William Golding made a variety of different press styles over the years before ending production in the 1920’s. The Official No. 9, also known as a Map press because it could be used to print on small areas on larger sheets of paper (such as a map), was one of Golding’s most unusual presses. At first glance it may look similar to the 6 x 9 Official No. 4. But unlike the other Golding Official presses, and nearly all platen presses, its platen does not move. Instead, the bed moves down to the platen. Because of this unusual maneuver, a screw is needed to hold the ink disc in place. This screw is unnecessary in most presses where the ink disc does not move to a vertical position. Golding also made a larger Map press model (No. 12) which had a chase size of 8-1/4″ x 12-1/2″ as well as a very unusual tabletop Map press with a flywheel called the Imprinter in the same 8-1/4″ x 12-1/2″ size.
William Golding made a number of different style presses, among them the Official, which was manufactured between 1881 and 1893. For more information on Golding and his other presses, see Official No.2.
This press was made in the following chase sizes:
Official No.1, 3″ x 4 1/2″
Official No.2, 4″ x 6″
Official No.3, 5″ x 7 1/2″
Official No.4 (shown), 6″ x 9″
Official No.6, 8 1/4″ x 12 1/2″
Official No.7, 10″ x 15″
Serial numbers for the Golding presses can be found in the middle of the bed of the press, directly under the ink disc. This Official has a serial number of 1055 and was manufactured January 17, 1889.
“William Golding of Boston set up shop as a printer’s supply house in 1869 and soon graduated to the manufacture of seals, then small amateur presses, and finally full-sized jobbing presses. (See also Golding’s Jobber and Pearl.) Presses in the Golding Official series ranged from a lever press with a platen of 2×3 to a self-inking floor-model jobbing press with a 10×15 chase (the Official No.6). The tabletop Official No.2, above, closely resembles the Sigwalt Nonpareil, designed by John Sigwalt to imitate the Official. The two presses can be distinguished by their roller springs: those of the former are coiled outside the roller arm (as shown, in a view from behind the inking disc), while those of the former are coiled around the arm of the roller hook in a more conventional manner. This Official has a serial number of 1098 and was manufactured September 17, 1884.
This press was made in the following sizes:
Official No.1 – 3″” x 4 1/2″”
Official No.2 – 4″” x 6″”, shown above
Official No.3 – 5″” x 7 1/2″”
Official No.4 – 6″” x 9″”
Official No.6 – 8 1/4″” x 12 1/2″”
Official No.7 – 10″” x 15″” “
This metal office stamp is included in the Museum because it uses metal type for printing, not the usual rubber type so common in the later stamps, although the type is short type, only about 3/8″ high. The stamp pictured was made in 1871 and has a screw that holds in a row of type, set backwards in the same fashion as one would set type in a form. The handle is pushed down to “print” and a spring automatically retracts the type after the impression is made. The stamp is quite small: 2 1/4″ wide by 1 1/4″ deep by 2 1/2″ high. On its underside it bears the gold inscription of the patent date: June 13, 1865.
The Novelty, a press designed specifically for popular use, also found a good market among tradesman. It was invented by William Tuttle, a Boston druggist, for his own use in business. In 1867 Tuttle and his partner Benjamin O. Woods, also of Boston, patented the press and introduced it to the market under the slogan, “Be your own printer.” The press was a hand-inker with foot lever (or optional hand lever for the smallest size), made in four sizes from duodecimo (5×7) to folio (15×20), and was sold for serious prices ranging between fifteen and fifty dollars. Later a self-inking version (pictured above) was made, with treadle and flywheel. Woods died in 1873, but many thousands of Novelty presses were sold before 1887, when the company was bought out by rival William Kelsey (whose presses included the popular Excelsior).
The Nonpareil was manufactured by the Sigwalt Company, Chicago. John Sigwalt (see his Chicago No.10) manufactured a number of presses that were near-copies of some of the popular presses of his time. This Nonpareil so closely resembles William Golding’s 4×6 Official No.2 that the two are difficult to tell apart; they are distinguished from each other by their roller springs: those of the Golding are coiled outside the roller arm, while those of the Nonpareil are coiled around the arm of the roller hook in a more conventional manner. The Nonpareil also has pinstriping on its side that the Official lacks.
The Nonpareil was manufactured by the Sigwalt Company. In 1899 John Sigwalt (1836-1924), who had earlier worked in the sewing machine business, began producing small printing presses that were copies of various models. Further information about Sigwalt and the Nonpareil can be found on the Chicago No.10 and Nonpareil 4×6 pages.
Model No. 2
“The Model press was invented and patented in 1874 by William Clark of Philadelphia, who went into business for its production with Joshua Daughaday, a publisher. The press was intended for tradesmen and amateurs (including children). It came in a range of sizes and models, from hand-inking card presses to full-sized job presses, and was produced well into the twentieth century. The No.2 Oldstyle was manufactured toward the end of the nineteenth century. Other presses in the Model series and their chase sizes are as follows:
Model No.1 OS, 3 1/4″” x 5 1/2″”
Model No.1 Imp., 5″” x 7 1/2″”
Model No.2 OS, 5″” x 7 1/2″”
Model No.3, 6″” x 9″”
Model No.4, 7″” x 10 1/2″” “
“The Model press was invented and patented in 1874 by William Clark of Philadelphia, who went into business for its production with Joshua Daughaday, a publisher. The press was intended for tradesmen and amateurs (including children). It came in a range of sizes and models, from hand-inking card presses to full-sized job presses, and was produced well into the twentieth century. The No.1 Improved was manufactured toward the end of the nineteenth century. Other presses in the Model series and their chase sizes are as follows:
Model No.1 OS, 3 1/4″” x 5 1/2″”
Model No.1 Imp., 5″” x 7 1/2″”
Model No.2 OS, 5″” x 7 1/2″”
Model No.3, 6″” x 9″”
Model No.4, 7″” x 10 1/2″””
Model No. 1
“William Clark of Philadelphia went into business with Joshua Daughaday, a publisher, to produce the Model Press. This is one of their smaller Models. For more information on this press see the Model No.1 Imp. This press is shown in an undated catalog from the Excelsior Printer’s Supply Co. Ltd., London. Other presses in the Model series and their chase sizes are as follows:
Model No.1, 3 1/4″” x 5 1/2″”
Model No.1 Imp., 5″” x 7 1/2″”
Model No.2 OS, 5″” x 7 1/2″”
Model No.3, 6″” x 9″”
Model No.4, 7″” x 10 1/2″””
