Vintage Machines, Perfect Prints: The Legacy of The Sherwood Press

To letterpress lovers, the Heidelberg Windmill is a beloved icon of beauty and durability. This historic print shop in Olympia, WA, is devoted to keeping its Windmills—and their flawless prints—alive.

The Heidelberg Platen Press, known as “The Windmill” for the rotating blades of its automatic paper-feed system, was manufactured in Germany from 1923 to 1985. story images courtesy of The Sherwood Press

Dear Friends,

In today’s featured story, we meet Jami Heinricher, owner of The Sherwood Press in Olympia, Washington. Along with the print shop, which was founded in 1940, Heinricher inherited a vintage Heidelberg Windmill press that had been installed in 1953. Far from a relic, this cast-iron marvel of engineering continues to deliver impeccable prints with a precision that puts modern machines to shame. Heinricher’s devotion to her “family” of vintage Windmills—and to her longtime, loyal customers—prove that thoughtful design and durability never go out of style.

We hope you’ll enjoy reading “Vintage Machines, Perfect Prints: The Legacy of The Sherwood Press,” written by

Jennifer Berney

.

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Sincerely,

Todd Oppenheimer
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Craftsmanship Magazine

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Jocelyn Dohm, left, with Jami Heinricher in 1999.

Vintage Machines, Perfect Prints: The Legacy of The Sherwood Press

Story by

Jennifer Berney

Jami Heinricher, 61, was not yet alive when the first Heidelberg Windmill printing press arrived at The Sherwood Press in 1953, but her predecessor was.

Jocelyn Dohm, who founded the press in 1940, had to cut a hole in the floor and pour a concrete block to support the machine’s 2,400-pound weight. The 400-square-foot cottage Dohm had built with her father to house her business sat atop a steep, forested hillside in Olympia, WA. Back then, it had no driveway, so workers delivered the Windmill to the site by dragging it on skids.