Interview: The Last Typesetter
Forty-one years setting metal type, and a surprisingly cheerful view of the future.
By Daniel Okoye · July 14, 2026
Harold Vance still keeps a composing stick on his desk, though the last commercial job left his shop in 2009.
On craft
"People think I miss the lead," he says. "I miss the arguing. Two people standing over a page deciding whether a line has too much air in it."
On screens
He is less mournful than expected. "The page moved. Fine. The argument about the page is still worth having."
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