A Day in the Life of a 1400s Typographer

Bringing history to life with our handmade prints

The printing press, invented by German goldsmith Johann Gutenberg in 1448, is considered one of the most significant innovations in human history. For the first time, it enabled everyday people - men, women, and children - to access books, granting them an unprecedented opportunity to gain knowledge. Before this invention, books were laboriously written and copied by hand, making them scarce and available only to a select few.

Who would have thought that in 2024, you could still have the opportunity and privilege to print using the exact same system invented in the 1450s?

Italy is full of untold stories. Stories of people who dedicate their time and lives to creating something truly extraordinary, yet remain out of the spotlight in a world consumed by fast food, fast fashion, and fleeting trends.

These are the stories we love to share.

For many years, Martina worked in the fast-paced world of advertising as a graphic designer. But at some point, something felt missing.

She longed to work with her hands and fully immerse herself in projects where time and deadlines didn’t exist.

While searching for something more, she unexpectedly found it.

Or maybe, it found her.

Martina became a typographer - the Tuscan Typographer.

She began by traveling across Italy, collecting what others considered junk: movable type, mechanical presses, inks, proofing presses, foot-operated machines, and hand-operated presses.

Basically, everything needed for manual printing.

Through trial and error, she gradually mastered this lost art.

Then, we knocked on her door.

“We want to create 1400s prints to share in our online shop A Tavola! so that our community can have a unique piece of Italy, handmade by us.”

Martina guided us step by step.

And this is what we created (and you can get it here).

Benedetta’s print celebrates food and wine, while Valeria’s captures the words Italians say most often.