François Quinart loves books in all their forms. A printer, but also a bookseller, he offers rare books printed on his 19" hand press e century. Antiquarian bookshop, art gallery and traditional "leaded" print shop, Arch'Libris is a unique place in Champagne-Ardenne?!
A few days before the end of this strange year, as he prints at the last minute on his pedal press greeting cards for his loved ones, François Quinart tells us the story of his workshop and the passion that drives him.
Sixth generation of a family of printers
François Quinart was "born" in the printing industry. He is the sixth generation of a family of printers based in Charleville-Mézières in the Ardennes, a town made famous for having seen the poet Arthur Rimbaud grow up.
The family printing house was founded in 1830." My grandfather was a letterpress printer in the building where I work." explains François Quinart. Now 67 years old, he has been immersed in the world of printing since childhood.
"When I was 11 years old, I was already typing. I watched the printing industry evolve from typography to digital. It was a difficult transition in the 80s." It was at this time that his mother, who was then at the head of the company, stopped her business because she had not been able to modernize.
After working in a larger structure, he returned to typographic printing..
Until the age of 45, François Quinart worked at the Sopaic printing works, also in Charleville. But weary of new digital printing technologies, he finally decided to take over the family premises and gradually set up a typographic printing house. " I started by doing some bookbinding and selling old books and gradually bought back machines and typefaces".
The workshop is equipped with a pedal typewriter (also known as a pedalette), a Heidelberg Ofmi plate, and a large hand press dating from 1850, previously on display in the old town library.
Arch'Libris produces "bibliophilic" books, artists' books, prints between 100 and 200 copies or smaller prints with original bindings such as leporello or handmade cases. Some are printed entirely in typography, others have the inside printed digitally and the covers in typography.
A lot of Rimbaud
The shop counts among its customers the local association "Art et passion du livre en Ardennes" (Art and passion for books in the Ardennes) which publishes in particular, due to its geographical situation, many illustrated books by Rimbaud. On beautiful papers such as Velin d'Arches, the works are printed in typography with laminated illustrations, most of the time digitally but also sometimes by engravers. Beside that, François Quinart also prints "fancy" posters, for example with wooden typefaces.
On the bookstore side, Arch'Libris specialises in fine books: regionalism, modern illustrations, original editions... Finally, part of the premises houses an exhibition gallery . "Many of the artists exhibited are offered to illustrate the works I print." explains François Quinart. The circle is complete.
