A Letterpress Renaissance?

Time magazine recently reported that letterpress is making a comeback. Used letterpresses (the only kind you can get, since they haven’t been manufactured in decades) are now fetching $6,000, compared to $1,000 four years ago, according to the article.

Printers, most of them small operations, are reportedly scooping up old machines and making tidy profits printing cards, wedding invitations and personal stationery for customers who crave that sculptured, three-dimensional letterpress look. Designers are reportedly drawn to letterpress because it lets them use paper they can’t use in commercial printing jobs—sheets with uneven surfaces interwoven with bits of leaves or flowers. And customers are willing to pay a premium for this uniqueness.