When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
1969 Robert Grabhorn Birthday BroadsidePrinted by Jane Grabhorn / Jumbo PressThree-Color Letterpress | California Fine Printing | Grabhorn Press Circle
A rare and wonderfully irreverent piece of California printing history: a 1969 birthday broadside for Robert “Bobby” Grabhorn, printed by Jane Bissell Grabhorn in the playful spirit of her Jumbo Press work.
Created for Robert Grabhorn’s 69th birthday, this privately circulated broadside offers a humorous and highly personal glimpse into the Grabhorn family printing circle. Rather than a formal tribute, it is affectionate, comic, and visually bold — exactly the sort of subversive private printing for which Jane Grabhorn is now increasingly appreciated.
The Design
The broadside presents a striking visual comparison of Robert Grabhorn:
Age 9: shown as an innocent child
Age 69: transformed into a giant snarling monster
The large green figure dominates the sheet, giving the piece immediate display appeal. It is both a birthday joke and a miniature performance of Jane Grabhorn’s typographic personality: witty, sharp, informal, and visually memorable.
Printing & Materials
Printed letterpress in three colors:
Black
Red
Emerald green
On heavy cream stock with T. Edmunds watermark.
The impression is strong, with excellent presence on the sheet. The typography and illustration have the lively, hand-made character associated with Jane Grabhorn’s private and semi-private productions.
Size
Approximately 17.75\" x 9.75\"
Large enough for effective archival framing and display.
Historical Context
Robert Grabhorn was one of the great figures of 20th-century American fine printing, co-founder of the Grabhorn Press of San Francisco. Jane Bissell Grabhorn, his wife, was an important printer, typographer, and co-founder of the Colt Press; she also produced distinctive private work under the Jumbo Press imprint. Institutional sources identify Jane Grabhorn with the Colt Press and Jumbo Press tradition, and her printed announcements, broadsides, and ephemeral pieces have been the subject of retrospective attention.
This birthday broadside belongs to that more intimate category of Grabhorn-circle printing: privately made, humorous, and likely issued in very small numbers for friends, family, and associates.
Rarity
Scarce private-circulation broadside.
I found institutional references to related Robert Grabhorn birthday greetings and Jane Grabhorn broadsides in the Colt Press records, but this type of ephemeral printing rarely appears in ordinary book-trade records.
A separate Jane Grabhorn/Jumbo Press broadside is currently listed at $350, suggesting active collector interest in this category of material.
Condition
Very Good.
Even toning consistent with age. Strong letterpress impression. Colors remain attractive. Margins clean. No tears or losses noted.
Please review photos carefully, as they form part of the condition description.
Why This Piece Is Desirable
Printed by Jane Bissell Grabhorn
Associated with Robert Grabhorn and the Grabhorn Press circle
Private birthday broadside from 1969
Bold three-color letterpress design
Large displayable format
Excellent example of Jane Grabhorn’s wit and typographic personality
Scarce California fine-printing ephemera
Strong appeal to collectors of Grabhorn Press, Jumbo Press, Colt Press, San Francisco printing, and women in letterpress history
A rare, funny, and visually arresting survival from one of the most important families in 20th-century American fine printing.
