Letterpress printing the Sacramento History Museum’s 2024 holiday card

It has become a tradition here at the Sacramento History Museum to send out holiday cards to our donors and supporters of our institution. These holiday cards (300 this year) were printed using one of our printing presses we have on display in our print shop exhibit, the 10x15 Chandler & Price Gordon-style jobbing press that was manufactured in Cleveland, Ohio in 1902.

While many visitors, especially school children who have visited during a school program, may have seen how this press operates, not many people get to see all the steps involved in the printing process.

In this video, Howard and Jared demonstrate inking the press and operating the press recorded from different camera angles. This video was filmed in segments as Howard and Jared printed the front and back cover of the card with green rubber base ink.

The front of the card includes an image of a valley oak tree. The text reads, “Have a TREE-mendous Holiday Season!” This was set in 30 point Caslon font. The back of the card is a photo engraving of our museum’s monogram and the text, “Printed at the Sacramento History Museum” in also 30 point Caslon font.

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