The History of Printing Houses

Early printing houses (near the time of Gutenberg) were run by "master printers."  These printers owned shops, selected and edited manuscripts, determined the sizes of print runs, sold the works they produced, raised capital and organized distribution. Some master printing houses, like that of Aldus Manutius, became the cultural center for literati such as Erasmus.

• Print shop apprentices: Apprentices, usually between the ages of 15 and 20, worked for master printers.  Apprentices were not required to be literate, and literacy rates at the time were very low, in comparison to today.  Apprentices prepared ink, dampened sheets of paper, and assisted at the press.  An apprentice who wished to learn to become a compositor had to learn Latin and spend time under the supervision of a journeyman.
• Journeyman printers: After completing their apprenticeships, journeyman printers were free to move employers.  This facilitated the spread of printing to areas that were less print-centered.
• Compositors: Those who set the type for printing.
• Pressmen: The person who worked the press. This was physically labour-intensive.

The earliest-known image of a European, Gutenberg-style print shop is the Dance of Death by Matthias Huss, at Lyon, 1499.  This image depicts a compositor standing at a compositor's case being grabbed by a skeleton. The case is raised to facilitate his work.  At the right of the printing house a bookshop is shown. 

Samples of Products we've done

Check out these samples of things we have done.

These are foil business cards we made for Dealer Hive.

Here is a product booklet we did for Alder & Tweed Furniture.

We also do name tags, this is one we did for 7 Eleven.

This is another one we did for Alder & Tweed, they are furniture tags.

3 things to look for in picking a printing company

Do you need to find someone to do a printing job for you but it seems like everyone claims to provide the best services at an affordable cost?  It's good to carry out thorough research to know about the services of a printing company before selecting one.  Three things to take into consideration are:

1. Types of printers: Advanced machines, preferably digital printers, are more reliable to fulfill your needs.  Ink quality should also play an important role.
2. Capable workforce: A printing company that has experienced and skilled employees is more likely to exceed your expectations.
3. Cost effective: Make sure that the company offers cost effective services that fit your budget.  Custom printing with an affordable company can save money as long as it does not compromise on quality and standards.