the museum goes forward with their move to a new location in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Check our calendar for the latest 'Move Event' dates. If you can't make any of the dates we currently have scheduled please check back, because we will constantly be updating the calendar. We have done such a wonderful job of raising money for the move because of our many supporters. This is just one more way to ensure that Two River's, printing, and design history will be preserved.

We will be having both weekend and weekday teams for packing, moving, and unpacking in the new location. Each 'Move Event' has a team leader and (hopefully) a hearty team of volunteers. Teams of volunteers will be doing varying tasks like packing type and patterns into boxes, packing cases of type onto pallets, dismantling the displays, and performing general packing and prep work. Once we are in the month of April and beyond those volunteer teams will be helping us unpack and set up the museum in our new location. The task for each 'Move Event' will be outlined on the specific event page. This is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the museum's history. You can help us move one of the premier wood type collections in the world. Your part would help us keep this collection safe and available for years to come.

If you want to join us as a volunteer for the move please expect to work an 8 hour day. We will start at 9 am with introductions and a more detailed description of the task and work until 5 pm with a one hour lunch break. Water, coffee, and tea will be provided all day.

Since we have a large project ahead of us it would be best if you could join us for two days in a row. We recognize that this isn't always an option for everyone, so please let us know. We have received some discount rates for volunteers from local places to stay and you can find those details on the event page.

We are packing up a 14 year-old museum with some very heavy, sometimes dusty, and mostly old materials. Because of this you must sign a waiver of liability to participate. We will provide safety materials, like dust masks and gloves. It is important to be prepared for dramatic temperature shifts, it may be really cold or really hot in the museum on the specific day you volunteer. Also, be sure to wear sturdy shoes as we will be working on concrete floors all day in an old factory.

You must register for a "Move Event" since there will only be so many people to a team. There is no cost for these events, it is a volunteer role. Thank you for your support! Join us in moving the museum! If you have any questions please e-mail the museum at info@woodtype.org.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/17 1 <![CDATA[Last Hamilton Hurrah]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/16 http://woodtype.org/posts/16#comments Wed, 02 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0600 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/16 On December 29th, 2012 the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum hosted an open house with printing, type cutting demonstrations, and a celebration of the legacy of the Hamilton Manufacturing Company.

Thank you to everyone who could join us for our last open day in the museum's original location. We have a lot of work ahead of us with packing one of the premier wood type collections in the world at over 1.5 million pieces of wood type, but the event instilled even more hope in our hearts. The support from both around the world and here locally reminded us that we have a big wood type family. For those of you who couldn't make it please enjoy the wonderful photographs taken by Jeff Dawson of the local Lester Public Library. To see more please visit the flickr set. Please join us when we celebrate our reopening in our new Two Rivers location, which is yet to be announced.

]]> On December 29th, 2012 the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum hosted an open house with printing, type cutting demonstrations, and a celebration of the legacy of the Hamilton Manufacturing Company.

Thank you to everyone who could join us for our last open day in the museum's original location. We have a lot of work ahead of us with packing one of the premier wood type collections in the world at over 1.5 million pieces of wood type, but the event instilled even more hope in our hearts. The support from both around the world and here locally reminded us that we have a big wood type family. For those of you who couldn't make it please enjoy the wonderful photographs taken by Jeff Dawson of the local Lester Public Library. To see more please visit the flickr set. Please join us when we celebrate our reopening in our new Two Rivers location, which is yet to be announced.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/16 0 <![CDATA[Hamilton & Mama's Sauce: Love Letters]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/15 http://woodtype.org/posts/15#comments Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0600 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/15 To help raise money and awareness for the museum the printers over at Mama's Sauce have dreamed up a fundraiser that unites lovely letters and great designers. They're releasing a set of 7 letterpress printed alphabet coasters inspired by the legacy and craft of the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum.

Love Letters is made with French Paper, includes A, E, I, O, U, &, and Y. Don't miss out on a project with such a fine roster of designers: Fuzzco, Justin Mezzell, Aaron Draplin, Dana Tanamachi, Jon Contino, Jessica Hische, Ross Moody.  These beautiful designs and their kindness has made us swoon. Get your pre-order on over at their website! They are currently taking pre-orders with completed sets expected to ship 1/25/13.

]]> To help raise money and awareness for the museum the printers over at Mama's Sauce have dreamed up a fundraiser that unites lovely letters and great designers. They're releasing a set of 7 letterpress printed alphabet coasters inspired by the legacy and craft of the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum.

Love Letters is made with French Paper, includes A, E, I, O, U, &, and Y. Don't miss out on a project with such a fine roster of designers: Fuzzco, Justin Mezzell, Aaron Draplin, Dana Tanamachi, Jon Contino, Jessica Hische, Ross Moody.  These beautiful designs and their kindness has made us swoon. Get your pre-order on over at their website! They are currently taking pre-orders with completed sets expected to ship 1/25/13.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/15 0 <![CDATA[Hamilton Fundraisers around the Country]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/14 http://woodtype.org/posts/14#comments Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0600 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/14 Friends of the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum have banded together to help us in our time of need. Currently there will be two fundraisers on December 15th, 2012 one in Chicago and the other in Brooklyn. A great time to come together, get some great holiday gifts, and support the museum. Information is below, but if you would like to know more please contact those organizations directly.

Center for Book and Paper Arts
Columbia College Chicago
1104 S. Wabash
2nd Fl Chicago, IL 60605

Please join us for an open house, demonstrations, and print sale with all proceeds benefiting the Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum.

As you may know, the museum is being evicted from their current historic space and is asking for your support to make their impending move possible. Please consider donating some of your time and some of your printed material into making the dream of a new facility come true.

There's no better time to spread the joy of printing than during this season of need!

For more information about donating prints, please contact:
asheridan@colum.edu

You can find more information on their facebook event page.

The Arm Letterpress
281 North 7th Street
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

The Arm will be hosting an event and poster show on Saturday, December 15th from 7PM in support of the move for Hamilton. Please come out to have a drink, check out the prints and show your support for Hamilton Wood Type!

More information can be found at their website.

]]> Friends of the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum have banded together to help us in our time of need. Currently there will be two fundraisers on December 15th, 2012 one in Chicago and the other in Brooklyn. A great time to come together, get some great holiday gifts, and support the museum. Information is below, but if you would like to know more please contact those organizations directly.

Center for Book and Paper Arts
Columbia College Chicago
1104 S. Wabash
2nd Fl Chicago, IL 60605

Please join us for an open house, demonstrations, and print sale with all proceeds benefiting the Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum.

As you may know, the museum is being evicted from their current historic space and is asking for your support to make their impending move possible. Please consider donating some of your time and some of your printed material into making the dream of a new facility come true.

There's no better time to spread the joy of printing than during this season of need!

For more information about donating prints, please contact:
asheridan@colum.edu

You can find more information on their facebook event page.

The Arm Letterpress
281 North 7th Street
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

The Arm will be hosting an event and poster show on Saturday, December 15th from 7PM in support of the move for Hamilton. Please come out to have a drink, check out the prints and show your support for Hamilton Wood Type!

More information can be found at their website.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/14 0 <![CDATA[Hamilton Wood Type must move, urgently needs funding]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/13 http://woodtype.org/posts/13#comments Tue, 13 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0600 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/13 From our press release that was posted today:
Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum will no longer reside in the building that bears its name. The property owners recently informed the museum that the 1619 Jefferson St. building in Two Rivers, Wisconsin will close and must be vacated, perhaps as early as February 2013.

Hamilton Wood Type is urgently seeking donations to address this sudden need and to protect its vast collection of wood type, antique printing equipment and rare type specimen catalogs. The museum’s director Jim Moran, artistic director Bill Moran and assistant director Stephanie Carpenter remain committed to transitioning to a new space.

“We are definitely moving and will be staying in Two Rivers,” says Jim Moran. “Unfortunately, the hopes of staying in the Hamilton building are not an option. It will be an important break in continuity for Hamilton as a manufacturer going back to 1880. However, this is an opportunity to find a location where we can better protect, preserve, organize and demonstrate this enormous and valuable collection.”

Moran estimates it will require at least $250,000 and an army of volunteers to physically move the millions of pieces of type, plates, presses, tools and raw materials. He adds, “We are humbly, but aggressively asking for cash donations.”

Donors already have pledged more than $65,000. Contributions may be made online at http://www.woodtype.org/support.

When a final date has been determined, workshops and other events at the museum will cease at least one month prior to the move. Hamilton Wood Type intends to host a farewell party with celebrated authors, professors and practitioners among the guest speakers. Hamilton will publish key dates for the move and volunteer opportunities as they are established.  

About Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum

Hamilton Wood Type began producing type in 1880 and within 20 years became the largest provider in the United States. Today, volunteers of the Two Rivers Historical Society preserve this legacy and host educational demonstrations, field trips, workshops and offer opportunities with this vast wood type collection. The museum also illustrates antique printing technologies including the production of hot metal type, hand-operated printing presses, tools of the craft and rare type specimen catalogs.

Follow Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum on Twitter at @hamiltonwoodtyp, on Facebook, on Flickr or on YouTube, or visit www.woodtype.org.

]]> From our press release that was posted today:
Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum will no longer reside in the building that bears its name. The property owners recently informed the museum that the 1619 Jefferson St. building in Two Rivers, Wisconsin will close and must be vacated, perhaps as early as February 2013.

Hamilton Wood Type is urgently seeking donations to address this sudden need and to protect its vast collection of wood type, antique printing equipment and rare type specimen catalogs. The museum’s director Jim Moran, artistic director Bill Moran and assistant director Stephanie Carpenter remain committed to transitioning to a new space.

“We are definitely moving and will be staying in Two Rivers,” says Jim Moran. “Unfortunately, the hopes of staying in the Hamilton building are not an option. It will be an important break in continuity for Hamilton as a manufacturer going back to 1880. However, this is an opportunity to find a location where we can better protect, preserve, organize and demonstrate this enormous and valuable collection.”

Moran estimates it will require at least $250,000 and an army of volunteers to physically move the millions of pieces of type, plates, presses, tools and raw materials. He adds, “We are humbly, but aggressively asking for cash donations.”

Donors already have pledged more than $65,000. Contributions may be made online at http://www.woodtype.org/support.

When a final date has been determined, workshops and other events at the museum will cease at least one month prior to the move. Hamilton Wood Type intends to host a farewell party with celebrated authors, professors and practitioners among the guest speakers. Hamilton will publish key dates for the move and volunteer opportunities as they are established.  

About Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum

Hamilton Wood Type began producing type in 1880 and within 20 years became the largest provider in the United States. Today, volunteers of the Two Rivers Historical Society preserve this legacy and host educational demonstrations, field trips, workshops and offer opportunities with this vast wood type collection. The museum also illustrates antique printing technologies including the production of hot metal type, hand-operated printing presses, tools of the craft and rare type specimen catalogs.

Follow Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum on Twitter at @hamiltonwoodtyp, on Facebook, on Flickr or on YouTube, or visit www.woodtype.org.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/13 0 <![CDATA[Reprieve!]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/12 http://woodtype.org/posts/12#comments Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/12 Last December brought more than winter. Just before Christmas, Thermo Fisher announced more layoffs in Two Rivers along with news that the plant’s operations were moving south to Texas and Mexico. Thermo Fisher is the owner of the complex that the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum resides in. A meeting with then General Manager of the plant was not encouraging. While the move was expected to take at least a year and a half, it was suggested that we make contingency plans to find a new home. There was a slight silver lining in those clouds. Should Thermo Fisher leave, the 150 office jobs in the main building would continue on site, and we could be around as long as the office was open. It must be noted that when the museum opened, it was due to the dedication of then General Manager, Mike Brown, to allow the Two Rivers Historical Society 20,000 sq. ft. of unused space to house the new museum. This came with an incredibly low lease which included heat and lights.

This year brought little more than rumor and uncertainty. With no warning, the General Manager was gone and workers spoke of the closing coming by summer. Management’s refusal to speak to city officials, much less to the museum merely raised worries of being asked to leave with little notice. By summer, plant workers were given 60 days before operations ended on September 21, 2012. In August, it became known that Thermo Fisher planned to sell off the product line completely and the building was up for sale as well. Still we received no opportunity to find out if we should pack or plan to stay for a length of time.

Finally, on October 3rd, we met with corporate VP of real estate from Thermo Fishers global headquarters in Waltham, MA, Bill Jenkins. The building was in fact up for sale but the time needed to auction the plant’s equipment and prepare for an eventual buyer would allow us heat and lights until April of 2013.

This news lets us keep our programming through winter and should a buyer emerge, we will make every effort to stay in the original building and continue running Hamilton as always.

]]> Last December brought more than winter. Just before Christmas, Thermo Fisher announced more layoffs in Two Rivers along with news that the plant’s operations were moving south to Texas and Mexico. Thermo Fisher is the owner of the complex that the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum resides in. A meeting with then General Manager of the plant was not encouraging. While the move was expected to take at least a year and a half, it was suggested that we make contingency plans to find a new home. There was a slight silver lining in those clouds. Should Thermo Fisher leave, the 150 office jobs in the main building would continue on site, and we could be around as long as the office was open. It must be noted that when the museum opened, it was due to the dedication of then General Manager, Mike Brown, to allow the Two Rivers Historical Society 20,000 sq. ft. of unused space to house the new museum. This came with an incredibly low lease which included heat and lights.

This year brought little more than rumor and uncertainty. With no warning, the General Manager was gone and workers spoke of the closing coming by summer. Management’s refusal to speak to city officials, much less to the museum merely raised worries of being asked to leave with little notice. By summer, plant workers were given 60 days before operations ended on September 21, 2012. In August, it became known that Thermo Fisher planned to sell off the product line completely and the building was up for sale as well. Still we received no opportunity to find out if we should pack or plan to stay for a length of time.

Finally, on October 3rd, we met with corporate VP of real estate from Thermo Fishers global headquarters in Waltham, MA, Bill Jenkins. The building was in fact up for sale but the time needed to auction the plant’s equipment and prepare for an eventual buyer would allow us heat and lights until April of 2013.

This news lets us keep our programming through winter and should a buyer emerge, we will make every effort to stay in the original building and continue running Hamilton as always.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/12 2 <![CDATA[Wood Type in the Digital Era]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/11 http://woodtype.org/posts/11#comments Sat, 06 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/11 P22 type foundry  and the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum are proud to announce a partnership that brings 19th Century ingenuity into relevance with the latest online technologies. This joint venture, known as the "Hamilton Wood Type Foundry" (HWT), will see a large collection of wood type designs converted into digital fonts that can be used with the latest Webfont CSS and Opentype programming abilities. P22 is working with the Hamilton Museum and other collections of scarce printed specimens as well as actual wood type to render these classic designs into fully functioning computer fonts.

Wood type first appeared on the printing scene in the early 1800s. This innovation allowed for letters to be made at very large sizes, previously not possible with metal type. As a result, posters and advertising materials underwent a massive transformation throughout the 19th Century and even more so into the 20th Century.  By 1900, The Hamilton Mfg. Co. had acquired most of its competitors in the field to become the largest manufacturer in the world. Over time, wood type for letterpress printing gave way to newer technologies and became forgotten in barns, basements, and curio cabinets. The iconic look of wood type has recently enjoyed a resurgence in popularity for its aesthetic that evokes everything from old west “wanted” posters to rock, country and blues music gig posters. However, it's mostly the handmade and hand printed sensibility that holds great appeal as something of a remedy to the omnipresent cold and clean computer design of the last decades.

The Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum in Two Rivers, Wisconsin is the only museum dedicated to the preservation, study, production and printing of wood type. With 1.5 million pieces of wood type and more than 1,000 styles and sizes of patterns, Hamilton's collection is one of the premier wood type collections in the world and an unparalleled source of research material for type designers.

P22 type foundry, an independent design house, has been making computer fonts inspired by historic lettering styles for over 18 years and currently has over 1,000 unique designs in their font offerings. P22’s attention to historical accuracy, along with acknowledgment of the source material, has made it a go-to source for iconic and important fonts including those associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement, the Bauhaus, famous artists' handwriting and the legendary London Underground lettering. The inclusion of HWT to the P22 roster is a perfect addition to the legacy of keeping classic designs relevant and usable in contemporary design.

The first release from HWT coincides with the US Presidential election season. "HWT American Chromatic" evokes classic Americana with stars and multi-color layering options. This highly decorative font set can be used in print and online display for sincere and ironic uses alike. The original design from 1857 was created as a two part font that selectively overlapped parts of each letter to achieve a third color where the inks overlapped. These 'chromatic' fonts are considered among the high points of the wood type era. Coincidentally, the latest introductions of web based typography allows for layering and transparency that directly parallels the innovations of the 19th century…for today's web use. This font will be available to the public in the first week of October 2012.

For more information or to order your font please visit the Hamilton Wood Type Foundry Website:
http://www.hamiltonwoodtype.com/

P22 Type Foundry:
http://www.p22.com/

Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum:
http://woodtype.org

Layering type with CSS z-index
http://webfonts.info/webfonts-know-how/layering-type-css-z-index

]]> P22 type foundry  and the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum are proud to announce a partnership that brings 19th Century ingenuity into relevance with the latest online technologies. This joint venture, known as the "Hamilton Wood Type Foundry" (HWT), will see a large collection of wood type designs converted into digital fonts that can be used with the latest Webfont CSS and Opentype programming abilities. P22 is working with the Hamilton Museum and other collections of scarce printed specimens as well as actual wood type to render these classic designs into fully functioning computer fonts.

Wood type first appeared on the printing scene in the early 1800s. This innovation allowed for letters to be made at very large sizes, previously not possible with metal type. As a result, posters and advertising materials underwent a massive transformation throughout the 19th Century and even more so into the 20th Century.  By 1900, The Hamilton Mfg. Co. had acquired most of its competitors in the field to become the largest manufacturer in the world. Over time, wood type for letterpress printing gave way to newer technologies and became forgotten in barns, basements, and curio cabinets. The iconic look of wood type has recently enjoyed a resurgence in popularity for its aesthetic that evokes everything from old west “wanted” posters to rock, country and blues music gig posters. However, it's mostly the handmade and hand printed sensibility that holds great appeal as something of a remedy to the omnipresent cold and clean computer design of the last decades.

The Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum in Two Rivers, Wisconsin is the only museum dedicated to the preservation, study, production and printing of wood type. With 1.5 million pieces of wood type and more than 1,000 styles and sizes of patterns, Hamilton's collection is one of the premier wood type collections in the world and an unparalleled source of research material for type designers.

P22 type foundry, an independent design house, has been making computer fonts inspired by historic lettering styles for over 18 years and currently has over 1,000 unique designs in their font offerings. P22’s attention to historical accuracy, along with acknowledgment of the source material, has made it a go-to source for iconic and important fonts including those associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement, the Bauhaus, famous artists' handwriting and the legendary London Underground lettering. The inclusion of HWT to the P22 roster is a perfect addition to the legacy of keeping classic designs relevant and usable in contemporary design.

The first release from HWT coincides with the US Presidential election season. "HWT American Chromatic" evokes classic Americana with stars and multi-color layering options. This highly decorative font set can be used in print and online display for sincere and ironic uses alike. The original design from 1857 was created as a two part font that selectively overlapped parts of each letter to achieve a third color where the inks overlapped. These 'chromatic' fonts are considered among the high points of the wood type era. Coincidentally, the latest introductions of web based typography allows for layering and transparency that directly parallels the innovations of the 19th century…for today's web use. This font will be available to the public in the first week of October 2012.

For more information or to order your font please visit the Hamilton Wood Type Foundry Website:
http://www.hamiltonwoodtype.com/

P22 Type Foundry:
http://www.p22.com/

Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum:
http://woodtype.org

Layering type with CSS z-index
http://webfonts.info/webfonts-know-how/layering-type-css-z-index

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/11 0 <![CDATA[Return to Me]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/10 http://woodtype.org/posts/10#comments Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/10 Found while looking through pattern drawers today. "Return to me." I wonder if they ever got it back.

]]> Found while looking through pattern drawers today. "Return to me." I wonder if they ever got it back.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/10 0 <![CDATA[Hamilton Open House]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/8 http://woodtype.org/posts/8#comments Thu, 26 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/8 On Sunday, July 22nd, the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum was packing ‘em in.  One hundred and thirteen visitors toured the museum, pulled a print and checked out the world’s largest collection of type.

Paper pressman’s hats were folded and worn by some. Others wandered into the pressroom to learn a bit of printing. Two presses had been set up for enthusiasts to try. One was a lock up of the state of Wisconsin with Two Rivers and Manitowoc heading the top of a poster. Lock up number two was a composition made up of a myriad of businesses from the two city’s past, including Schroeder Brothers Department Store, Mirro Aluminum, Carron Net Company, Paragon Electric and the Waverly Inn. All the cuts had been donated by Malley Printing, just a block south of the museum. Curious visitors got to crank one color on one press and do an overprint on the second.

Demonstrations of type cutting were handled by Georgie Brylski Leisch, daughter of Hamilton type cutter Norb Brylski. An exhibit of printed pieces featured posters done by students from some of the workshops taught at the museum in the last two years.

Director Jim Moran and Assistant Director Stephanie Carpenter led groups continuously through the museum, with assistance from volunteers Mari Dawson and A. J. Lorrigan. Faculty member of Silver Lake College and recent intern, Erin LaBonte kept the pressroom rolling. Visitors came from down the street to 1000 miles away. We would have to say it was quite a success. We’ll have to do it again next year.

Thanks to all who turned out and made the day a wonderful event!

]]> On Sunday, July 22nd, the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum was packing ‘em in.  One hundred and thirteen visitors toured the museum, pulled a print and checked out the world’s largest collection of type.

Paper pressman’s hats were folded and worn by some. Others wandered into the pressroom to learn a bit of printing. Two presses had been set up for enthusiasts to try. One was a lock up of the state of Wisconsin with Two Rivers and Manitowoc heading the top of a poster. Lock up number two was a composition made up of a myriad of businesses from the two city’s past, including Schroeder Brothers Department Store, Mirro Aluminum, Carron Net Company, Paragon Electric and the Waverly Inn. All the cuts had been donated by Malley Printing, just a block south of the museum. Curious visitors got to crank one color on one press and do an overprint on the second.

Demonstrations of type cutting were handled by Georgie Brylski Leisch, daughter of Hamilton type cutter Norb Brylski. An exhibit of printed pieces featured posters done by students from some of the workshops taught at the museum in the last two years.

Director Jim Moran and Assistant Director Stephanie Carpenter led groups continuously through the museum, with assistance from volunteers Mari Dawson and A. J. Lorrigan. Faculty member of Silver Lake College and recent intern, Erin LaBonte kept the pressroom rolling. Visitors came from down the street to 1000 miles away. We would have to say it was quite a success. We’ll have to do it again next year.

Thanks to all who turned out and made the day a wonderful event!

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/8 0 <![CDATA[Networking at Night]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/7 http://woodtype.org/posts/7#comments Fri, 20 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/7 Last night at the museum we hosted a Two Rivers Business Association 'Networking at Night' program. Many owners and employees from local businesses came to pull prints, learn about Hamilton's history, and see why so many people travel so far to visit our collection. It was a lively and fun evening. Our friend, Jeff Dawson, from the local Lester Public Library, took some wonderful photos of the event that you can see after the jump. Please make sure to check out more photos here on their flickr site.

]]> Last night at the museum we hosted a Two Rivers Business Association 'Networking at Night' program. Many owners and employees from local businesses came to pull prints, learn about Hamilton's history, and see why so many people travel so far to visit our collection. It was a lively and fun evening. Our friend, Jeff Dawson, from the local Lester Public Library, took some wonderful photos of the event that you can see after the jump. Please make sure to check out more photos here on their flickr site.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/7 1 <![CDATA[First Thing Today]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/6 http://woodtype.org/posts/6#comments Wed, 18 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/6 This morning blew in like a sauna full of fish, white fish. Lake Michigan simmered like a sea gull soup. The inside of the museum was dank with wilting paper and ink that refused to dry. Even the type was getting sticky and stuffy. Nothing could be kerned but the xxx condensed, the extendeds elbowed each other for space. The latins and romans grumbled from the lower cases and somebody had taken all the furniture. The pressroom slept like a gothic cathedral and some of the tuscans had wandered off. Quotes were tossed about in empty spaces, falling on deaf ears. No key would fit a quoin, the slugs refused to be locked up. Rules had been broken. It was time to turn on the lights.

]]> This morning blew in like a sauna full of fish, white fish. Lake Michigan simmered like a sea gull soup. The inside of the museum was dank with wilting paper and ink that refused to dry. Even the type was getting sticky and stuffy. Nothing could be kerned but the xxx condensed, the extendeds elbowed each other for space. The latins and romans grumbled from the lower cases and somebody had taken all the furniture. The pressroom slept like a gothic cathedral and some of the tuscans had wandered off. Quotes were tossed about in empty spaces, falling on deaf ears. No key would fit a quoin, the slugs refused to be locked up. Rules had been broken. It was time to turn on the lights.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/6 2 <![CDATA[Inaugural post]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/5 http://woodtype.org/posts/5#comments Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0500 Hamilton Wood Type Museum http://woodtype.org/posts/5 There are a lot of exciting things happening at the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum lately. To help everyone keep up with the exciting artists, designers, and groups that come to the museum we will be keeping this blog. We will update it with exciting finds that we uncover as we catalog the collection, unveil new partnerships, and print great posters. All of the staff, Jim Moran, Stephanie Carpenter, and Bill Moran will constantly post photos and information about events at the museum. There will also be guest blog posts that will expand our content and allow our friends to see what else is going on in the wood type and letterpress world.

Please leave comments. Everyone who comes to the museum or is still planning their trip has wonderful insights and stories. We would love to hear what you have to say.

]]> There are a lot of exciting things happening at the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum lately. To help everyone keep up with the exciting artists, designers, and groups that come to the museum we will be keeping this blog. We will update it with exciting finds that we uncover as we catalog the collection, unveil new partnerships, and print great posters. All of the staff, Jim Moran, Stephanie Carpenter, and Bill Moran will constantly post photos and information about events at the museum. There will also be guest blog posts that will expand our content and allow our friends to see what else is going on in the wood type and letterpress world.

Please leave comments. Everyone who comes to the museum or is still planning their trip has wonderful insights and stories. We would love to hear what you have to say.

]]> http://woodtype.org/posts/rss.xml/5 2