I had the pleasure of going to a f-a-c-t-o-r-y today. A real, live, historic factory! It reminded me why I love NY so much. It's so rare that old machines are still used on a regular basis to create beautiful, clean, manicured paper goods. Aldine is the only specialty printer left in Soho and is a family owned business to boot.
As I stepped out of the elevator doors, and into the home of Aldine, caught a whiff of an unfamiliar inky, oily type of smell as well as hearing a hum of paper constantly shooting out one by one in a rhythmic sort of pattern. I didn't really know what to expect during my visit to this printing museum (that what I felt like anyways!) but, as soon as I saw the production room, my breathing started increasing as I laid my eyes upon these gorgeous, intriguing machines, some of which are over 100 years old. I felt like I was in the Willy Wonka factory for printers. I actually saw someone sanding the edges of these round paper invitations to make sure each and every one is absolutely perfect. I have a new found appreciation for paper products and the manufacturing process. It really is an ancient art. Aldine Press was the printing office started by Aldus Manutius in 1494 in Venice, from which the famous Plato, Aristotle and other Greek and Latin classics were printed. The Aldine Press is famous in the history of typography, and the introduction of italics. Amazing...
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