The Winterbourne Press
Collecting
Over the last ten years, Winterbourne has gradually become a renowned hub for letterpress printing. It has now salvaged many presses which would otherwise have been lost. Donations of type and other equipment continue, enabling the press’ activity to expand. Winterbourne also holds a number of small table-top Adana presses, which are used for workshops.
Alongside the presses themselves, Winterbourne collects archival material linked to the printing industry, particularly material associated with small independent presses. Donors have given historical printing blocks too. A collection of blocks originally owned by the Birmingham Archaeological Society was transferred to Winterbourne from Birmingham Museums Trust, and in 2023 a major donation of printing blocks relating to a Birmingham-based lighting company was received. These are held as a working collection and may be utilised in the press in the future, to create greetings cards, posters, and other merchandise.
The emphasis on printing and typography at Winterbourne also has an impact on the cataloguing and use of other collections. Archival objects, such as minute books and ledgers, often have labels identifying the printers and stationers who supplied them. These details are often overlooked by museums and archives when objects are being catalogued. At Winterbourne, any information that can be gleaned from an object regarding the printers involved with its production is recorded on the catalogue record. Moreover, items such as industrial catalogues have been used along with more directly print-related material in handling sessions and presentations focusing on print history and design.
