Ben Tarnoff at Arion Press

Wednesday evening I heard local author Ben Tarnoff give an illustrated lecture about the history of counterfeiting in America, based on his 2012 book A Counterfeiter's Paradise. Mr. Tarnoff appears quite studious, & his 45 minute talk covered the Colonial Period through the end of the 19th century. Because of early America's bewildering array of paper currencies, he called this "The Golden Age of American Counterfeiting." The audience was very polite & looked quite well-heeled. An elderly couple with a dog sat behind me, & at times I wasn't sure whether the woman was talking to her dog or to her husband.

The event was at Arion Press in the Presidio, & I enjoyed the chance to see the exhibits of their handmade art books afterward. A deluxe libretto of Porgy & Bess with illustrations by Kara Walker is currently on display. The typography on my hoodie attracted the attention of several attendees, one of whom took a picture of one of the patches. I was briefly introduced to David Goines, who said he was at the talk because, "All printers are interested in counterfeiting."

§ Moneymakers: The History of Counterfeiting in America
Illustrated talk by Ben Tarnoff
June 11, 2014, 6pm
Arion Press