Rampant Lions Press

Organization

Staff Only

Biography

The Rampant Lions Press was founded in 1924 by Will Carter (1912-2001), who produced the first pamphlet from the Press in 1936 after years of family jobbing printing. It became his full-time business in 1949, always combined with designing and letter-cutting. In 1966 his son Sebastian (1941- ) joined the Press. Particularly after 1974, Will and Sebastian generally worked on separate jobs. The Rampant Lions Press produced letterpress books using hand- and machine-set types, frequently illustrated with wood engravings. Its most ambitious books were for outside publishers including the Clover Hill and Rainbow presses; but some books were its own publications, and many were for private individuals. Besides books, the Press printed all kinds of stationery, announcements, etc., for customers, and Will and Sebastian Carter both did a wide range of design work. Sebastian Carter wound up the Rampant Lions Press in 2009.

Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:

Series

John Nash's cats, 2001-2003

Series

Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS Add.10057/6

Scope and Contents

Papers relating to 'John Nash's cats: six wood-engravings and two woodcuts accompanying "The Nash cats' story"', by Ronald Blythe; Woodbridge, 2003. Includes costings; proofs; 'The Nash cats' story' (photocopy) by Ronald Blythe; and correspondence exchanged with Ronald Blythe, Sebastian Carter (of the Rampant Lions Press), Frank Collieson, Peter Criddle, Alan Cudmore, Simon Hilton, Robert Llewellyn, Brian Settle (of the Fine Bindery), Claudia Wolfers and Ellery Yale Wood.

Dates: 2001-2003

Conditions Governing Access: From the Fonds: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Found in: Cambridge University Library / Archive of the Wood Lea Press

Fonds

Rampant Lions Press Archive

Fonds

Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS Add.9816

Scope and Contents

This collection contains papers arising from book, jobbing, and design work (including examples of ephemera but not usually books); miscellaneous correspondence; business papers; and publications by and about Will and Sebastian Carter.

Dates: 1924-2009

Conditions Governing Access: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Found in: Cambridge University Library

File

Will Carter, 1941-1972

File

Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS Add.9814/E/8

Scope and Contents Folder = correspondence (ca. 1941-ca. 1967), including a letter from Barbara Carter, and a postcard from Sebastian Carter. With it are 2 pieces of printing (letterheading and invitation) done by Carter for Hutt and a publisher's announcement for Will Carter, printer (1968). Some pieces are undated Envelope and oversize (tabloid) folder = Specimens of printing from the Rampant Lions Press. These include book prospectuses and many ephemera (1950s-1972). With these are artwork for a device for...

Dates: 1941-1972

Found in: Cambridge University Library / Papers of Allen Hutt / General correspondence

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