From October 14, 2006 "The Dawn of Modern Printing - Stanhope and Industrial Revolution" temporary exhibition will be held at the Printing Museum, Tokyo, which is operated by Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Gutenberg’s modern letterpress printing technology (c.1450), an invention of great historical significance for mankind, enabled the mass production of books and gave rise to publishing culture. Printing presses using this technology were used for the subsequent 300 or so years almost completely unchanged.
Then, in 1800, a revolutionary all-iron printing press, the Stanhope Press,appeared and the form of printing presses changed dramatically.

The Stanhope Press was developed in late 18th century Britain by Earl Stanhope (1753-1816), who was known for his radical liberalism. Compared with the previous wooden printing presses, the all-iron Stanhope Press was robust and strong, and had a new structure which made it easier to use. It therefore had a great effect on the development of printing presses that followed. After this, printing presses with new pressure application mechanisms appeared one after the other and it became possible to produce greater quantities of printed matter, with greater speed and efficiency. In this way, the industrial revolution in printing was started by the Stanhope Press.

The Printing Museum, Tokyo has been able to obtain a Stanhope Press, sought after by printing museums around the world.
With this temporary exhibition, the Printing Museum will present printing presses, which are essential among the four elements of printing - "paper (substrate)", "plate", "ink" and "press". The focuses of the exhibition are the life and character of Earl Stanhope himself and the Stanhope Press (the printing machine that he created), of which there are only twenty-two remaining in the world.
In addition, during the period for which the exhibition is held, on Saturday, Nov. 11 and Saturday, Nov. 25, lectures based on the Stanhope Press will be held. There will also be a workshop using the Stanhope Press held every Saturday.

[Overview of the Exhibition]
* Title
Temporary Exhibition: "The Dawn of Modern Printing - Stanhope and Industrial Revolution"

* Opening period
October 14, 2006 (Saturday) -- January 10, 2007 (Wednesday)

* Location
Printing Museum, Tokyo, Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
Toppan Koishikawa Bldg.
1-3-3 Suido, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8531
Tel 03-5840-2300 Fax 03-5840-1567
http://www.printing-museum.org/

* Opening hours
10:00 - 18:00 (last admission 17:30)

* Closed
Mondays (except open on January 8, 2007 and closed on January 9)
Year end / New Year closing (December 29, 2006 - January 3, 2007)

* Admission
Adults 500 yen
College students  300 yen
Middle and high school students  200 yen
(Elementary school students and younger, over 65s - Free)
(Admission is free on November 3, 2006)

* Sponsors
Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. "Printing Museum, Tokyo"

* Cooperation
The Japan Federation of Printing Industries (JFPI) / Printers Association of Japan

[Lecture Program]
* First Lecture
Date & Time: November 11, Saturday  14:00--15:30
Location: Printing Museum, Tokyo Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
Topic : "From Gutenberg to Stanhope"
Lecturer: Koichi Kabayama(Director, Printing Museum, Tokyo)

* Second Lecture
Date & Time: November 25, Saturday  14:00--15:30
Location: Printing Museum, Tokyo, Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
Topic: "The Mystery of the Stanhope Press’s Introduction to Japan"
Lecturer: Masanobu Itakura (Printing historian)

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