“The Biscuit City Press exists because of the delight I derive from its product. I seek to print a page that is not only pleasant to the eye but also to the touch, so that the choice of paper and the bite of the letterpress into the sheet are as important as the design of the printed matter. But, above all, the Biscuit City Press exists because of the sheer pleasure I derive from setting type by hand and from printing with my old Albion Press."-Robert M. Gutchen
The Biscuit City Press had its inception after Professor Robert Gutchen, a professor of English History at the University of Rhode Island, purchased a Kelsey five by eight hand platen press in 1969. The printing establishment was named after the street on which he resided in Kingston, Rhode Island. His first production, printed on January 31, 1970, was the program for the New England Historical Association annual meeting . He and members of his family used the Kelsey press until 1972.
While Professor Gutchen and his family were in England, in 1971, he purchased from the Excelsior Printers’ Supply Co. a Harrild & Sons Albion, 16" by 11" press, No. 2521 dated 1870. “The very first pull taken on the new Albion Press of the Biscuit City Press; done at 3:10 p.m. on Sunday March 19, 1972 at 7 Benford Rd, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire in the presence of the entire Gutchen family” (Notebook, Vol.1). After this, the Albion became the principal hand press for creating ephemera and book productions. He would later go on to purchase a Vandercook SP15 proof press, an engraving press, book binding presses and paper making equipment. His wife, Sylvia, was involved in many of the productions of the press. He also collaborated with University Professors Paul Petrie (a poet) and Fritz Eichenberg (a wood engraver) in printing their works.
Professor Robert Gutchen was as meticulous in keeping records of his printing as he was in the pieces he printed. Samples of all his printing from the mundane to the exquisite were kept in a series of notebooks (see Series I and II). Each piece is identified by at least the hand press used, date, paper and type face. Sometimes quantity or other anecdotal information is included with the pieces.
In 1976, Bob joined Professor David Maslyn in establishing the New Leaves Press in the University Library, Special Collections Unit. To celebrate the Bicentennial, the library purchased an 1841 Albion hand press, 33” x 32”, from the same dealer in London, England. Professors’ Masyln and Gutcher team-taught a library graduate credit course in fine letter/press printing for three years. The New Leaves Press still functions with the addition of an Adams Acorn and Washington (circa 1830’s) hand presses.
The Biscuit City Press ceased production of major works by 1983, a victim of the computer age. The last publication was in 1990. Professor Gutchen started devoting his spare time to computer designed type faces and other facets of computer printing. His Albion and the Press archives were given to the Library’s Special Collections Unit in 2004.
Open for research.
Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.
Biscuit City Press Archives, 1970-1992, Ms. 177, University of Rhode Island Library.
The records of the Biscuit City Press are divided into three series.
Series 1, Works of the Press consists of four, three-ring binders (1970-1983) that contain samples of all the items printed by the Press. Items included vary from business cards, reprints of historic tracks, booklets, books and samples of marbled paper made by the Gutchens.
Series 2, Printed Works consists of four three-ring binders (1971-1983) that contain duplicates of items printed on the press. There are also copies of drafts, working copies of press work and proofs. One notebook contains printing ephemera and prospectus from domestic and foreign presses.
Series 3, the General File consists of records created or used by Professor Gutchen in the operation of the Press. There is a two volume diary (1975-1980) of press activates and a sales journal for items printed on the press. Professor Gutchen’s involvement with the University of Rhode Island Theatre is amply documented in a three-ring binder (1974-1990) containing flyers, programs and news clippings about theatrical productions.
The records of the Biscuit City Press are divided into three series.
This series of three-ring notebooks contains samples of all the items printed at the Biscuit City Press from its inception January 31, 1970 to 1990. The works were printed on a Kelsey and later, starting March 1972, on the Albion printing press. Items, from business cards, programs, letter heads, booklets, reprints of historic tracks, broadsides, Christmas greetings, and samples of home made and marbled papers are all included in chronological order, pasted into sheets of paper in each notebook. Each item may contain information of when it was printed, edition statement, type face and paper identification and any other pertinent data related to the piece.
This series of four three-ring notebooks contains copies of works printed on the press. Many of these items are duplicates of what is found in the chronological sequence of notebooks found in Series I. These notebooks have samples of printing, drafts and working copies and proofs. One notebook, "Printing Ephemera Foreign and Domestic" contains printing samples from other presses. There are prospectus for BCP publications and multiple copies of some works. None of his hard bound books are found in this series, but there are sample pages on page proofs of the books.
The notebooks are filed in numerical sequence.
The General File consists of records created or used by Professor Gutchen that relate to the Biscuit City Press. Of importance is a two volume diary of the press, 1975-1980, and a sales journal, 1979-1980. Volume IX of the notebooks is in this file because more than two-thirds of its contents relate to Professor Gutchen’s involvement in and with theatrical productions of the University of Rhode Island Theatre Department. The notebook contains flyers and programs, and newspaper clippings from 1874-1990. The latter one-third contains samples of printing from other presses. The folders in the general file are listed alphabetically by subject. Volume IX is listed under University of Rhode Island Theatre.