The Arion Press, M&H Type, the Grabhorn Institute

Mission

The Grabhorn Institute was formed in 2000 in order to preserve and perpetuate the use of one of the last integrated typefoundry, letterpress printing, and bookbinding facilities as a living museum and educational center. They seek:

  • To preserve and perpetuate the use of the last complete working typefoundry and letterpress workshop in the United States, possibly in the world.
  • To pass on to future generations the skills of craftspeople trained in typecasting, letterpress printing, bookbinding, and the book arts.
  • To educate the public in the history of the printed word, so that the legacy of past technologies will enrich those of the future.
  • To inspire the arts community by creating and exhibiting remarkable examples of art, literature, design, and publishing.
  • To support an unbroken tradition of artistic publishing, printing, and bookmaking in San Francisco.
  • To contribute to the new information economy by making an unrivaled repository of tools and expertise available to students and practitioners of digital design.

M&H (Mackenzie and Harris) Type is the nation’s oldest and largest typefoundry. Designated an “irreplaceable cultural treasure” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Mackenzie & Harris was established with demonstration Monotype machines from the Panama Pacific International Exposition’s Palace of Machinery. These have been preserved as part of the historic foundry, still in operation on a full-time basis, where handset and composition “hot metal” type is manufactured for the Arion Press and other letterpress customers.

Arion Press aims to match the finest contemporary art with the finest literature past and present in books that are beautifully designed and produced.

Featured Fun

Saturday, September 26, 2020 at 4:00PM – (Virtual) Press, Bindery, and Foundry Tour

Take a guided tour of the nation’s oldest and largest type foundry located in the Presidio of San Francisco. Designated an “irreplaceable cultural treasure” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Mackenzie & Harris was established with demonstration Monotype machines from the Panama Pacific International Exposition’s Palace of Machinery. These have been preserved as part of the historic foundry, still in operation on a full-time basis, where handset and composition “hot metal” type is manufactured for the Arion Press and other letterpress customers.

This event is free but pre-registration is required.