Latin Press
Encyclopedia
The Latin Press was a small letterpress printing
business (not, strictly speaking, a private press
, although it is sometimes described as such), run by Douglas "Guido" Morris (1910–1980). He became interested in printing in his twenties and first experimented with type and a home-made press in Oxford
in 1934. In the following year Morris bought his first iron hand-presses (a small Albion press
and a larger Columbian press) and established the Latin Press at Langford, near Bristol
, undertaking some of his earliest work for Bristol Zoo
.
Morris was a passionate printer and typographical designer, but he was not a good business-man and had to move several times, suffering a series of difficulties and bankruptcy before being called up for active service in 1940. He suffered a break-down during the War, and for a short while ran a tea-shop with his first wife, Doreen. In 1946, after the break-up of his marriage, he moved to St Ives
in Cornwall
and re-established the Latin Press. Here he printed poster
s, catalogues and other ephemera
for the local artistic community, and had his most settled period, continuing to operate until 1953, when the Press was again declared bankrupt. Later he worked as an editor and as a guard on London Underground
. In 1969 an article about his life and work appeared in The Private Library, and interest in his printing was revived, not least with Morris himself, who bought a small press and began to print again, this time calling his press the "Officina Mauritiana" or "Officina Guidonis". He printed some ephemera and pamphlets between 1970 and 1974, but did not produce work on the scale, or of the quality, of his Latin Press days.
Morris's printing was chiefly "jobbing" work, and he saw himself as a fine jobbing printer. He disliked printing books, although he printed several, for various clients over the years, which work he usually regarded with disdain. He did, however, attempt to launch an artistic/literary periodical called Loquela Mirabilis of which only three issues appeared in 1936 and 1937 before he was forced to abandon the project. While at Saint Ives, he also instituted a series of pamphlets called the Crescendo Poetry Series which was a little more successful, including new work by a number of contemporary poets (as well as by Morris himself). The first Crescendo pamphlet appeared in 1951 and the eighth, and last, in June 1952. Morris generally used Bembo
type for his work at the Latin Press, though he did possess other typefaces and once remarked that he believed he had made a mistake in selecting Bembo as his "house" fount. When he re-established his press in 1970 he bought Van Dijck types instead.
Morris was a handsome man, with a charming manner, wit, intelligence and intellectual curiosity – qualities which helped him in his many, often short-lived, relationships with women, and in his business dealings (though his financial skills were somewhat limited, and he developed an unfortunate reputation for taking on work which he could not complete and for not paying bills). Specimens of his printing have been collected since the 1930s, and major collections can be found at the Bodleian Library
, the British Library
(although currently (2008) the main portfolio of ephemera is missing), the Newberry Library
at Chicago, and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France
, as well as in several private collections. An exhibition of his printing was held at the Tate Gallery
, Saint Ives in 1995.
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
business (not, strictly speaking, a private press
Private press
Private press is a term used in the field of book collecting to describe a printing press operated as an artistic or craft-based endeavor, rather than as a purely commercial venture...
, although it is sometimes described as such), run by Douglas "Guido" Morris (1910–1980). He became interested in printing in his twenties and first experimented with type and a home-made press in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in 1934. In the following year Morris bought his first iron hand-presses (a small Albion press
Albion press
The Albion press is a model of early iron hand printing press, originally designed and manufactured in London by Richard Whittaker Cope around 1820. It worked by a simple toggle action, unlike the complex lever-mechanism of the Columbian press and the Stanhope press. Albions continued to be...
and a larger Columbian press) and established the Latin Press at Langford, near Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, undertaking some of his earliest work for Bristol Zoo
Bristol Zoo
Bristol Zoo is a zoo in the city of Bristol in South West England. The zoo's stated mission is "Bristol Zoo Gardens maintains and defends biodiversity through breeding endangered species, conserving threatened species and habitats and promoting a wider understanding of the natural...
.
Morris was a passionate printer and typographical designer, but he was not a good business-man and had to move several times, suffering a series of difficulties and bankruptcy before being called up for active service in 1940. He suffered a break-down during the War, and for a short while ran a tea-shop with his first wife, Doreen. In 1946, after the break-up of his marriage, he moved to St Ives
St Ives, Cornwall
St Ives is a seaside town, civil parish and port in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town lies north of Penzance and west of Camborne on the coast of the Celtic Sea. In former times it was commercially dependent on fishing. The decline in fishing, however, caused a shift in commercial...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and re-established the Latin Press. Here he printed poster
Poster
A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative. Posters may be...
s, catalogues and other ephemera
Ephemera
Ephemera are transitory written and printed matter not intended to be retained or preserved. The word derives from the Greek, meaning things lasting no more than a day. Some collectible ephemera are advertising trade cards, airsickness bags, bookmarks, catalogues, greeting cards, letters,...
for the local artistic community, and had his most settled period, continuing to operate until 1953, when the Press was again declared bankrupt. Later he worked as an editor and as a guard on London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
. In 1969 an article about his life and work appeared in The Private Library, and interest in his printing was revived, not least with Morris himself, who bought a small press and began to print again, this time calling his press the "Officina Mauritiana" or "Officina Guidonis". He printed some ephemera and pamphlets between 1970 and 1974, but did not produce work on the scale, or of the quality, of his Latin Press days.
Morris's printing was chiefly "jobbing" work, and he saw himself as a fine jobbing printer. He disliked printing books, although he printed several, for various clients over the years, which work he usually regarded with disdain. He did, however, attempt to launch an artistic/literary periodical called Loquela Mirabilis of which only three issues appeared in 1936 and 1937 before he was forced to abandon the project. While at Saint Ives, he also instituted a series of pamphlets called the Crescendo Poetry Series which was a little more successful, including new work by a number of contemporary poets (as well as by Morris himself). The first Crescendo pamphlet appeared in 1951 and the eighth, and last, in June 1952. Morris generally used Bembo
Bembo
Bembo is the name given to a 20th-century revival of an old style serif or humanist typeface cut by Francesco Griffo around 1495.The typeface Bembo seen today is a revival designed under the direction of Stanley Morison for the Monotype Corporation in 1929.It is considered a good choice for...
type for his work at the Latin Press, though he did possess other typefaces and once remarked that he believed he had made a mistake in selecting Bembo as his "house" fount. When he re-established his press in 1970 he bought Van Dijck types instead.
Morris was a handsome man, with a charming manner, wit, intelligence and intellectual curiosity – qualities which helped him in his many, often short-lived, relationships with women, and in his business dealings (though his financial skills were somewhat limited, and he developed an unfortunate reputation for taking on work which he could not complete and for not paying bills). Specimens of his printing have been collected since the 1930s, and major collections can be found at the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
, the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
(although currently (2008) the main portfolio of ephemera is missing), the Newberry Library
Newberry Library
The Newberry Library is a privately endowed, independent research library for the humanities and social sciences in Chicago, Illinois. Although it is private, non-circulating library, the Newberry Library is free and open to the public...
at Chicago, and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
, as well as in several private collections. An exhibition of his printing was held at the Tate Gallery
Tate St Ives
Tate St Ives is an art gallery in St Ives, Cornwall, England, exhibiting work by modern British artists, including work of the St Ives School. The three storey building, designed by architects Evans and Shalev, lies on the site of an old gas works, overlooking Porthmeor Beach. It was opened in...
, Saint Ives in 1995.