The Centre for the Book is delighted to open our year’s activities with a visit from Dr. Claire Bolton, who will speak on “Imperfect Impressions—Clues to Fifteenth-Century Printing Practices.”  Her talk will take place in Cen3, first floor of the Central Library, on Thursday, 26 February at 5:15 pm and will include drinks and nibbles and lovely images such as the one shown here.

Claire Bolton ran a letterpress printshop, The Alembic Press, for over 45 years, mainly producing books in limited editions on the historical aspects of paper printing and type. About ten years ago she decided to put her practice into theory and began to research fifteenth-century printing methods. An MA in the History of Printing at the University of Reading’s Department of Typography and Graphic Communications led on to research for her PhD in early printing practices – really an excuse to spend many happy hours in library collections looking at incunabula.

She has had a number of academic papers published, and has taught numerous letterpress and bookbinding workshops In the UK, Europe, US and Australia. Her doctorial thesis about fifteenth-century printing practices will be published by Oxford Bibliographical Society.

She has recently, with her husband David, appraised the printing collection and restored the printshop at New Norcia in WA, which has just run its first letterpress workshop.  We are very pleased that they are able to visit Dunedin.