ALBUM Workshops Books Awards Initiatives Fairs Shows
ANTICA TIPOGRAFIA BIAGINI Lucca, via Santa Giustina 20/22/24 One of Lucca’s time-honoured and reputable workshops has recently been given new life thanks to the dedication of three friends, united by their love of craftsmanship. Matteo Valesi, Ines De Labra and Roberto Paoli took over the business from Gino Biagini, an extraordinary master typographer who also taught them all the secrets of the trade. The typography’s premises have been preserved in their original design, and here the printing machines, now historical pieces, take centre stage: the classic Heidelberg Stella, the Leipzig platen press 1850, the Boston 1900, the Saroglia platen press 1940... The exceptional nature of this workshop lies in the skill of the three owners and in the traditional techniques they continue to use: typesetting is done by hand, like in the old days, and only handmade inks are used. Like the “Biagini” grey, the formula of which is, of course, a secret. An infinite number of drawers conceal thousands of lead alloy types and brass alloy matrixes. In the old typographer’s workshop, relief prints are executed without powders, but using zinc or bronze labels instead. The workshop is well-know also abroad for the production of personalised ex libris, the design of which is inspired by the typography’s collection, one of the most important in Europe.
022-029_ALBUM 9ENG.indd 23
10/03/14 19:49