The FUN Show Welcomes Mr. Michael Bean & The Spider Press
The FUN Show Welcomes Mr. Michael Bean
To The Bourse Floor For Spider Press Demonstrations
Mr. Michael Bean
Michael Bean worked as a Plate Printer at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) at 14th and C Streets, SW Washington, DC 20228 from March 15, 1971 to March 2, 2005. As a Plate Printer he performed complex specialized intaglio printing, independently and as a member of a team. Michael was responsible for setting up and operating, in a proper and safe manner, high speed plate printing presses and other intaglio printing equipment.
The various pieces of equipment are used in printing United States currency, postage stamps, public debt securities, as well as specialty high quality multi-color printings for the Office of the President of the United States and other government agencies.
In addition, he has trained many apprentices and Plate Printers in the unique process of intaglio printing. He also promoted the intaglio craft by conducting printing press demonstrations which educated the public on the history, art and security of the process. Furthermore, he worked with the Security Technology Institute along with the Office of Engraving in the testing of new currency designs by hand proving engraved dies and offering suggestions for improvements to the final products. In addition to working with the Office of Engraving he also provided direct support and printing expertise to designers and engravers. Along with the above mentioned duties, he was an Acting Foreman of the Miscellaneous Products Section. In his capacity as Acting Foreman, he coordinated and supervised work flow and assignments of tasks to the Plate Printers and Press Helpers.
Since his retirement from the BEP, he has continued to hone his skills as a Plate Printer through the process of intaglio printed souvenir cards, note cards and invitations. In all of the work experience and knowledge that he has learned during his career at the at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Michael Bean has tried to pass on this information to others to further the art of intaglio printing
Intaglio Printed Souvenir Card Raffle
Florida United Numismatists is proud to welcome back Mr. Michael Bean formerly of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to the 57th Annual FUN show. Mr. Bean will be conducting Spider Printing Press demonstrations on the bourse floor. Michael will share his love for his craft, educating our convention guests on the artistic workmanship, historical relevance and added security of the intaglio process.
Mr. Bean has created a very special intaglio printed souvenir card for the 2012 FUN show. There will be only 100 limited edition spider press prints, numbered, dated and signed by the printer.
The free raffle will be held at 12 noon and 4:00 pm daily with one raffle on Sunday at 12 noon. Raffle tickets can be obtained from the booth prior to the drawing. However, participants MUST be present at the time of the drawing to win.
Be sure to stop by the Spider Press booth and watch the demonstration and take advantage of the free raffle for these beautiful prints.
Sample Of Print To Be Raffled At The Show
Sample of print Click to Enlarge
The Spider Press
"SPIDER PRESS"
During the nineteenth century several American companies applied for and were granted patents for hand-operated plate presses. Theses presses were referred to as "Spider" presses because of their long radial handle designs.
United States currency, bonds, and stamps were printed by hand on Spider presses from 1862 until 1929 at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C. Records from the International Plate Printers, Die Stampers, and Engravers Union of North America state daily quotas of six hundred "good" impressions for a Journeyman plate printer and assistant. This intaglio printing process involves inking in recessed designs and wiping excess ink off the surface of a metal plate by hand. The plate is then covered with paper and subjected to the pressure of the press's rollers and bed. The resulting print has a distinctive raised ink impression. Hand-engraved plates called "dies" offer great inherent security because of the difficulty in producing the original art work and the individual artist's interpretation of values and textures. This intaglio printing process combined with the Bank Note style of hand engraving is considered by many as the highest form of graphic art.
2009 Intaglio Printed Souvenir Card
Click To Enlarge 2011 Intaglio Printed Souvenir Card
From the FUN Photo Archives Michael at the 2007 FUN Show.
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Click To Enlarge Photo Credit Fred Lake
Check Out Our Intaglio Printing Board On Pinterest
Check Out Our Intaglio Printing Board On Pinterest here We have also updated Mr. Michael Bean's Intaglio Print information in a new blog entry here
Mr. Bean also has his own photo album on photobucket.com. Click here to view his photographs
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Mark Your Calendars
Be sure to mark your calendar and come see us at the FUN Show!
59th Annual FUN Convention: January 9-12, 2014 - Orange County Convention Center Orlando, Florida
8th Annual Summer FUN Convention: July 10-12, 2014 - OCCC West Building, Hall WE1, Orlando, Florida
60th Annual FUN Convention: January 8-11, 2015 - Orange County Convention Center Orlando, Florida
9th Annual Summer FUN Convention: July 9-11, 2015 - OCCC West Building, Hall WA2, Orlando, Florida
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