MISSISSAUGA, ON—Howard Iron Works, the passion project of Howard Graphic Equipment's Nick and Liana Howard, provides a three-dimensional peek into printing's past.

Stocked with dozens of vintage pieces ranging from presses to cutters and type blocks, the fledgling museum is growing its collection while prepping to move into a new building within the year.  


Nick Howard shows off a vintage press at Howard Iron Works printing museum

PrintCAN, and our sister magazine Graphic Monthly Canada, recently visited the Howards for a tour and a history lesson. They showed us not only shiny, refurbished beauties, but also a horde of rusty contraptions waiting in line for a makeover.

Check out some outtakes below from the belly of the workshop, where HIW's engineers work with care to restore and preserve the historical machines. And stay tuned to an upcoming issue of Graphic Monthly to see photos of the finished products and learn more about the history of printing.