Volha, TYPA tour guide and volunteer coordinator, introduces the proofreading press like this:

Proofreading presses used to be found in every printing house of any size, and they were used to make proofs, check the layout, design and any typographical errors of typeset text or small print runs before the order went to press.

The first proofreaders of this type were produced in the late 1930s in both the Soviet Union and the Netherlands. The proofreader is simple in construction: it consists of a base, a cover frame and a metal pressure cylinder. A printing bed is placed on top of the base. As the machine has no inking plates, the ink has to be applied to the printing plate by hand. The paper is then placed on top of the printing plate, which is then covered with a fabric coating frame. To make the print, the pressure cylinder has to be manually moved over the printing plate and the paper.

Our NVK 2 was manufactured in the Soviet Union, at the Kharkov printing plant “Poligrafmash” in 1956 and was previously used at the printing plant of the State Gazette Publishing House. It could be said to be the simplest printing press in TYPA. It arrived at TYPA in 2010, and in the early years of the museum, we used this proofreader on a daily basis in our workshops. As it is difficult to achieve a good print quality with this press, it has now really remained a proofreader. With the NVK 2, for example, we did proofreading runs of both The Little Prince and The Little Prince.

If you want to support TYPA’s preservation and promotion activities, you can do so by  adopting one of our machines. The adopted machine will still remain in place in TYPA, but will receive a gold label with the name of a good supporter and free admission to the museum.

If you would like to support TYPA’s activities in preserving and promoting printed heritage, you can do so by adopting one of our machines. The 2-year adoption fee for the NVK proofreader is € 125. The adopted machine will still remain in its place at TYPA, but will receive a gold label with the name of a good supporter on its chest and free admission to the museum.

Send us your adoption request, and we will get back to you with more information on how you can support us.