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| The party favors courtesy of Mike Parkinson. |
Happy Birthday Pratt Albion Number 18! The Library is a proud owner of a 103-year-old Albion handpress. But believe it or not, new ones are being made to order by Stephen Pratt of Beaver, Utah for anybody who wants to get in on the fun.
Our friend and local printer Alan Dye recently joined the ranks of “Albionation” by formally adopting Mr. Pratt’s 18th Albion. Alan hosted a celebratory party in honor of its arrival on February 21st. The invitation-only event was enjoyed by other Albion enthusiasts who received party favors, the “birth announcement” and an opportunity to pull a print on the new machine.
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| The "birth" announcement. |
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| Alan Dye, "proud papa," with his new printing press. |
Just for the record, this Pratt Albion is the “BMW” of Abions: smooth, efficient, sporty and handsome. Alan selected the distinctive green color for his Noble Impressions printing press and even had his press name and logo engraved on the canister.
Read more on Alan’s website about his excitement—“like a kid staring into a box of puppies”--as he opened the delivery crate and began the move and installation.
Norman McKnight, of Philoxenia Press in Berkeley, California, owns the Pratt Albion #5. He’s an official member of the Albion Club and, as an unofficial member of “Albionation,” documented the festivities. Check out his blog, Ephimeros to see and read more about the party.
Below is the broadside we printed, which features-- what else?-- a short history of the Albion. Reading it may inspire you to join Albionation too. If so, you know who to contact. If not, next time we take our antique out for a "joyride," you'll have an opportunity to print a keepsake for yourself and get a taste of what these printers are all excited about. We’ll keep you posted for the date and time.
You might also want to read:
You might also want to read:
- More about our Albion's history.
- The first thing we printed.
- Jane's Valentine.
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| The broadside. |
On December 28, 2012, the world lost a very special man, Dr. Stephen Pratt. We will miss him dearly, and we thank him for his service to this nation and are forever grateful to him for his contributions to freedom, liberty and education. He will be missed.
ReplyDeleteExcerpt from his web page, "Liberty and Learning with Stephen Pratt":
"Stephen Pratt grew up on a backwoods ranch in the State of Washington. His family was still using draft horses until he was about twelve years old. Steve graduated from Brigham Young University with a master’s degree in education. He did further post graduate studies at the University of California at Berkley in the 1960’s. He taught full- time in the public school system for six years and then taught for one year in a private school. Seven years were spent working for the National Center for Constitutional Studies under the direction of renowned historian, W. Cleon Skousen, where Pratt devoted his time to research and teaching in many locations in the United States and two foreign countries.
During the spring of 2005 Stephen was urged by friends to teach a class devoted to American principles and problems. The very successful 16 week course has developed into a program called “Liberty and Learning.” The lessons focus on understanding our history and how it relates to current events. A web site has been established under the name “libertyandlearning.com.”
With his wife, Belva Gae, they are the parents of four children and reside on a sixty acre “ranch” at Cove Fort, Utah. Stephen Pratt is an accomplished craftsman and for the past 20 plus years has earned a living with his hands in a family business called Pratt Wagon Works, where he with his son, Ben, build historic wagons, printing presses and other old fashioned reproductions."