The rise and fall of Chandler & Price

[@vinodmkoshy]

I am a fourth generation printer from a little city called Trivandrum in Kerala, South India. We still have a 10*14" Chandler and Price machine which my Great Grandfather imported it second hand in the early 1920s. It's still in working condition. Feeling elated to be a part of such heritage.

[@DaemonRowanchilde]

You may have a treasure there. I feel that art prints that you promote what is used to make them would be a hot commodity now that everything is being made digitally. Good luck.

[@Polit_Burro]

do you still use it?

[@1998subaruoutback]

Absolutely zero reason this shouldn’t have 1mil+ views, incredible quality. The algorithm is a cruel mistress

[@SprayNpreyT]

Good stuff!

[@ALIVE-Company]

such a sick video, just watched so many of them haha

[@oprion]

Have been running a small 5x8 Kelsey for 20 years now.

[@markhirsch3225]

I used to run Verticals, Klugies and Gordens too. If I had a garage, I'd be tempted to do it again

[@cabinlife1886]

I recently parted with my last two Kluges, marking the end of an era in our Chicago-based shop. Initially, we operated with five of these letterpress machines, but the shifting demands of our customers led us to embrace digital printing. It's a transition that fills me with a mix of emotions, especially nostalgia, as I've spent a significant part of my life working alongside these letterpresses. The decision to make space in our compact shop was not easy, and it was particularly painful to see one of our beloved presses go to the scrappers. Witnessing the dismantling of a machine that held so many memories felt like watching a part of my history being erased. This loss is something I still mourn deeply, even though it's been a few years since that heart-wrenching day. Now, I often find myself wishing to reconnect with the world of letterpress printing, longing for a place in the Chicagoland area where I could simply spend time and absorb the atmosphere of a traditional letterpress shop.

[@DevaJones03]

So nobody would buy it?

[@williammoore4101]

Dude, a network should offer you a job for a TV series. This kicks ass. I would watch a crap ton of this.

[@mujinmakes]

Thank you so much!

[@crowscatsandtarot]

Yesssss!!!!! I just took 2 color letterpress class over the weekend. There is something ridiculously satisfying about setting type.

[@osut688]

Only noticed one error in the video: "Sorts". Sorts were what they called special figure matrices supplied with Linotype font matrices (like your "ffl" example, or fractions and the like). Some sorts matrices did not have assigned "channels" in the linotype magazine, so in operation, sorts would travel all the way across the distributor without dropping into the magazine... but would drop down a metal tube at the end of the distributor into the sorts tray, to be picked up by the operator and placed in a little case of their own. In an actual lead type font, those special figures (fi, fl, ffi, ffl and etc.) were called "ligatures". Not many fonts I ever saw had ligatures... mostly special, fancy type faces... Old English type faces, or some italic type faces. I'm surprised you knew about the wax on the pins on the tympan, lol. I would try using a "lumber crayon".. those big crayons (red, black, yellow) sold at the lumber yard/hardware store that are used to write on wood. They're harder than regular crayons. I loved printing and took it in school in 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades. Had an after school job in a newspaper/job printing shop in 11th and 12th grade... and 2 years after that. The machinery was so interesting, complicated and massive. Memorized the california job case... hell, I even memorized the Linotype keyboard. Still know the names of most of the type faces. It was all lead type in my 9th grade year, then that teacher retired. The new teacher insisted on transitioning to Offset... did away with the linotype and went to a "Compugraphic" and other photographic type setting. Nowhere near as interesting. I wanted to run that linotype soooooo, oooooo bad. But, he wouldn't hear of it.... "waste of time".

[@druckerman247]

I did an offset apprenticeship, and I feel the same about digital.

[@cavecookie1]

This was a great vid! Reminds me of Grandpa. He was a small-town old school newspaper publisher, with a little weekly paper. His shop was right out of 1910, with 2 Linotypes, and a huge newspaper press that was as big as a pickup truck! He could spot a typo reading backwards; he minded his p's and q's! LOL! I always think of him chomping on a Roi-Tan cigar, typing away furiously on his Linotype! He was very modern, though...all his presses were electric. There were electric motors that turned those big flywheels using belts. These machines were fascinating for a kid to watch in operation; gears and cams, and wheels, all moving together in a complex dance. The sounds of the presses running is etched forever into my memory.

[@Polit_Burro]

Would love to see photos of the composing room. Used to work in a newspaper composing room, but sadly, not in the era of hot metal.

[@cavecookie1]

@@Polit_Burro LOL! When I said small, I wasn't kidding! His shop was so small, it didn't have rooms...just different areas!

[@alejandroivanponce]

Hola yo tengo una máquina Chandler & price saludos tu video es sensacional muy bien elaborado

[@madsm]

I know it's only 1 day old, but 268 views is absolutely criminal. Best of luck to you

[@samcollage7682]

Loved this. My C + P Pilot is waiting for her rollers. Then on with printing.

[@mikefitzpatrick1213]

It was like Christmas when your new rollers arrived, and you handled them as gingerly as high explosives, lol.

[@mikefitzpatrick1213]

I learned on C&P presses in HS. I was a hit in the first "real" job I had because I had that knowledge. The addition of Kluge feeders was pretty cool, but we even used a C&P for printing the inside of gift box lids, hand fed. The smell of ink brings those memories right back, lol. This was cool, thanks!

[@philparker7851]

This was a joy to watch. We spent some time hand setting and proof printing type in my first year at art college in 1979. Even then it was on it's way out. There is. I believe, something meditative about engaging in processes that just take time.

[@chris_1337]

I think I have a new favorite KZbin channel! Mujin you're a true artist, keep up the great work!

[@mujinmakes]

Thank you!

[@kcfraser]

Back in 1972 I started in the trade. That's when I was introduced to a little beauty,10 x15 Chandler and Price. We worked together for 2 years. The press was purchased new in 1932.

[@mimivazquez7015]

“Stationery is not stationary” as we say in my line of work. Check your video at 4:29. It was a flash but, as a stationer, it caught my eye. Thanks for the video…I’m hoping to get my hands on a C&P, so I’ll watch it again.

[@philparker7851]

Ha. Glad it wasn't just me that said, "Ouch", at that.

[@daverimar1237]

Simqly one of the finest videos I've ever seen, the puality of your work is outstanding

[@mujinmakes]

Thanks Dave! I hoqe everything is going well!

[@Kekker1944]

I learned Letterpress printing in the 50s in High school in Modesto Cal. I spent 35 years as a press operator and loved every bit of it. this was a great presentation and nostalgia for Me. Thank you 😊

[@RickyVonPooper]

Awesome video! Very informative and I dig the humour. Very cool that all those famous expressions came from this old technology and are still used today.

[@cpbethlehem6548]

Nice job.

[@EugeneBannykh]

Hope that the gods of the Algorithm will favor you, and this gets more traction. Awesome stuff, keep up the good work!

[@mujinmakes]

Thank you!

[@evandthayer]

Tremendous video. I've been in the market for a Chandler & Price for years. I may have to pull the trigger.

[@mujinmakes]

Do it! I see people giving them away all the time on marketplace

[@roymichaeldeanable]

I did an Apprenticeship...6 years...as a Letterpress Printer...in the 1960s....fond memories

[@Polit_Burro]

APP&AU? That book was bigger than the bible!

[@PaulMayer-z6e]

Well done! Thankfully, letterpress is experiencing a comeback. Keep up the good work!

[@mujinmakes]

Thank you!

[@FaceFaceMan]

Fantastic! I hope you make more videos in this style. I never knew the origin of "jobber" back when I used to print out invoices. You have an awesome channel. Keep bringing the ai generated metal head (non OSHA approved long hair around rotating assemblies mind you) type-setters! Hell, the industrial rhythm of a printing house back in the day would make a nice backing track. Also, kudos to the beard edit.

[@mujinmakes]

Thank you! That joke was 7 months in the making.

[@beefchicken]

7:34 me: “omg video of another craftsman with the feeder intact, who’s is that?” Then my eyes moved over to the credit. Lol.

[@BaldGopherPress]

Thank you so much. This was a delight. I just acquired an 8x12 C&P fabricated a few years after yours!

[@mujinmakes]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@davebauerart]

Thanks! Good background. I have an 8x12Jones Gordon and a 11x17 Chandler & Price new style along with a cute Kelsey.

[@rpower1401]

I have a ludlow type case on my wall housing a small coin collection, nice to have a bit more knowledge to go along with it.

[@EricFerguson-u4r]

Very interesting you should do more

[@edwardmanfredi121]

Fun video to watch ! I was brought up in a "printing family" and was handfeeding C & Ps and Colts when I was 7 or 8 yrs old. Brings back old memories ! thanks for producing this !

[@TheSMEAC]

Thank you brother for this! ❤

[@crimet0ad]

Such a good video!! The history of seemingly mundane aspects of our society is so damn cool, it's hard to comprehend how far we've come. I watched your short about the christmas cards and realized I'd never seen this one. Your channel is so, so good, seriously dude. I have to clear the frothing foam from my mouth every time I see you upload.

[@billm.2677]

Caps & Small Caps are stored in the Upper Case. Typewriter keyboards properly identified capital letters using the proper typographic term “Caps”, see “Caps Lock”.

[@duffmanohyeah89]

What a ride!

[@mnstowers]

Love this! So informative AND entertaining!

[@mujinmakes]

Thanks for watching!

[@RestoreSanityFear]

Great video as usual, thank you

[@mujinmakes]

Thanks for watching!

[@billm.2677]

Great technical craftsman point on debossing.

[@Boppetson556]

Incredible video. I love the attention to detail on gags that last just a second or two.

[@EdNolan]

Today I learned a thing, actually, today I learned a few things. Cheers.

[@letterpress_asmr]

This is incredible 😂👏🏻

[@TheJeffMiller]

Very cool! Brings back memories. One of my first jobs was running a letterpress at a small print shop in the early 70's. We used it to die cut business cards that had one rounded corner. Tedious work.

[@mikew735]

how does your channel/this video not have more views? tbf the algorithm showed me this just now so hopefully you about to get the flood.

[@TheGabeGibbs]

My guy!! The attention to detail in this video is amazing. I had a blast and genuinely learned a lot. It was qerfect!

[@mujinmakes]

Thank you so much, Gabe!

[@jeffreymilarsky3246]

Unbelievable!!!

[@nicotelles5530]

This is an incredible video. The editing is top notch! I’m stoked for the next one 😊

[@mujinmakes]

Thank you!

[@JohnnyTidmore]

You did an excellent job on this video. It should be shown in schools around the world!

[@mujinmakes]

Thank you very much!

[@stevecreasey3737]

Nice!

[@GrantGibbs99]

I live for this content. Amazing stuff!

[@mujinmakes]

Thank you Grant!

[@JarvisAshcroft]

You are so talented , if you keep going you will blow up. You’re inspiring me to start making videos. Super cool keep posting !

[@mujinmakes]

Thank you so much!

[@tanggololongproductions]

There are still letter press in the Philippines. There are existing big machines working here full time.

[@beaubrown5846]

Great video. Any chance you know any thing about the Kelsey King Jobber platen press? I just picked on up and can't seem to find much information on it.

[@mujinmakes]

Thanks for watching! Sorry to say I don't know anything about that press.

[@BACKD00RINVADER]

Commenting for algorithm. Good stuff 👍🏻

[@katelynhimesdrum3948]

Too funny! Very cool to see what phrases derived from letterpress

[@anthonykiefer1797]

The information density of this video is massive. Still wondering why this video has such low views. Ain't no school like the old school.

[@jennhill5687]

Can you do a video on adding and removing the rollers of the bad boy, Kluge? I am struggling something fierce! Thanks!

[@b.w.22]

Geeze, fella - I’m fast becoming an enormous fan. Sorry if you get a bunch of quoin’s from me from all over your ouvre, but I understand it’s good to leave comments. I’ve major enjoyed your work so far and I believe you’re about to pop off here on KZbin, so I’m just trying to play my part. Great job, sir. Also, I always understood the “wrong end of the stick” to come from the Romans and the rag tied to stick that they used, uh, after their business. In communal bathrooms, these would be set in a little watercourse to be washed, but you’d definitely not want to grab “the wrong end” of those sticks. Curious what the scoop is.

[@mujinmakes]

I appreciate that! You could be right about sticks, the origin of some phrases is still debated. One viewer mentioned he argues “cut to the chase” is actually a printing reference for reducing type to fit on one page, rather than fast tracking to the chase scene in film. The world may never know.

[@JerseyTom]

lol @ the beard gag great vids, real solid channel, keep up the good work!

[@mujinmakes]

That joke was 6 months in the making!

[@mypugsdad5366]

I ran my Dads 12X18 CP old style. We had It run by a belt attached to an electric motor. I could go pretty fast hand feeding it.

[@Polit_Burro]

Letterpress never really died. It was still used in such tasks as embossing, die-cutting and specialty printing tasks.

[@billm.2677]

Cut to the chase

[@mujinmakes]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cut_to_the_chase

[@billm.2677]

⁠​⁠@@mujinmakes While most folk accept the Wiki opinion that “cut to the chase” had everthing to do with 20th century film makers who readily discarded valuable film footage because silent movie patrons only cared about “chase” scenes it has a weak foundation that is based on 1 or 2 written examples found using that particular terminology. That never really made sense to me though. I generally put forth the proposition that a journalist or editor in the business of publications would have told the type composer to “cut to the chase”, when it was brought to his attention that the story content as written exceeded the finite parameters of available typefaces, font sizes, paper size and manufacturing equipment and process (or specifically chase size). For all we know, in the early 18th century one James Franklin could have given the instruction just “cut to the chase” to his younger brother Benjamin and apprentice (age 12) who was complaining about the difficulties fitting together in type a completed hand written article for a copy of The New England Courant. My theory aligns far more with the common definition of “cut to the chase” meaning “increase brevity and cut verbiage” than some nonsense about silent movies and their portrayals of cops and robbers or cowboys and indians. Thanks for your great vid on C&P.

[@mujinmakes]

@@billm.2677 Very interesting take! I have not heard that theory before, seems like a legitimate origin. Thanks for sharing.

[@sciontcdude]

You spelled stationery incorrectly at 4:27 or so

[@mujinmakes]

Good catch

[@slghtmedia]

ENGAGEMENT COMMENT! GET THIS MAN FAMOUS! if everyone on the internet cared this much about their work, we’d be in a better place

[@pyrothepenguin]

I was learning so much and ready to google "platen jobber printers for sale near me." Then 13:26 happened and I had to look up pictures of John Cena. Still gonna google the thing...

[@rubyrose49]

Upper and lowercase! TIL.

[@NorroTaku]

5:10 ai added one to many fingers in here😂😅

[@online12plus]

the ai generated images are hilarious

[@MartinKL]

Seems imqratical but super cool

[@stillltippin5758]

You could tell people you own a PJ

[@rightisright100]

I started working in a print shop at 17 in 1977. I ran an AB Dick 360 and they had a C&P for numbering and perforating. From there I ran Multilith, Davidson, Harris, Heidelberg Windmill, KORD and SORD, Goss Community web press and Roland 44" Ultra. I loved hand feeding the old C&P and I also loved the Heidelberg Windmill. I have printed everything from business cards to newspapers to cereal cartons. I loved printing but was offered a job at a software company one month before Windows 95 came out. I did that for 13 years then got some part time work running a 4 color Ryobi. This exactly like the 2-color Roland I ran. 32pt Clay Coated News Back was no problem for this beast. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWOxe2qXnLKBi5Y