ALBION PRESS

Recently, a friend of mine suggested that I post information about his press on the web. While I'm not particularly inclined to make this blog a place to post all sorts of advertisements, I am inclined to provide some information on this press for a variety of reasons.

T.N. Lawrence and Sons has been a staple to British printmakers for well over 100 years. The press shown above is an Albion Letterpress built approximately 1825. While I have seen newer models (circa 1900) selling for as much as $15,000, I can't tell you what an actual sales price has been.

This press appears to be in close to pristine condition, and I suspect that the price is negotiable. Martin Lawrence, the current owner of the company, certainly doesn't want to sell this press for enough to retire on, but on the other hand maybe he'd like to get close.

Many years ago, the best known address in all of printmaking was No. 2, Bleeding Heart Yard, off of Grenville Street, London. It was the address of the world-famous T.N. Lawrence Company. In fairness, Bleeding Heart Yard was a car park (parking lot to we Yanks), but it was a great address nonetheless! Martin's grandfather, Stanley, was the proprietor when I first visited Lawrence back in the late '70's. He was an eccentric man, but walked on water as far as his customers were concerned. Back in those days - in fact up until just a few of years ago - Lawrence was probably best known for wood engraving blocks: e.g. boxwood, lemonwood etc. They are, of course, a full service art supply retailer who happen to sell printmaking materials too.

Martin is more of a renaissance man...a glider pilot, a sailor, husband to the brains of the family, Monica, and father of two. He's been involved in the school system and has brought T.N. Lawrence into the 21st century with class. Martin falls into that class of suppliers that we all like to know, and most importantly he stocks a great many of Graphic's products at his shop on Portland Road in Hove, Sussex. If you're ever near Hove (just west of historic Brighton), you should visit their shop, it's worth the trip.