Fie Fo Fleurons
I was looking to print a letterpress version of my business cards, and have stumbled upon a problem: I need a single fleron about 12 points in size. I could order a photopolimer plate, but it seems silly to waste it on a 1/4 inch square. I could try cutting one out of linoleum, but I want this thing to last, and to give a strong crisp impression. I’ve looked through a number of online auctions but there doesn’t seem to be anything usable at the moment. Are there some other options that I’ve missed?
If you are adept at lino cuts, try a material called Resingrave. This is a material significantly harder then linoleum, and it holds detail well. I have done 100 print runs on a heavy duty engraving press with absolutely no degradation, so I doubt a thousand business on a letterpress would wear the block much. You would need to cut the block to size though, which could be tricky. I have never cut the blocks, but the resin shouldn’t chip.
Anyway, you can buy the Resingrave blocks from several places, but my preferred seller is McClains:
http://www.imcclains.com/catalog/blocks/resingrave.html
They also sell a shim to bring the blocks to type-height.
You might try Bill Riess at Quaker City Type Foundry in Quaker City Pa.
Or Dave Churchman at Sterling Type in Indianapolis, In.
you can get a magnesiumn die made of just the fleuron so that you can set it with the rest of your type.
http://www.owossographic.com/magnesium.cfm
did i oversimplify the question? am i missing something?
Free Magnesium plates?! Wow. Thanks everyone.
I would opt for the free copper engraving mounted on magnesium.
From England,
Might something from the vast array of existing ‘printers flowers’ do?, and if all else fails one could ask Monotype Hot Metal Ltd - who still exist , just - how much to cut a matrix and then get it cast … I am amazed that I can and do still get single accented character matrices from Mr. Duncan Avery for £3:50, its the greatest of bargains. Mind you, this is English standard stuff not American , theres all sorts of technical aspects you would have to fully understand.