The Penrith Museum of Printing is holding an event this Saturday, taking place at 2:30pm, in which it will look at the invention of letterpress in the West, focusing on Johann Gutenberg, and Laurens Janszoon Koster.
Peter Butterworth, who originally trained in compositing, will be giving the talks. Butterworth has previously received awards for typographical design competitions, and completed the City & Guilds of London Institute final examination in Compositors Work in 1965.
The talks will look at the history of letterpress, including newer findings which indicate that Gutenberg’s movable type may have been sand cast, rather than produced in metal moulds.
“If true, this would indicate that the development of Western printing technology was somewhat more gradual than previously thought,” says Butterworth.
The talks will also look at potential predecessors to Gutenberg, including Koster, and Italian Pamfilo Castaldi.
It is the first in a new series of events from the volunteers, as after a long process, the Penrith Museum of Printing has now finished its renovations, with additional space added to house equipment, and give visitors more room to manoeuvre.
Butterworth says, “Meet-up Cogitamus (thinking) is a forum for people interested in graphic art, letters, books and design.
“The Penrith Museum of Printing organises regular informative presentations, which will each highlight a single aspect within the target audience.
“The presentations are set in the atmosphere of the museums 1940 letterpress print house. Through a multitude of good visual content presentations it will provide the audience, food for thought and to consistently push the boundaries around one's own knowledge.”
The Penrith Museum of Printing is located in the grounds of the Penrith Showground/Paceway, Ransley Street Penrith, NSW.
You can find out more at the museum’s website, www.printingmuseum.org.au or by contacting volunteers by phone, 0415 625 573.
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