Benjamin Franklin's Apology for Printers

Abstract

Colophon: This Logan Elm Press edition of the Apology for Printers was printed as a keepsake to commemorate the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary 1706-2006. Special acknowledgement go to William Stickney, Retired Executive Director of the Printing Industries Association, Inc. serving Northern Kentucky and Ohio (PIANKO): President Joseph Branin, Director of The Ohio State University Presses, whose introductory comments for this edition focus on the importance of a free marketplace of ideas; and, to Sidney Chafetz, Professor Emeritus in Art at The Ohio Staet University, who has produced an internatonally acclaimed body of work as a printmaker that includes numerous portraits of authors and cultural icons. Without their steadfast support and invaluable encouragement this book would not have been possible. This book was designed by Robert Tauber, Book Arts Specialist at The Ohio State University Libraries. The text was composed in Langston Caslon 337 Long Pro and Mathew Carter's Big Caslon titling using Adobe InDesign. It was printed on Rives Heavyweight paper on a Vandercook No. 4 proofing press off of photo-polymer plates made by Boehm, Inc., Columbus, Oho. The multicolor reduction woodcut portrait of Franklin for this edition was printed by cutting away portions of the woodblock's surface after each color was printed, repeating this process of cutting and printing until almost none of the woodblock's surface remained. The edition was handsewn into a non-adhesive structure with Hahnemühle Bugra paper wrapped over boards. Of one hundred fifty copies this is copy number .