Printing in Colonial Maryland
These four plates illustrate the tools used by the early printer in Maryland. Plate 1 shows the typical American printing press of the late 18th century.
Plate 2 shows the tools used for composing a page of types.
Plate 3 illustrates how the types are positioned or "imposed" to create a printed page, which in turn will be folded and cut to create a single signature.
Plate 4 illustrates how the composing stick is filled and emptied.
While some printers, such as the Sowers of Pennsylvania, manufactured their own type, many Maryland printers purchased their type from printers in England. One of the preferred sources was type designed by William Caslon. Shown here is a specimen sheet of Caslon types from 1785.
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