Philadelphia press
Philadelphia press
Usage conditions apply
- Description (Brief)
- This Philadelphia press was made by Frederick Bronstrup of Philadelphia after 1850. The top finial is missing. The press has a height of 72 inches a width, at cheeks, of 33 inches and a length of 74.5 inches; its platen measures 22.5 inches by 19 inches.
- The Philadelphia press was designed and originally built by Adam Ramage of Philadelphia and, like Ramage’s better-known wooden presses, it was sternly utilitarian in looks. The A-shaped frame was made of a 1 inch by 3 inch wrought-iron band. The earliest Philadelphia presses had a simple elbow toggle lever, similar to that of the Wells press. After 1842 Ramage changed the toggles to a design closer to those of the Washington press. This was one of a group of presses deriving from Ramage’s patent of 1834, and sharing the A-frame.
- After Ramage’s death in 1850, his business was taken over by
- Frederick Bronstrup, a German blacksmith, who made this heftier
- form of the Philadelphia press. Bronstrup sold the business in
- 1875.
- Donated by Wallace J. Tomasini for the University of Iowa, 1984.
- Citation: Elizabeth Harris, "Printing Presses in the Graphic Arts Collection," 1996.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- Press, printing
- Date made
- after 1850
- maker
- Ramage, Adam
- place made
- United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Physical Description
- iron (overall material)
- wood (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 72 in x 33 in x 74 1/2 in; 182.88 cm x 83.82 cm x 189.23 cm
- ID Number
- 1984.0427.01
- catalog number
- 1984.0427.01
- accession number
- 1984.0427
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Graphic Arts
- Communications
- Printing Presses in the Graphic Arts Collection
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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