Pied Oxen Printers

This keepsake, specially produced in memory of Will Noel, was printed on an 1848 Hopkinson and Cope Albion hand-press at a July 23, 2024 workshop at Pied Oxen Printers, in Hopewell, New Jersey. The printing was done by students enrolled in the Rare Book School course, Fifteenth-Century Books in Print and Manuscript, taught July 21-26, 2024 at Princeton University Library by Paul Needham and Eric White. Design, asemic writing, hand-setting of types, and dampening of paper were done by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers, who also guided the workshop. The types are Libra, designed by S. H. de Roos for the Typefoundry Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, Solemnis, by G. G. Lange for the Foundry Berthold in Berlin, Germany, and Garamond 156, based upon the 16th century designs of Jean Jannon and cast by various unidentified monotype type-casters. The asemic writing was printed from magnesium photoengravings made to the artist’s specifications by Owosso Graphic Arts in Owosso, Michigan. The paper, printed dampened, is vintage J. Whatman, mould-made in 1951 at a mill then located near Maidstone in Kent, England. The edition comprises 40 copies, of which copies 1-25 are for the participants, the Rare Book School and Princeton University Library, and copies 26-40 are the printer’s proofs.

This broadside is specially printed on the occasion of the 99th session for the Middlebury Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, August 14-24, 2024, Ripton, Vermont. The text is from Toni Morrison’s essay “Black Matter(s)” in The Source of Self-Regard.” Design, artwork, hand-setting of types and letterpress printing are by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers, Hopewell, New Jersey. The types are Stempel Palatino and Michelangelo, and monotype Garamond 156. The paper is Arches BFK Rives. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proofing press was done (date) the week of July 15, 2024. The edition comprises 99 copies, numbered 1-99 for The Writers Conference, plus 20 printer’s proofs numbered I-XX.

Phi Beta Kappa poem written for the May 27, 2024 induction of new members, and read by the poet at the ceremony in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall. This first edition of The Yellow Brick Road was specially produced for Beta of New Jersey for presentation to inductees. Design, artwork, hand-setting of metal types, letterpress printing and binding are by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers. The type is Monotype Garamond 156, cast by Bixler Typefoundry, and foundry Libra, cast by Typefoundry Amsterdam. The cover paper was hand-made by Papeterie Saint-Armand in Montreal. The Rives BFK text paper was cylinder mould-made at the Arches paper mill in the Vosges, France. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proof press was done May 2024. The edition comprises 190 copies, numbered 1-170 for inductees, Beta of New Jersey and the poet, and I-XX for the printer’s proofs, each signed by the poet.

This edition of “May Peace Come” is specially produced for the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English. Design, artwork, hand-setting of types and letterpress printing are by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers. The types are Monotype Garamont 248 and Garamond 156. The paper is Rives Heavyweight, made at the Arches Mill in the Vosges Region of France. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proofing press was done January 2024. The edition comprises 65 copies signed by the poet, numbered 1-50 for Bread Loaf and the poet, and I-XV for the printer’s proofs. “May Peace Come” is ©2009 by Ruth Forman and is reprinted from Prayers Like Shoes with permission of the author and Whit Press.

This keepsake was printed on an 1848 Hopkinson and Cope Albion hand-press on the occasion of the July 11, 2023 workshop at Pied Oxen Printers, in Hopewell, New Jersey. The printing was done by students enrolled in the Rare Book School course, Fifteenth-Century Books in Print and Manuscript, taught July 9-14, 2023 at Princeton University Library by Paul Needham, William Noel, and Eric White.

Design, artwork and hand-typesetting were done by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers, who also guided the workshop. The types are Caslon, cast by Stephenson Blake in Sheffield, England, and Johnson Type Foundry in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The paper is vintage J. Whatman, mould-made and watermarked 1951 at a mill then located near Maidstone in Kent, England.

The edition comprises 40 copies, 1-25 for participants and 26-40 for the printer.

Phi Beta Kappa poem written for, and read by the poet in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall on the occasion of, the May 29, 2023 induction of new members. This first edition of The Sovereign of Bonneville was specially produced for Beta of New Jersey, for presentation to inductees. Design, artwork, hand-setting of foundry types, letterpress printing and binding are by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers. The type is Monotype Garamond 156 and foundry Solemnis. The paper was made by Papeterie Saint-Armand in Montreal, specially hand-made for the covers and Fourdrinier machine-made for the text. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proof press was done May 2023. The edition comprises 190 copies, numbered 1-170 for inductees, Beta of New Jersey and the poet, and I-XX for the printer’s proofs, each signed by the poet.

This first edition of Auras was designed, hand-set, printed, and sewn by members of ENG 573: Making Books during the Spring Semester of 2023. This class of was co-taught by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers in Hopewell NJ, and by Claudia L. Johnson, Murray Professor of English Literature in the English Department at Princeton University.

The types are Monotype Garamond 156 and Garamont 248, printed on dampened Somerset Book Wove paper made by St Cuthberts Mill in the City of Wells, England, and Colour papers made by Papeterie St Armand in Montreal, Canada. Printing was done on a circa 1840 Frederick Ullmer Albion hand-press located in the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Firestone Library, Princeton University.

David Sellers restored the press. He also loaned the types and letterpress tools for this occasion and created the artwork with the participation of the student printers.

The edition comprises 40 copies.

See also Teaching With Collections: Making Books, an article in the Princeton University Library Newsletter (June 13, 2023) at: https://library.princeton.edu/news/general/2023-06-13/teaching-collections-making-books

“Diwrnod arall yn dost yn y gwely” was commissioned by Cultural Cwtsh Creadigol. This first edition in Welsh and English translation, Another Day Ill in Bed, would have been printed by students in a workshop in the Printer’s Cabin at the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English, in Ripton, Vermont, were it not for an untimely outbreak of Covid-19. Instead, David Sellers, who would have guided the workshop, did the printing on a Vandercook Universal I press, in addition to doing the design, artwork, and hand-setting of types, at Pied Oxen Printers, in Hopewell, New Jersey. The paper is Arches BFK Rives, made in Arches, France. The types are historic and venerable Caslon, the roman cast by Stephenson Blake in Sheffield, England, and the italics cast by Johnson Typefoundry in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The edition comprises 60 copies, numbered 1-50, and 10 printer’s proofs, numbered I-X, each signed by the poet. Printing was done August 2022.

This chapbook was designed, printed and sewn by the 2022 Graduate Letterpress Workshop. The types are Monotype Garamond 156 & Garamont no. 248, and foundry Shadow, hand-set and printed with a Vandercook Universal I press on Papeterie Saint-Armand Canal & textured Colour papers. David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers, guided the workshop, and the English Department of Princeton University provided support. The edition, printed in Hopewell, New Jersey, from February to April 2022, comprises 60 copies. The 2022 Graduate Letterpress Workshop members were Claudia L. Johnson, Mary Kate Guma, Isaac Harrison Louth, Jane Hines, Mitali Tase and Chloe E. Wheeler.

This keepsake was printed on an 1848 Hopkinson and Cope Albion hand-press on the occasion of the June 26, 2022 workshop at Pied Oxen Printers, in Hopewell, New Jersey.

The printing was done by students enrolled in the Rare Book School course, Fifteenth Century Books in Print and Manuscript, taught June 26-July 1, 2022 at Princeton University Library by Paul Needham, William Noel, and Eric White, who also printed.

Design and hand-typesetting were done by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers, who also guided the workshop.

The types are American Uncial Initials, designed by Victor Hammer in 1955 and cast by Klingspor Type Foundry, Offenbach am Main, Germany, and venerable Caslon, the roman cast by Stephenson Blake in Sheffield, England and the italics cast by Johnson Type Foundry in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, in Pennsylvania.

The paper is vintage J. Whatman, mould-made in 1951 at a mill then located near Maidstone in Kent, England.

The edition comprises fewer than 20 copies for the participants and 17 numbered printer's proofs.

Phi Beta Kappa poem written for, and read by the poet in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall, on the occasion of the May 23, 2022 induction of new members. This first edition of Four Seasons was specially produced for Beta of New Jersey, for presentation to inductees. Design, artwork, hand-setting of foundry types, letterpress printing and binding are by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers. The type is Monotype Garamond 156 and Garamont 248. The paper was made by Papeterie Saint-Armand in Montreal, hand-made for the covers and Fourdrinier machine-made for the text. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proof press was done May 2022. The edition comprises 190 copies, numbered 1-170 for inductees, Beta of New Jersey and the poet, and I-XX for the printer’s proofs, each signed by the poet.

The Chairs of the Friends of Princeton University Library was produced in April 2022. The images spanning the covers and surrounding the text are, respectively, derived from pages in The Scheide Library collection’s Psalterium Cum Canticis et Hymnis (Mainz, 1457), and Gutenberg Bible (Mainz, 1456). Design, hand-setting of foundry types, letterpress printing, and binding are by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers. The types are Solemnis, designed by G. G. Lange for Berthold Typefoundry, and Garamont 248, designed by Frederick Goudy for Lanston Monotype. The paper was made in Montreal by Papeterie Saint-Armand, by hand for the covers, and by Fourdrinier Machine for the text. Printing was done by a Vandercook Universal I proof- press in Hopewell, New Jersey. The edition comprises 400 copies, numbered 1-400 for the Friends, and I-XX for the printer’s proofs.

This keepsake was printed by the Student Friends of Princeton University Library, using an 1848 Hopkinson and Cope Albion hand-press, on the occasion of a workshop at Pied Oxen Printers, in Hopewell, New Jersey, April 1, 2022. Design and hand-typesetting are by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers.The types are Solemnis, designed by G. G. Lange, and cast by H. Berthold in Berlin, and venerable Caslon, designed by William Caslon I, the roman cast by Stephenson Blake in Sheffield, England, and the italics cast by Johnson Type Foundry in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The paper is Arches BFK Rives, printed dampened. The edition comprises 25 copies, 13 for the participants and 12 for the printer.

Nobody by Rowan Ricardo Phillips

Phi Beta Kappa poem written for, and read by the poet on the occasion of the May 24, 2021 induction of new members. This first edition of Nobody was specially produced for Beta of New Jersey, for presentation to inductees. Design, artwork, hand-setting of foundry types, letterpress printing and binding are by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers. The type is Palatino, designed by Hermann Zapf and cast in Germany by D. Stempel AG. The text paper is Arches BFK Rives, made in France. The cover paper is specially hand-made in Montreal by Papeterie Saint-Armand. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proof press was done May 2021. The edition comprises 190 copies, numbered 1-170 for inductees, Beta of New Jersey and the poet, and I-XX for the printer’s proofs, each signed by the poet.

Hopewell, NJ, 2020.

Phi Beta Kappa poem written and recorded for the occasion of the 2020 induction of new members. This first edition of Life As We Know It was produced for Beta of New Jersey. Design, artwork, hand-setting of foundry types, letterpress printing and binding are by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers. The types are Palatino and Sistina,* designed by Hermann Zapf and cast in Germany by D. Stempel AG, and proprietary Tuscan Enorm, designed by Edwin H. Denby. The text paper is Arches Rives, made in Arches, France. The cover paper is hand-made in Montreal by Papeterie Saint-Armand. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proof press was done May 2020. The edition comprises 190 copies, numbered 1-170 for inductees, Beta of New Jersey and the poet, and I-XX for the printer’s proofs, each signed by the poet.

*Correction: The colophon incorrectly reads “Michelangelo,” a Palatino related but different typeface by Hermann Zapf.

Ripton, VT & Hopewell, NJ, 2019.

First edition. Broadside printed in a workshop at the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English, with finishing touches at Pied Oxen Printers. Workshop participants operated a foot-treadled Chandler & Price platen press in Bread Loaf’s Printer’s Cabin. Design, artwork, hand-setting of types and finishing touches printed on a Vandercook Universal I press by David Sellers, who guided the workshop. The paper is Arches Velin BFK Rives. The foundry-cast types are Optima, designed by Hermann Zapf and foundry-cast in Germany by D. Stempel AG. Artwork printed from copper photoengravings made from the original drawing. 56 copies plus 15 printer’s proofs signed by the author and enclosed in a letterpress printed archival envelope. 7 1/4 x 10 1/4 inches.

Hopewell, NJ, 2019.

Broadside produced for the Fine Press Book Association periodical, Parenthesis 37, “Keepsake Portfolio.” Design, hand-setting of types and letterpress printing by David Sellers, with participation of Ali McTar and Theano Stavrinos. The texts are by an anonymous 17th c. English author, Immanual Kant, Karl Marx, and Robert Walser. The types are Palatino, designed by Hermann Zapf and cast by D. Stempel AG, and Edwin H. Denby’s proprietary “Enorm.” The paper is Somerset Book Wove. Printing was done in June 2019 on a Vandercook Universal I press. 120 copies signed and numbered by the printer, 1-100 for the Keepsake Portfolio, and I-XX for the press.

Hopewell, NJ, 2019.

Phi Beta Kappa poem read by the poet in Richardson Auditorium, June 3, 2019. This first edition of Metamorphosis, The Rose Tree was produced for Beta of New Jersey for the 2019 induction ceremony. Design, artwork, hand-setting of foundry types, letterpress printing and binding are by David Sellers, Pied Oxen Printers. The type is Optima, designed by Hermann Zapf and cast in Germany by D. Stempel AG. The text paper is Velin BFK Rives made in Arches, France. The cover paper is hand-made in Montreal by Papeterie Saint-Armand. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proof press was done April-May 2019. The edition comprises 190 copies, numbered 1-170 for inductees, Beta of New Jersey and the poet, and I-XX for the printer’s proofs, each signed by the poet.

Hopewell, NJ, 2019.

Chapbook designed, printed and bound by the Graduate Letterpress Workshop, comprising graduate students and a faculty member of the Department of English, Princeton University, which supported the project. Artwork by David Sellers, who guided the workshop. The type is American Type Founders Garamond 459 and 460, hand-set and printed on a Vandercook Universal I press. Papers are Somerset Book Wove and Papeterie St-Armand. 50 copies plus printer’s proofs, done April-May 2019.

Pied Oxen designed, hand-set and printed four broadsides (title page, essay, colophon and a poem) for the Oak Knoll Fest XX Portfolio, commemorating the twentieth fine press book fair organized by Oak Knoll Books and held in New Castle, Delaware, October 5-7, 2018. The poem, Ink Litany, is excerpted from Anne Waldman’s Extinction Aria, first published by Pied Oxen Printers in 2017 and reprinted for Fest XX with the poet’s permission. The Canal Paper used for all four broadsides was made in Montreal by La Papeterie Saint-Armand. The types are ATF’s Garamond 459 and 460, Monotype’s Garamont 248, and proprietary types designed by Edwin H. Denby. Done in September 2018, the edition comprises 80 Arabic numbered copies for the Portfolio. Twenty additional copies of Ink Litany are Roman numeral proofs for the poet and printer. Pied Oxen’s four broadsides, together with broadsides contributed by other participating presses, were enclosed in a portfolio specially made in Fridley, Minnesota by Campbell-Logan Bindery.

Ripton, VT & Hopewell, NJ, 2018.

First edition. Broadside printed in a workshop at the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English, with finishing touches at Pied Oxen Printers. Workshop participants operated a foot-treadled Chandler & Price platen press in Bread Loaf’s Printer’s Cabin. Design, hand-setting of types and finishing touches printed on a Vandercook Universal I press by David Sellers, who guided the workshop. The paper is Papeterie St-Armand textured, made in Montreal. The types are Palatino & Sistina, designed by Hermann Zapf and foundry-cast in Germany by D. Stempel AG. Artwork printed from magnesium photoengraving made from the original drawing. 60 copies plus printer’s proofs signed by the poet and enclosed in a letterpress printed archival envelope.

See also the Poet’s “Lips.”

About the poet.

About the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English.

“Refuge” was written as the closing statement to the conference Seeking Refuge: Faith-Based Approaches to Forced Migration, which took place at Princeton University on March 3 and 4, 2017. Seeking Refuge was hosted by the University's Office of Religious Life and co-sponsored by the Community of Sant'Egidio. The type is Optima, designed by Hermann Zapf and foundry-cast in Germany by D. Stempel AG. The paper is vintage Arches, enclosed in a letterpress-printed archival envelope. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proof press was done June-July 2018. The edition comprises 80 copies plus 10 printer’s proofs. Each copy is signed by the poet.

See also the poet’s “After a Line by Goethe.”

About the poet.

Phi Beta Kappa poem read by the poet in Richardson Auditorium, June 4, 2018. First edition. The type is Optima, designed by Hermann Zapf and cast in Germany by D. Stempel AG. The paper is Somerset Book Wove for the text, mould-made in England by St Cuthberts Mill, and a textured hand-made for the covers, specially produced in Montreal by Papeterie Saint-Armand. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proof press was done May 2018. 190 copies, numbered 1-170 for inductees, Beta of New Jersey and the poet, and I-XX for the printer’s proofs. Each copy signed by the poet.

About the poet

Hopewell, NJ, 2018.

Broadside edition celebrating Frances C. Ferguson, the 2017 Bain-Swiggett Professor of Poetry, in the Department of English at Princeton University, as well as her Fall 2017 graduate seminar, Poetics-Poetic Realism. The types are Stephenson & Blake Caslon and American Type Founders Caslon 471, printed on Rives Lightweight (buff) paper using a Vandercook Universal I press. Thirty copies numbered 1-30, plus five printer's proofs designated I-V. 

About the poem

About the poet

Ripton, VT & Hopewell, NJ, 2017.

First edition. Broadside printed in a workshop at the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English, with finishing touches at Pied Oxen Printers. Workshop participants operated a foot-treadled Chandler & Price platen press in Bread Loaf’s Printer’s Cabin. Design, hand-setting of types and finishing touches printed on a Vandercook Universal I press by David Sellers, who guided the workshop. The paper is Stonehenge. The types are Folio, designed by Konrad Bauer and Walter Baum and foundry-cast in Germany by Bauer, and Denby Enorm, designed by Edwin H. Denby, and photoengraved onto type-high blocks. 60 copies signed by the poet and enclosed in a letterpress printed archival envelope.

See also the poet’s “Too Far.”

About the poet

About the Middlebury Bread Loaf workshop

Princeton, NJ, 2017.

Chapbook anthology designed, printed and bound by the Letterpress Workshop 2017, consisting of a small group of faculty, graduate students and staff, largely from the Department of English at Princeton. The verse includes poems by Jeff Dolven, Meredith Martin, Esther Schor, Jennifer Soong, Susan Stewart, and Kate Thorp. David Sellers guided the project. The hand-set types included Stephenson & Blake Caslon, Stempel Optima and Palatino and American Type Founders Garamond 459 & 460, printed on Somerset paper and sewn into hand-made Papeterie Saint-Armand paper wrappers. 50 numbered copies.

Princeton, NJ, 2017.

2017 Phi Beta Kappa poem read by the poet in Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, June 5, 2017. First edition. Types are hand-set Palatino for the verse and Sistina for the titles, both designed by Hermann Zapf and cast in Germany by D. Stempel AG. Paper is Frankfurt for the text, mould-made in Germany by Zerkall, and St. Armand for the covers, hand-made in Montreal by Papeterie Saint-Armand. Letterpress printed archival envelope. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proof press done May 2017. 190 signed copies, numbered 1-170 and I-XX.

About the poet 

Princeton, NJ, 2016. 

2016 Phi Beta Kappa poem read by the poet in Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, May 31, 2016. First edition. Types are hand-set American Type Founders Garamond 459 for the verse, designed by Morris Benton and cast by American Typefounders, and Solemnis for the title, designed by G. Gerhard Lange and cast by H. Berthold AG. Paper is Somerset Velvet. Letterpress printed archival envelope. Printing on a Vandercook Universal I proof press done May 2016. 190 signed copies, numbered 1-170 and I-XX.

About the poet

Princeton, NJ, 2015.

2015 Phi Beta Kappa Poem read by the poet in Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, June 1, 2015. First edition. Types are hand-set Monotype and foundry Univers 55 and 56, designed by Adrian Frutiger, printed on Somerset Book Wove using a Vandercook SP 20 proof press. Binding in two different color combinations of Tiziano cover and Hahnemühle Bugra wrapper papers. 200 signed copies, numbered 1-175 and I-XXV.

About the poet

Princeton, NJ, 2014.

First edition. 14 x 18 1/2 inches. Broadside commissioned by Princeton University Concerts on the occasion of a reading by the poet, and performance by the pianist Richard Goode, in a concert at Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall, on the campus of Princeton University, March 9, 2014. The type is foundry Stempel Palatino, printed on Zerkall Book. 50 numbered copies signed the poet and the pianist.

About the poet

About the pianist

Princeton, NJ, 2014.

2014 Phi Beta Kappa Poem read by the poet in Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, June 2, 2014. First edition. Hand-setting of type, presswork and binding done by Sarah Matherly (GS-History) and David Sellers, who guided the effort.Types are Monotype Centaur and Arrighi, respectively designed by Bruce Rogers and Frederick Warde, printed on Somerset Velvet paper using a Vandercook SP 20 letterpress. Letterpress printed archival envelope. 200 signed copies, numbered 1-175 and I-XXV.

About the poet

Princeton, NJ, 2013.

2013 Phi Beta Kappa Poem read by the poet in Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, June 3, 2013. First edition. Types are Monotype Sans Serif, designed by Sol Hess, and Bauer foundry-cast Folio, designed by Konrad Bauer and Walter Baum, printed on Somerset Book Wove paper using a Vandercook SP 20 letterpress. Binding in Tiziano cover papers. 158 copies signed by the poet, plus 20 unpublished printer’s proofs, with variant title and cover design using foundry-cast Profil types, numbered i-xx and signed by the printer only.

About the poet
 

Princeton, NJ, 2012.

2012 Phi Beta Kappa Poem read by the poet in Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, June 4, 2012. First edition. David Sellers instructed and guided hand-setting of type, presswork and binding done by students. Type is Monotype Garamond 156, printed on Somerset Bookwove paper using a Vandercook SP 20 letterpress. Binding in several different color combinations of Hahnemühle Bugra wrappers over Fabriano Murillo covers. 225 signed copies, numbered 1-175 and roman numerals I-L.

See also the poet’s “Refuge.”

About the poet

Princeton, NJ, 2011.

2011 Phi Beta Kappa Poem read by the poet in Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, May 30, 2011. First edition. Type is Stephenson & Blake foundry-cast Caslon, printed on Somerset Satin paper using a Vandercook SP 20 letterpress. 190 signed copies, numbered 1-175 and roman numerals i-xv.

About the poet