apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

it sounds as though it's not just the same idea, but the same designer:

"....designed exclusively for us by a London graphic designer with a penchant for, and a large personal collection of, antique printers' blocks."

The one on the left from Inspired Maker is definitely more appealing though.

I agree, the original is GORGEOUS. Although, I'd take either one!

ok, after doing ebay searches for "vintage letterpress", some sets go for dirt cheap! what's a good way to go about doing a DIY table?

this is cool because i HAVE coffee tables like this. they are antiques made in germany that we bought about ten years ago. they are gorgeous. the bases are made with the small letter seperation boxes (does that make sense?) so its sort of a plaid looking base. i dont have any photos otherwise i would post them. =]

Argh, NO!

Sorry, but please, I beg you -- save the wood type those of us who print, we have a hard enough time tracking down vintage type and competing with other printers on prices. I hate seeing such valuable, gorgeous, and rare tools like this used like this, and more often than not, ruined forever.

@ kvh, what you're saying breaks my heart! I work in a museum so I know how it feels ... now I fell bad for finding that table gorgeous.... :-S

don't get me wrong, it's beautiful, just incredibly wasteful...

but for all of you who love the work coming out of Hatch Showprint, Keep Calm Gallery, and the thousands of printers on Etsy, etc etc, please leave the type for us, we'll put posters on your walls in exchange.

well, the CB table is not really from real letterpress blocks
"Iconic top is carved from one single piece of wood with raised letters and numbers painted in 10 different colors" so I suppose that is a good thing. As a graphic designer and type freak, I would want to make sure I could get the letters out as well. There must be a way to do this without ruining the blocks.

Yeah, I'm torn, too. I love the idea, but it also breaks my heart that all the pedestrian gee-aint-these-letters-cute? collectors are snatching up all of the much-needed blocks.

Also, the C&B mass-marketing of it just reminds me of that Pottery Barn apothecary table episode of Friends.

The table above from Inspired Maker seems to be merely laid into the top -- ok I guess (though the likelihood of it ever getting back to a press is slim). Drop some glass over that and it's all still good. Glue it in and you're toast though.

Thanks for the heads up on CB's table -- I should have guessed... even they can't afford the stuff.

These tables could be laser-cut or 3D-printed to get the same effect without sacrificing actual vintage letters (not as authentic but it would prevent actual printing tools from being used). Or you could create a drop-in tray for the real letters – almost like a childs play table – it could act as a storage device for usable letters.

Gotta agree with kvh. I'd love to have more vintage type to print with. Sadly I've only one set of wooden type, and it's not even a full set. Can't even do my name!

couldn't someone make a table with an empty top, and the letter blocks are just placed in, like one of those puzzles with blocks? That way the letters are stored, preserved, always ready to use but also on display.

....can't Crate and Barrel get an ORIGINAL idea -

ever?

I prefer the original, but would buy the C&B version if it came in light wood. I understand why the CB table makes the letters the same height and mostly the same color, but the orignal derives it character from all the nooks, crannies and varied colors.

It doesn't look the orginal is sealed, so I'd be curious about if all remants of thinner, type wash, etc. are gone. Regardless, I'm thrilled to find furniture that reflects my love of printing/bookarts. I've thought of doing something similar by placing type or pressboard letters in glass topped table with a shallow shelf or built in display area.

As much as I love the Inspired Maker table, I have to agree with the printers here. I would much rather see printers' blocks put to use than used as decoration.

Very nice, but I'm with kvh:

Letterpress type should be saved for letterpress printing!

I have a few blocks and am always searching for more. I guess I should start looking at coffee tables...

It's a "cute" idea but I wish it wasn't so wasteful. Letterpress artists have a hard time finding their blocks, and to see this makes me want to gouge my eyes out because of it!

Stop weeping over spilt letterpress!!!! Everything moves on and those of us who have had a chance to suffer the pain of ACTUALLY PRINTING off letterpress die laughing everytime we hear this sentimental nonsense about wooden letters!!!! It is madness to imagine anything but very minor leftfield artisan commitment to this obsolete technology. It stinks in terms of user frustration: but----it looks great!!! Anything letterpress can do, Photoshop and Illustrator can do better. Technology evolves naturally: it has it's own DNA: nothing will stop it. The CB table stinks: the designer man doesn't understand CNC milling as an artform!!! Stuck in a grid!!!