QUALITY LITHOGRAPHIC AND LETTERPRESS PRINTING - DIESTAMPING & ENGRAVED STATIONERY - THERMOGRAPHY & FOIL BLOCKING
SUPPLIERS TO HM FORCES AND DIPLOMATS & HOLDERS OF A ROYAL WARRANT
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Printing Techniques & Expertise at Piccolo Press Ltd.
Diestamping - Engraved Stationery - Thermography
Foil Blocking & Blind Embossing - Letterpress - Litho Printing

Engraving and Diestamping The look (and feel) of diestamped stationery is second to none. Working from hand engraved steel dies and copperplates the most beautiful and detailed printing (in relief), can be achieved. It is particularly successful for crests and coats of arms. And for letterheads and invitations that require a prestigious image. See some of our Engraved Typefaces. We use water based inks which are 'laser proof'. Piccolo's clients for diestamping include members of the Royal Household, The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London Livery Companies, The Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, and foreign diplomats, as well as corporate and private clients. We are delighted to give advice on this very specialised subject. We have the only four diestamping presses in Scotland. "Images of Engraving" a beautifully produced book that explains the engraving and diestamping process, can be ordered here. (cost £12.50) The book is full of examples of what can be achieved by this unique printing process and is particularly useful for Designers and Print Buyers, as well as those just interested to own a very special book.

Hand Engraving

Piccolo Press Ltd. is one of the last remaining manufacturers of engraved wedding stationery and invitations to still employ a master-craftsman HAND ENGRAVER (rather than print from computer set etched plates). Thus you are getting a real piece of craftmanship using an ancient process where the skill is in the hand that cuts the lettering with tools called 'gravers'.

The lettering is cut directly onto the copper plate or steel (backwards and upside down!) and it is this character in the lettering that is so evident when a hand engraved invitation is compared to one that has been printed from a computer typesetting.

Once the plate is engraved it is printed by Piccolo Press on an 'intaglio' diestamping press. The plate is inked over and then scraped clean with a 'doctor blade' and finally wiped with brown paper to make sure that there is no ink on the surface of the plate, only in the engraved lines.
A male 'force' to exactly fit the 'female' engraved plate is then cut by the diestamper out of thick card and this is married up on the press with the engraved plate. This again requires considerable skill.

Once this register is achieved, the diestamping can be commenced and the ink forced by some four tons of pressure per square inch out of the engraved lines on the plate onto your card. (Real engraved stationery can be distinguished by the force mark on the reverse of the sheet of card. And of course by the fine relief printed lines and detail that cannot be achieved by any other process.) The inks used are 'water-based' and do not melt if the stationery has to be put through a modern laser printer.

Thus you have a card produced by specialist craft skills, both in the engraving of your plate and the set-up and stamping of the engraved image onto your card. Back to Top

Thermography While diestamping is unrivalled for quality work, thermography, if done with care and skill, can be a very good 'second best' method for embossing print. The result looks very like engraving, but costs less. This is achieved by sprinkling resin on the printed sheet whilst the sheet is still wet and then subjecting the sheet to heat. The resin fuses with the ink and raises the printed matter above the paper surface. Piccolo Press uses a special matt thermographic method which does not give a 'plastic effect' and is widely used on diplomatic and personal invitation cards. Please note that the thermographic process does tend to curl paper and cards just a little. This is due to the heat process taking moisture from the paper when the printing is done. Thermographed stocks will normally flatten out once subjected to the outside air but a small amount of curl may on occasions, remain. Back to Top

Foil Blocking and Blind Embossing The hot foil process is ideal for folders, cards and promotional items. Blind embossing, where the image is sculptured onto the paper with a die that raises the paper surface, is very distinctive. It can be used to give relief and distinction to flat printing. Back to Top

Letterpress Printing We are proud that Caxton would feel at home in our print shop. We believe that there is no better method than 'letterpress' (the printing from lead type and blocks) to give that clear, dense and slight impressed image onto the page. For personal stationery it is just the best and we have many classical typefaces to choose from, coupled to a selection of the finest papers. The print can also be raised by thermography. Our stationery just looks 'different' to that provided from a local printer or franchise. We also print a range of Exclusive Letterpress Gift Cards. More on Letterpress Designers & Graphic Artists Please Note: With our ability to make polymer blocks in house, almost any design can be printed by letterpress. Just send us your digital files. Litho Printing For more info see our Business Stationery Page. Back to Top

We offer first-class quality at competitive prices!
Request a sample pack and you can see the quality.

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Contact Tim Honnor or Margaret Hendry Piccolo Press Ltd. - 90 Harbour Street Nairn IV12 4PG - Scotland Phone: +44 (0)1667 454508 Fax: +44 (0)1667 454509 Email: print@piccolopress.co.uk www.piccolopress.co.uk © 1998-2006

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