Fine Press

Swamp Press started printing limited edition letterpress poetry books by unpublished or otherwise unknown authors in the 1970’s in Oneonta, New York, using a Golding ten by fifteen Art Jobber. Begun by Jo Mish, Sylver Pondolfino, my brother Robert and myself, Ed Rayher, we were poets on a mission to make finely printed books with good poetry, fine materials, tactile appeal, original artwork & interesting bindings.

Scores of books, several NEA grants, & a decade later, the press moved to Amherst, MA, started casting Monotype, and upgraded to a Heidelberg Windmill & a Vandercook. In the 90’s the press continued the core publishing mission and added a focus on making matrices for type designers around the world as well as for the foundry and my own amusement, using a rare American Type Founders Benton matrix engraver. Upgrades to our capabilities include adding a KSBA Heidelberg cylinder press and an antique Smyth Book Sewer.

Our books are held by private collectors as well as special collections in many libraries and universities. Currently a major collection of Swamp Press books is being established at Wesleyan University.