THIS SMALL, PRIVATE PRESS preserves the tradition and craft of letterpress printing and book binding. The printshop focuses on the design and production of original limited edition books, fine art prints, and other printed items using platen and proof presses, hand-set type and hand-carved block illustrations. The bindery work ranges from book repair, design and construction of custom bindings, and production of fully functional and creative journals, albums and miniatures.
Presses include a treadle-driven 8x12 Gordon platen press (old style, ca. 1860), and a galley proof press. The Gordon was donated by the DesBrisay Museum, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. Much printing is also done on a motor-driven 10x15 Chandler & Price Craftsman platen press and a Vandercook Uni I proof press at the Dawson Printshop (School of Library and Information Sciences, Dalhousie University.)
Peregrino Press emerged from workshop projects in bookbinding and letterpress printing at the Dawson Printshop during 2001-2002, and was fully manifest as a small press with the publication of A Garland of Graces in 2003. Even with an edition limited to 150, this chapbook has been very well received throughout Nova Scotia, across Canada, and in San Francisco, Europe and the Vatican.
THE SCALLOP SHELL WAS THE EMBLEM of Saint James the Great, the patron saint of pilgrims. St. James travelled to northwest Spain and preached there for seven years. He was later beheaded in Judea by King Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:2). His body was eventually taken back to Spain and buried at Santiago de Compostela.
From the 9th century to the 16th century, hundreds of thousands of Christians came to Santiago de Compostela on pilgrimages. Such expeditions were made by individuals or groups to places where miracle or other sign had occurred. Although the journeys usually were long and dangerous, the pilgrims did not mind, because they believed their spiritual lives would be enriched and deepened through the pilgrimage.
Often the pilgrim wore on his hat or cloak a badge indicating his destination. Those going to Santiago de Compostela wore a scallop shell. Perhaps it was a reminder of the small boats in which many of them travelled, or it may have had a more practical use as a drinking vessel or baptismal fount. The scallop shell eventually became the sign of pilgrimage in general, and a symbol of baptism, signifying new life.
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