This tin-plated press, in its original cardboard box with accessories and
instruction sheet, was sold by The Elm City Toy Manufacturing Company in New Haven, Connecticut during the mid-20th century. The press has a height of 11.5 inches a width of 6.5 inches and a length of 11.5 inches. The bed frame measures 2.25 inches by 3.75 inches.
Donated by Penny Speckter, 1988.
Citation: Elizabeth Harris, "Printing Presses in the Graphic Arts Collection," 1996.
This children’s tin-plate rotary press used rubber type. It was made by the Superior Marking Equipment Company of Chicago in the mid-twentieth century. The press has a height of 3.5 inches a width of 6.5 inches and a length 8.5 inches.
The press is a smaller edition of the Ace press, described separately.
Donated by Barbara Suit Janssen, 1992.
Citation: Elizabeth Harris, "Printing Presses in the Graphic Arts Collection," 1996.
This rail press was sold by Ives Blakeslee of New York in about 1885. Its original box, with an advertizing label on the end, includes type and accessories. It is marked “IB.” The press has a height of 6 inches a width of 4 inches and a length of 11.5 inches; its chase measures 2 inches by 3.5 inches.
Donated by Penny Speckter, 1988.
Citation: Elizabeth Harris, "Printing Presses in the Graphic Arts Collection," 1996.
This rail press with its original wooden box and printing outfit, by an unknown maker, dates to about 1885. The press has a height of 4 inches a width of 3.5 inches and a length of 9 inches; its chase measures 1.5 inches by 2.75 inches.
The Daisy press, the Bonanza, and the Favorite were probably made by the Ives, Blakeslee company of New York (later Ives Blakeslee Williams). The company dealt in novelties and was the principal distributing—and perhaps manufacturing—company for rail presses at the end of the nineteenth century. Their line included the Boss, the Favorite, the Daisy, the Leader, and other very similar rail presses.
Donated by Penny Speckter, 1988.
Citation: Elizabeth Harris, "Printing Presses in the Graphic Arts Collection," 1996.
Samuel W. Lowe of Philadelphia invented the Lowe printing press, an unusual conical cylinder press patented in 1856. Like Adams's Cottage printing press, it did not include a frisket and included an automatic tympan. The rights for the press were sold in 1858 to Joseph Watson, who marketed both presses in Boston and Philadelphia.
The Lowe printing press does not appear to have been as heavily advertised as the Adams, although the company notes that we have sold many presses … to druggists … in this country and in other lands. Every boy and business man seems to be having one.
As for portability, the Lowe was more than a third lighter than the Adams, ranging from between 12 and 120 pounds as compared to Adams's press at between 100 and 400 pounds. The Lowe used a simpler frame and relatively thin castings.