A printing apparatus for printing on an outer surface of a conical object having a longitudinal axis, the apparatus comprising: (i) an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt with an inner surface and an outer release surface; (ii) an imaging station for depositing at least one ink composition on the release surface to form an ink image; (iii) a drying station at which the ink image is substantially dried or at least partially cured, by evaporation or by exposure to radiation, so as to form on the release surface a substantially dried ink image; (iv) an impression station having a nip at which the ITM is compressed between an object and an impression surface, to cause the dried ink image to be transferred from the release surface of the ITM to the outer surface of the object; and (v) an object transport system for transporting the object to the impression station and rotating the object about its own longitudinal axis during passage through the impression station such that, at the nip, the outer surface of the object makes rolling contact with the release surface of the ITM; characterized in that , in order to permit printing on a conical object, (vi) the ITM is elastically deformable at least in the direction of movement of the ITM, and (vii) the impression surface is the outer surface of a conical roller, or a stationary surface inclined relative to the axis of rotation of the conical object, whereby the ITM is elongated during passage through the impression station and the extent of elongation varies across the width of the ITM so as to match the surface velocity of the ITM to that of the conical object over the entire area of contact between the ITM and the conical object at the nip. (i) an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt with an inner surface and an outer release surface; (ii) an imaging station for depositing at least one ink composition on the release surface to form an ink image; (iii) a drying station at which the ink image is substantially dried or at least partially cured, by evaporation or by exposure to radiation, so as to form on the release surface a substantially dried ink image; (iv) an impression station having a nip at which the ITM is compressed between an object and an impression surface, to cause the dried ink image to be transferred from the release surface of the ITM to the outer surface of the object; and (v) an object transport system for transporting the object to the impression station and rotating the object about its own longitudinal axis during passage through the impression station such that, at the nip, the outer surface of the object makes rolling contact with the release surface of the ITM; characterized in that , in order to permit printing on a conical object, (vi) the ITM is elastically deformable at least in the direction of movement of the ITM, and (vii) the impression surface is the outer surface of a conical roller, or a stationary surface inclined relative to the axis of rotation of the conical object, whereby the ITM is elongated during passage through the impression station and the extent of elongation varies across the width of the ITM so as to match the surface velocity of the ITM to that of the conical object over the entire area of contact between the ITM and the conical object at the nip. <EOS>