Manufactured by Deneger & Weiler in New York City in the 1870’s, the American No. 8 works on the same engineering principal as the C & P Pilot and has a chase size of 8″ x 12″.

Alan Brignull: The Ajax company, a likely competitor to Adana (see Adana Five-Three), was based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. The Ajax No. 1, the sister of the flatbed pictured, had an even smaller chase size than the No.2: 5 1/2 x 3 1/8″. There were also two sizes of platen presses in the Ajax line, similar in appearance to the Adana Eight-Five. Called Ajax Minor and Ajax Major, respectively, they had interesting parallel-approach platen mechanisms.

Joseph Watson of Massachusetts opened an office in Boston in 1858 as the agent for the Lowe Press, and in 1861 launched Adams’ Adams Cottage Press in New York. In 1871 Watson patented the Young America, a sturdy press offered in chase sizes from 3 x 4 1/2″ to 10×15″. The press evolved from a hand-inking model with combination hand and foot lever (1872), to a hand- or foot-lever press with self-inking attachment (from 1873), to a true self-inking press (from 1881). By 1886 the hand-inking series had been discontined. Watson manufactured the Young America until 1896, when his business was absorbed by rival William Kelsey (see Kelsey’s Excelsior 3×5), who also took over the businesses of B.O. Woods (maker of the Novelty), J. Cook and Company, and Curtis and Mitchell (Caxton).

John I. Wells (1769-1832), was born in East Hartford, Connecticut where he later returned to set up his own business. He made furniture and mattresses before becoming a supplier of high-quality printers ink. To aid in his ink business, Wells devised and patented a press with a lever toggle joint, which he later determined would be an improvement over the screw of the common and Ramage presses. His improved lever printing press, which he patented in 1819, was the first American iron lever press (after Clymer left the country with his Columbian), and the first press made in America that didn’t use the screw or compound toggle levers, as the Columbian, Stanhope, and Ruthven presses did. Originally Wells hung a heavy iron ball at the side of the press which served as a counterweight to raise the platen after an impression was made. The ball was later replaced by springs which performed the same function more effectively. Wells contended that the presses made by both Stansbury and Smith infringed on his patent (see the Smith for more information). Ultimately, the Smith and the very popular Washington presses, developed in the 1820s, elipsed Wells’ presses, though he did sell a good number. Manufacture ceased when Wells died in 1833. The press shown is one of the earliest Wells presses surviving. Its platen was extended by a 1-inch iron strip bolted to the rear edge. The platen size including the extension is 30 1/2 x 21.”