Post-War Letterpress: Harry Duncan, Cummington Press and Abattoir Editions at UNO

The exhibit, ‘Post-War Letterpress: Harry Duncan, Cummington Press and Abattoir Editions at UNO’, which highlights the fine arts press books published by Duncan’s two printing presses is open through May 4, 2026. Post-War Letterpress: Harry Duncan, Cummington Press and Abattoir Editions at UNO shares materials from the UNO Fine Arts Press collection, focusing on the works of Harry Duncan, a printer, typographer, publisher, and former professor at UNO. Harry Duncan (1916-1997) used a hand-press printer to create letterpress books. Born in Keokuk, Iowa, he founded the Cummington Press (1939-1997) in Massachusetts, before moving the company to Iowa and later to Nebraska. As a professor of fine arts at UNO, he began Abattoir Editions, the UNO Fine Arts Press in 1972 and led the press until 1985.

Duncan was called “the father of the post-World War II private-press movement” by Newsweek in 1982 and his designs were lauded by scholar Joseph Blumenthal for their “compelling and dramatic simplicity.” Duncan worked with authors such as Tennessee Williams, Robert Lowell, Alan Tate, Lyn Coffin, as well as students, faculty and staff at UNO.

Some of the books and woodblocks on display were collected and donated by Mary L. Richmond, the curator of the Chapin Library at Williams College in Williamstown, MA from 1947 to 1955. These items, which compose the Mary L. Richmond Cummington Press Collection, were donated by Richmond to UNO in 1977.

During regular hours, Criss Library is open to the public Monday – Thursday 7AM-10PM, Friday 7AM-5PM, Saturday 9AM-5PM and Sunday 12PM-10PM.