About Me
How It Started
Moth & Rust Printworks began with a single purchase: a manually operated early 1900's Sigwalt #3 Nonpareil tabletop press that I bought off of Craig's List in October 2024. Then the search began for all of the stuff needed to be able to print!
In early 2025 I spotted a letterpress collection on Briar Press. My husband took one look and said, "That's an obscene amount of stuff." I went for it anyway! The problem: it was in Memphis, Tennessee and the moving quotes I was getting started at $25K — not in the budget.
In the end, I hired a ragtag crew of strangers out of Chicago based on a recommendation from the fellow I got the Sigwalt from, and six of us spent 5 days loading and transporting everything. I tell people it was like American Pickers meets a Coen Brothers film — a winding, unpredictable, exhausting adventure with, let's just say, some real characters.
In the end, two massive Chandler & Price floor presses, a long-abandoned Golding Pearl #11 Improved floor press which needed restoring, industrial guillotine paper cutter, umpteen cabinets of type and everything else needed to run a letterpress shop made it safely to Door County without incident. I swear was a veil of protection over the whole operation somehow.
How It's Going
It was a mad dash to unload 30,000 pounds of all things letterpress, and as a result it is everywhere! My shop is a perfect mess still, but I finally decided to just roll up my sleeves, get printing, and chip away at organization as time permits.
I've been teaching myself how to use (and troubleshoot!) my big floor presses, all of which I just love. They have their own personalities and idiosyncrasies. Every time I use them I think of the two women who owned them before me, Cheryl & Martha. I wonder about all the people who might have used them in the last 100+ years.
From my research, I believe the 8 x 12 C & P is from c. 1905. The C & P 10 x 15 is from c. 1895. The Golding is from 1914 and the Sigwalt is c. 1899–1920.
I continue to be amazed at the beautiful collection of type, ornaments, borders and cuts I have. It is a joy to see the impression from an antique cut for the first time! It makes my heart happy that all of this is being given new life.
I worked for a print broker in downtown Chicago in my 20's, and ever since moving to Door County in 1995 I have done a little print brokering as a side hustle. (Lots of print manufacturers don't hire sales people, they use brokers/distributors instead to sell their products or bring them work.) In the industry they say, "Ink gets in your blood." I guess it does, because I've had my hand in it for 30+ years. Only now, I am officially a printer!
What's Next
It occured to me during the process of building this web site, I make many other things and I carry lots of artsy, unique items made by other fine people in our shop, Firefly Outfitters LLC, here in Sister Bay. Plus I have been selling all manner of vintage goodies on eBay for years. Why wouldn't I add to my website while I'm at it?
Check out my other categories beyond letterpress, which I predict will be constantly changing.