Hereford shop where they're aiming to save a dying art

Magic Letterpress is run by Michelle Gordon at her Wish You Were Here shop in Bastion Mews. 

It sells locally handmade goods, including wood-turned plates, bowls and candlesticks, fabric bunting, table mats and fabric bowls, artisan teddy bears, crocheted pumpkins, as well as all of the letterpress printed items such as cards, posters, prints, badges, bags and bunting.

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There is also a magical postbox, which 'sends post to the future'. 

"You can buy a special postcard, (there are lots of designs available, all printed in house) write a message to your future self, address it, and write the date on it that you would like to receive it," said Ms Gordon.

"Then you post it into the magical post box, and it will arrive at the designated time in the future. It's like a mini postal time capsule, and a fun exercise to do with friends and children. 

"The idea of the studio is that it is a space for printers, aspiring printers and makers to use to create their own work, and potentially sell their work in the shop as well.

Michelle Gordon using old vintage letter blocks at her Hereford studio (Image: Rob Davies)

"Letterpress printing is in the 'endangered' category of the red list of heritage crafts, meaning that it currently doesn't have enough people doing it for it to survive into the next generation. So I hope to get more people to try it and fall in love with it, so that it continues for many more years to come."

Ms Gordon previously ran a studio in the Apple Store Gallery in Rockfield Road and also had a market stall in High Town.  

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"In the letterpress studio, I offer card printing and poster printing workshops, so people can come and create their own custom letterpress prints.

"I also offer the space and equipment on a rental basis to beginner or aspiring printers who know what they are doing, but don't have a lot of type and want to create a range of letterpress work. I also do wholesale orders for shops and small businesses looking for small print runs of unique cards to sell."

Michelle Gordon runs her shop in Bastion Mews, Hereford (Image: Rob Davies)

Ms Gordon is the editor of the Small Printer magazine, the publication for the British Printing Society.

"I started my letterpress adventure in 2019, and have become entirely besotted with creating cards and prints on my Adana presses, using only vintage and antique wood type, metal type and picture blocks," she said.

What are your thoughts?

You can send a letter to the editor to have your say by clicking here.

Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.

"I have quite an extensive collection now and look forward to sharing it with other printers. As an author, I have 21 books in print, the latest one released in July called The Magical Dragon Mirror and is the third in my children's series.

"My other novels are written for adults, and are on the themes of angels, faeries, alternate realities and life after death."

For more information, visit the following Instagram pages: @wishyouwerehere.store, @magic_letterpress and @michellegordonauthor.