The fine-press printer’s art of not forgetting – with Graham Moss

At the heart of everything book-like is a printer, standing at a hand-powered press, turning paper into pages.

When you hold a book that’s been typeset in metal, printed by hand on fine paper, bound and sewn with board and cloth, you realise with a visceral whoosh just how much a book can be a work of art.

In this episode, Arthur speaks with Graham Moss, the founder of Incline Press in Oldham, near Manchester in England. Incline Press works with poets and artists to make limited-edition books with hand-set, metal type on vintage machines. This year, Graham was awarded the prestigious Cobden Sanderson Award from the Society of Bookbinders for his work in hand printing and publishing.

Graham’s deep knowledge and rich story-telling is a joy to learn from, and reminds us that, no matter the technology we use, book-making has always been about people, love, and dedication.

Links from the show:

Incline PressIncline Press on InstagramVideo: Graham Moss on the Arab PressNew Borders: the working life of Elizabeth Friedländer in the University of Victoria vault libraryElizabeth Friedländer’s ‘Elisabeth’ typeface on Bauer TypesVideo: Graham Moss on Memento Mori : Memento VivereVideo: Page-by-page review of Memento Mori : Memento Vivere by Ubiquitous BooksThe launch of Punch & JudyLiverpool Book Art exhibition, October 2024Electric Book Works