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I LANSTON TYPE COMPANY I GERALD GIAMPA I
¶ THESE PREMISES were previously occupied by Mountain Press owned and operated by Swiss master printer Nick Schwabe. The shop was only two hundred square feet. Giampa lived in a loft he built above the equipment. This shop was simple and neat with a focused choice of types. Everything he printed in this period was in Caslon Oldstyle. He felt no compelling need to add anything other than additional sizes. Caslon was his house face.
When customers would ask what type faces Giampa offered he would reply: 'We offer Caslon, Caslon or Caslon. What colours do you like?'
Printers' fleurons were Giampa's great typographical strength. He re-invented wedding invitations and announcements which were previously only set in either script or wedding text. That was a stubborn custom for many decades. Departures were viewed as inappropriate. His challenge was to make the invitations and announcements socially acceptable. Giampa managed to succeed and also takes full credit for inventing matching divorce announcements.
His attempts to sell pre-paid matching divorce announcements was a marketing failure. He did however, by power of suggestion, have several customers return after things had gone terribly wrong and order divorce announcements.
He remembers one couple where the woman turned to her ex husband and said: 'This is the last time we will agree on anything.'
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¶ 1305 LYNN VALLEY ROAD PREMISES. This Photo c. 1968. I enjoyed the typographical nature of this window curtaining. I seemed to also enjoy drinking wine. There is something in the window a little out of the usual however. It is the cricket cage hanging mid centre left.