About the Westchester Chappel
The Westchester Chappel is a small private group of men and women who share a common interest in practical letterpress printing. (In 1800’s England, the local craft union of printers was known as a chappel and all of our original members resided in Westchester – hence our name.) Similar chappels exist elsewhere in the United States.
Members must own a printing press or must have ready access to one. Besides setting type by hand or with typecasting machines, members can also use modern photopolymer plates. The basic essential is that the actual printing must be done by hand on a letterpress printing press, i.e., no offset printing, photocopying, etc. In addition to their common interest in letterpress printing, members often also are interested in and work at other aspects of the Art of the Book such as, typography, graphic design, paper making, and bookbinding.
Currently meetings are held four times a year in members’ houses and their cramped home print shops. Hence, membership is limited and is by invitation only.
Since its inception in 1960, the Chappel has undertaken to produce a calendar as an annual group project with each member printing a page. From time to time, the Chappel has also undertaken other group printing projects such the history of each of the member presses, and a collection of favorite recipes. Throughout the year, members print a wide variety of items for their own pleasure and use which they usually share with other members during a “Show and Tell” portion of a Chappel meeting. An inviolate code of the hobby printer is that he/she will never take work away from a commercial printer who makes his livelihood from printing.
While letterpress printing has long ceased to be the means by which books, newspapers and all printed material was produced, it has made a resurgence as a high-end specialized hand craft for those who want and appreciate fine letterpress printing, and either individually or collectively, members are often asked to speak about letterpress printing and/or give printing demonstrations at schools and organizations.
For further information about the Westchester Chappel, contact
Read MoreMembers must own a printing press or must have ready access to one. Besides setting type by hand or with typecasting machines, members can also use modern photopolymer plates. The basic essential is that the actual printing must be done by hand on a letterpress printing press, i.e., no offset printing, photocopying, etc. In addition to their common interest in letterpress printing, members often also are interested in and work at other aspects of the Art of the Book such as, typography, graphic design, paper making, and bookbinding.
Currently meetings are held four times a year in members’ houses and their cramped home print shops. Hence, membership is limited and is by invitation only.
Since its inception in 1960, the Chappel has undertaken to produce a calendar as an annual group project with each member printing a page. From time to time, the Chappel has also undertaken other group printing projects such the history of each of the member presses, and a collection of favorite recipes. Throughout the year, members print a wide variety of items for their own pleasure and use which they usually share with other members during a “Show and Tell” portion of a Chappel meeting. An inviolate code of the hobby printer is that he/she will never take work away from a commercial printer who makes his livelihood from printing.
While letterpress printing has long ceased to be the means by which books, newspapers and all printed material was produced, it has made a resurgence as a high-end specialized hand craft for those who want and appreciate fine letterpress printing, and either individually or collectively, members are often asked to speak about letterpress printing and/or give printing demonstrations at schools and organizations.
For further information about the Westchester Chappel, contact
