Meet the Machine
In my print shop, you’ll find the heart of my work: ‘Morgana’, a 10x15 Chandler & Price New Style platen press. Built around 1911, this remarkable machine has seen over a century of printing history.
My press spent most of its life with the Heckscher family, passing through three generations before I purchased it from Charles in August 2022. It was already in excellent working condition when it came into my care. Since then, I’ve cleaned away the layers of dust and oil that naturally accumulate over decades, maintained its moving parts, and gradually made it my own.
Although these machines can be operated by foot pedal, This press is motorized, and the speed can be adjusted to ensure safe operation. Depending on the pace, the press can produce around 200–300 impressions per hour, though every project demands its own rhythm.
Most of my projects are wedding invitations and holiday cards, but I’m always exploring new creative possibilities. I primarily use custom polymer plates with unique designs that I create. The platen is carefully layered with packing to create the crisp, deep impression that letterpress is now known for (though it used to be considered wrong to have any impression left behind!). On occasion I work with metal type in Bulmer, a classic serif typeface I’ve been slowly cleaning and restoring in my spare time.
My printing process begins with mixing a custom ink color, referencing the Pantone swatch book to match each design precisely. I’ll lock up the plate, adjust the guides and packing, and run a blind impression to test alignment before inking. Once everything is ready, I hand-feed each sheet of paper into the press—often 100% cotton stock, which yields the most beautiful, pillowy impression. I also enjoy experimenting with richly colored card stock for a more modern look.
Operating this press is equal parts craft, patience, and respect for the machine itself. Transporting it into my garage studio was an adventure in its own right—my husband and cousins joined forces to figure out how to move something that weighs about as much as a small car. Bringing it home was exciting and nerve-wracking, but I knew it was the start of something special.
I’ve always appreciated antiques that stand the test of time, a passion I learned from my family. Owning and using this press feels like carrying a piece of history forward. Letterpress printing has also taught me to embrace imperfection: the subtle variations, the occasional ink smudge, the small adjustments that make each print unique. For someone with perfectionist tendencies, it has been an invaluable lesson—reminding me that beauty often lies in the details you can’t entirely control.
Morgana is more than just a tool—she is the foundation of my business, a link to generations of craftspeople, and a daily reminder that good things are worth the time and care they take to create.
Watch the press in action on my instagram, @SpellboundPressLLC
