Old-school Printing
Rice students and visitors can now try out the only known replica of William Blake’s printing press.
Spring 2024
By Tracey Rhoades
Photographs by Jeff Fitlow
Acquisitions by Fondren Library’s Woodson Research Center aren’t uncommon, but one of its most recent, the star-wheel copper-plate rolling press, is giving visitors and students an exciting hands-on experience. The press, which is the only authentic, functional replica of the exact machine that poet William Blake used to produce his masterworks, was acquired with help from literature scholar Alexander Regier and university librarian and vice provost Sara Lowman. Generously funded by Fondren’s Hobby Family Fund, the press complements the library’s substantial Blake holdings, which include print and plate replicas created by Michael Phillips, the press’ builder.