press
Originally designed and manufactured in Chicago (circa 1914), under the Horace Hacker & Co. trademark, Paone secured a rare Poco Proof Press Number Zero from East Lansing, Michigan and coordinated its delivery to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Arie C. Koelewyn of The Paper Airplane Press, held the equipment in a state of suspended animation for many years. Upon receipt, Paone undertook a comprehensive restoration of the 210-pound, single fixed-cylinder, cast iron press. Confirmed by an engraved serial number on its bed-rail, all components were original and in need of considerable repair. Where necessary, Paone sourced parts through national search to equate original specifications. After a two-year, painstaking restoration, the press was returned to its original state and recognized as “museum-quality” for Paone’s level of detail and craftsmanship.
paper
Hand-crafted sheets of mould-made paper are the preferred vehicle to deliver the impressions of our vintage types. It is only fitting, that a well considered surface carry the message of our work. Paper stocks from Arches, milled in France; Fabriano, milled in Italy; and Crane & Co., Legion and Strathmore, all milled in the United States, are just a few of the choice selections perpetually inventoried at papo letterpress. In our effort to sustain ecological virtue, all of our stocks are 100% cotton, acid free, PH neutral, and hold FSC Certification.
ink
papo letterpress makes exclusive use of printing inks by Van Son, a Dutch ink manufacturer with a 200-year heritage. Our exacting sensibility in color theory demands a proven resource in the studio, which Van Son has consistently demonstrated on press. Paone believes the color depth and archival quality of their inks, provide unequaled customization of chroma and transparency, allowing for the greatest control and widest possible range in chromatic fidelity and subtlety.
tools
Craftsmen require aids to the hands as well as the eyes — occasionally, also to the spirit. The studio continues to source beautiful vintage letterpress printing tools once owned by masters of The Black Art, to raise the equilibrium of the mind, as we draw inspiration from these genuine articles used more than a century ago. Expertly crafted ancient brass, copper, iron and old-growth wooden artifacts, with their souls and patinas intact, breathe life into our craftsmanship and the artwork we are privileged to create each day at papo letterpress.