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A celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the invention of Lithography was the central focus of this year’s Bartholomew Tide Book Arts Fair at the Mackenzie House Printery in Queenstone, Ontario.
Taken from the Mackenzie House Printery Bookmark
The Museum had prepared a small book entitled "Written on Stone" that gave a brief history of the art of lithography. Visitors to the Museum could see the preparation of the book through all its various stages.
The Guild was once again invited to attend and, this year as well as producing hand-lettered bookmarks, also wrote dedications in the books being bound at the Printery. Van Huizen Bookbinders from St. Catharines was on hand busily binding the books after the Guild members had written the dedications.
An example of a bookmark lettered by the Guild Members
To celebrate the invention of lithography, the newly open lithography studio was in full production producing prints from lithographic stones.
Lithograph insert to the 'Written on Stone' book prepared by Robert Creighton, Resident Lithographer
Printing, using images incised on stone, wood and other materials, has been with us for many centuries. These methods were essentially relief printing, in the same style as the raised lettering used for type. Lithography uses the principle that oil and water do not mix. To start with, the image is drawn on the stone with a crayon or ink and the stone is washed with dilute nitric acid and gum arabic. This fixes the image. The grease from the ink is absorbed by the stone and leaves a greasy residue. The surface of the stone is then dampened and water is absorbed in the non-greasy areas. A thin layer of ink is then applied to the stone using a roller. The ink is repelled from the damp areas and adheres only on the greasy areas. After the excess ink is removed the printing paper is pressed on the stone using scraper press, thus transferring the image from the stone to the paper.
Alois Senefelder, inventor of lithography
Given the time taken to produce a single impression it is understandable why, like Calligraphy, more modern and speedy reproduction processes have overtaken this ancient art.
The Museum has an extensive range of printing presses including the only few wooden press in Canada. Also on show is a typesetting area, which includes a Linotype machine, donated by the St. Catharines Standard. Watching it spit out, quite literally, a line of HOT type is a wonder to behold, perhaps even more fascinating though is the mechanism for returning the type molds to their correct location within the machine.
The Bartholomew tide feast was traditionally a meal given to printers at the time of year when it became necessary for them to start using artificial light at the end of the working day. In keeping with that tradition a fine bag lunch was provided to out hard working crew. Thanks to Helen, Barb, Neil and Yvonne, also to Alison Judd for inviting us again and organizing the event.