Any Key Press

Spooky season forever! 🕷️

It’s always such a treat when we get to see our mirror clings in action. This spider web design for Wayne and Maggie is part of our recently updated collection on Etsy.

Perfectly moody photography by .photography

Meet Lucy, aka Otto

She’s a 10x15 Heidelberg Windmill, black ball platen press. The serial number of 31116E suggests she dates back to 1948.

She’s an amazing press that was my first windmill. Came from General Press in Scarborough, primarily used for diecutting. I did diecutting and ink until she needed some repairs. Everything is now in operating order, parts replaced and press was properly serviced in December 2024.

She has some quirks due to the nature of being an older style model, but I found s that fewer moving parts was actually easier to learn. No impact on functionality and capacity.

I love this press and want it to go to a home where she can still chug along!

$2000CAD or best offer.
Can help arrange freight/moving, but she HAS to be out by January 30th. Please confirm interest by January 22nd, or scrappers will take her away.

Comes with:
- parts manual, operating manual, a copy of Hints for the Pressman published by Heidelberg.
- 4 chases
- ink
- a set of Hi-Speed Quoins and wood furniture
- wrenches and other small tools
- trucks and rollers

Meet mystery font #808 Venus Bold Extended

Originally released in 1907 by the Bauer Type Foundry in Germany and distributed in North America by Bauer Alphabets of New York, this is a chunky Sans Serif with Art Nouveau and Secessionist influences that can be seen be seen in the stroke terminals (C,S,5) and unusually high waisted capitals (R,G,E). This one was popular in the early to mid 20th century until unfortunately it fell into a bit of obscurity in the digital age.

No direct digital reproduction of this font exists other than a very close copy called Vonnes released in 2007 by the godfather of type David Berlow.

We have several sizes of this font available for sale, brand new in package when it was cast in Toronto by the Prince and Smith Foundry. Not sure about the date of production, but would say mid-50s to 60s. The curious thing is that so far we’ve found no record that anyone other than Bauer Alphabets of NYC had licensing to reproduce this font. Time for some sleuthing!