The Albion, a direct descendant of Gutenberg’s wooden press (see the Gutenberg), was an English bench-top press invented by Richard Whittaker Cope (?-1828) of London. The date of invention is not known, but the first record of the press is from 1822 when some Albions were imported into France. Presumably … Continue reading
The Columbian press was invented in 1813 by George Clymer (1752-1834), a Philadelphia mechanic. From 1800 Clymer had been building wooden presses, and then versions of the new iron hand presses from Europe. His Columbian was original, not only for its extravagant design but for its levers and counterweights. Like … Continue reading
The counterweight Albion was originally built in London around 1827 by Richard Whittaker Cope, inventor of the Albion press. The addition of a counterweight, typically in the shape of an urn or the royal arms, was intended to increase the strength of an impression, thus creating a better print. Very … Continue reading
This English common press, made around 1720, may have been used by Benjamin Franklin in John Watts’ shop in London around 1726. The common press, a wooden hand press that uses a large wood screw to create an impression on paper, is based closely on Gutenberg’s press, which was designed … Continue reading
Johann Gutenberg (c.1398-1468), German printer and pioneer in the use of movable type, is generally regarded as the first European to print with hand-set type cast in molds. The modern printing process, which he delveloped, caused a revolution in the education of the public, who previously had little, if any, … Continue reading
This is the floor model Albion press used by William Morris, founder of the Arts and Crafts Movement, to produce his most highly-regarded book, “The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer” (1896). (For information on Richard Whittaker Cope and his Albion press, see the table-top Albion.) Jethro Lieberman: “Manufactured in 1891, Albion … Continue reading
The Philadelphia was patented in 1833 by Adam Ramage, of Philadelphia. Like Ramage’s earlier wooden presses (see Ramage and Ramage Foolscap), the Philadelphia was “sternly utilitarian in looks,” as Elizabeth Harris writes. The earliest Philadelphia presses had a simple elbow toggle lever, similar to that of the Wells. (After 1842 … Continue reading
The Ramage, a wooden hand press with iron platen, was built in 1820 by Scottish-born Adam Ramage (see Ramage Screw). The tabletop Ramage, at 38″ high, is the smallest of the three sizes of presses built by Ramage: a full-size common press; an intermediate free-standing press which Ramage called his … Continue reading
The Ramage, a wooden hand press with iron platen, was built in 1820 by Scottish-born Adam Ramage (1772-1850), who sought, in his own words, “to render the hand press efficient, simple in construction, and moderate in price.” He succeeded; S.O. Saxe writes that Ramage “became widely known as the maker … Continue reading
Peter Smith introduced his press around 1821 with a toggle mechanism that distinguished it from other iron hand presses (some of which also have acorn frames). See the Cincinnati Type Foundry’s Smith (Cincinnati) press for more information. The press pictured is another of the exquisite replicas made by Steve Pratt … Continue reading
Peter Smith, brother-in-law and partner to the more famous Robert Hoe, introduced his press around 1821, positioning it to compete with the press invented by John Wells, the Wells. Wells in fact accused Smith of patent infringement, as the toggle mechanism of the latter’s press closely resembles that of the … Continue reading
The first all-iron printing press, the Stanhope was invented around 1803 in England by Charles, the third Earl Stanhope, who devoted his life to science and technology, and especially to attempts to improve the techniques of printing. He never patented his press, preferring to make it and its advances available … Continue reading
The Stansbury press was patented April 7, 1821, by the Reverend Abraham Ogier Stansbury (1776-1829). Born in Philadelphia in 1776, Stansbury was, according to S.O. Saxe, “at various times, a bookseller and publisher, grocer, one of the first superintendents of a school for the deaf in the United States, the … Continue reading
The Washington Press was by far the most popular iron hand press in America, a position it held from the 1820s until the end of the hand press era. The press was invented during the 1820s by Samuel Rust, a New York printer nearly unknown today. Rust’s patent of 1821 … Continue reading
