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Welcoming Amateur Bill Wallace
THE HODIAMONT PRESS, and The Thistle had their first authentic ajay visitation today. To celebrate the call by Bill and Marge Wallace, of nearby St. Charles, we dusted off a case of type we had never used before. (We have identified it tentatively as Century Schoolbook.) Bill and I learned of our common interest through a mutual friend. Letters were exchanged and a meeting was arranged, Bill has a Pearl press that I want to see and he was interested in my Pilot. It was a rather hot day and as I have not as yet had the print shop air-conditioned I was embarrassed to take him in it. An added embarrassment was the filthy condition of this case of type. But Bill didn’t let on if he minded and happily set a line or two in the best tradition of amateur journalism. Accordingly, I have recommended him for membership in NAPA.
After his visit, I was determined to clean up that type case with the indirect result that I bought some sorts to replenish depleted boxes. (So I know now that it is Century Expanded and not Schoolbook.) (Bill’s turn now)
WHAT a joy it was to visit the Hodiamont Press and the home of The Thistle! And I was sincerely flattered that Floyd had gone to all the trouble to set up Volume 1, Number 1 of The Visitor’s Gallery to commemorate our visit.
Now we’ve had the pleasure of a visit to our basement by Floyd and his charming wife, Frances. Thanks to them our basement got the best cleaning it’s had in a long time, because I couldn’t let them wade through cobwebs, cigarette butts and other accumulated litter to get a look at The Clean ’n Press.
I’m sure that our wives are typical of many NAPA distaffers who generously tolerate our hobby so long as it does not interfere with yard work, painting, home repairs or social obligations. And, what the heck! It keeps us out of the pool rooms.
Now that Floyd has looked my press over, we are both wondering if it really is a Pearl. Someone once told me it was, but we couldn’t find any identification on it. Whatever the name, it’s a jewel to me, for we have become accustomed to one another’s idiosyncrasies through the years and get along quite well together.
Presently I’m noodling around with a paper which I’ve tentatively titled Scotch Broth. I’ve already reset the first page three times and am still not satisfied with any of the body type I’ve tried, but perhaps my next visit to Segal’s used printing equipment emporium will turn up just what I’m looking for. W.W.W.
The Visitor’s Gallery: An occasional publication of the Hodiamont Press, St. Louis, Mo. 63112: Floyd G. Summers, proprietor and editor. Three hundred fifty copies printed, mostly for NAPA’s September 1967 bundle.