Early copies of The Land and the Sydney Morning Herald were a focus of interest for visitors to Australia’s PacPrint printing trade show.

But wait, there’s more: Not just the papers, but a press like the one that printed the Herald in the early nineteenth century had been brought to the show by members of the Penrith Museum of Printing.

The stunning 1851 Columbian – replete with eagle atop – was a gift from Fairfax Media, now Nine Entertainment, having been “rescued” by John B. Fairfax (great great grandson of the original John Fairfax), and refurbished by Fairfax apprentices.

And more: Also on display was a facsimile edition of the Gutenberg 42-line bible reproduced exactly as Gutenberg printed it in 1455, on a reproduction wooden press similar to his Common Press.

Museum stalwart James Cryer – author of ‘The Romance of Letterpress’ – tells GXpress thanks are due to Ive Group and Müller Martini Australia, among others, for logistics as well as financial support.

The heavy equipment was as near as PacPrint 2025 got to “heavy metal”, no offset equipment of any sort – sheetfed or web – being exhibited at the show.

-with thanks to Andy McCourt/WideFormatOnline

Pictured top: Museum volunteer Ralph Bennett with the 1851 Columbian; and (above) president Bob Lockley (centre) and museum volunteers manned a large truck to get the historic equipment to the show; and (below) the recreated ‘Common Press’ arrives at the show.