Letterpress

A letterpress is a printing press that uses movable lead type, on which a few fanzines have been pubbed. It was never a very common repro medium, hecto, mimeo and ditto being easier and more accessible to faneds. Stefantasy was one of the exemplary letterpress zines.

Howard DeVore used a letterpress to print a variety of gag calling cards, poctsarcds and placards.

In The Enchanted Duplicator, Jophan considers buying a ticket on the Letterpress Railroad, but instead watches the locomotive as it starts off:

With a deafening blow on its whistle and an impressive clanking of gears it steamed forward towards the inky blackness of the tunnel, but it had barely reached the entrance before it shuddered to a stop. To his astonishment, Jophan saw the driver, fireman and passengers get off and run to the back of the train. With immense labor they lifted the last section of the track and staggered with it into the tunnel. After some minutes they reappeared and boarded the train again. The train moved another few yards into the tunnel, and the process was repeated. Jophan watched them until they finally disappeared into the tunnel, marvelling at their obstinacy and patience. It may be, he thought, a wonderful railroad, but if they have to set every one of the lines by hand it will be years before they even reach Fandom, let alone Trufandom.

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Publishing