Harbor Press

The Harbor Press, a fine press printer and publisher in New York City that operated from 1925 to 1942, was founded by John Fass and Roland Wood (AC 1920), together with his wife Elizabeth Wyandt Wood. The two men had formerly worked together at the printing and publishing house of William Edwin Rudge of Mount Vernon, New York. While at Rudge, they had worked alongside renowned book designer Bruce Rogers, and it is clear that Rogers' modernist yet classical design sensibility had a significant influence on the consistently precise, elegant, and finely crafted ornamental style for which the Harbor Press became famous. As president of the firm, Roland Wood brought in the clients; Fass, as vice-president, was mainly responsible for the design and oversaw the shop; and Elizabeth Wood, the secretary, treasurer and office manager, oversaw day-to-day operations.

The Harbor Press was famous for its logo featuring a seahorse, which appeared in dozens of variations on many Harbor Press productions. It was first located on East 34th Street and it developed its business based largely on a New York City clientele - although since several of its clients were New York advertising firms, their work appeared nationwide. It also designed and printed works for New York's most influential bibliophiles, such as the members of the Grolier Club and the Typophiles. The majority of the Press's work, however, was not in book publishing but in a wide variety of commercial job printing.

Sometime after 1930, the Press moved to East 45th Street. Owing mainly to Fass's poor health the Harbor Press closed in 1939. Roland and Elizabeth Wood initially moved to the Marchbanks Press; a year later, the Harbor Press was revived as an imprint, apparently still in close association with the Marchbanks Press. In 1942, when Roland Wood re-entered the military (he had also served in World War I), Marchbanks took over the Harbor Press completely.

Roland Wood returned to his first love, the theater, and went on to have a successful career in acting, on Broadway and later in live television theater. Meanwhile, Fass (his health recovered) continued working as a book designer for leading American publishers as well as a graphic designer specializing in typography for advertising.

New York City Locations of the Harbor Press:

The Harbor Press changed locations several times over the course of its existence. Based on evidence in the ephemera, correspondence and other sources, the following locations have been documented:

From the guide to the Harbor Press Ephemera Collection, 1924-2006, 1925-1941, (Amherst College Archives and Special Collections)