Comments on: “SRL” proof press

By: Paul Moxon, Moderator

Paul Moxon, Moderator — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:11:46 +0000

Awhile back Eric Holub sent me a copy of an ad from The Penrose Annual for The Littlejohn Press. I have posted it here. One can just barely make out the "SRL" logo on the cabinet end. This model looks similar to a 219 Newstyle, right down to the two swing-out paper tables.

By: Paul Moxon, Moderator

Paul Moxon, Moderator — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:40:52 +0000

Thanks Ben. In the Vandercook serial number model cards at NA Graphics Hunter Penrose Ltd. is listed as a UK dealer in 1947 and affixed their logo to presses they sold. See this photo sent to Fritz of a No. 4 now in Israel. Note the name Littlejohn on the cabinet.

By: Ben Brundell

Ben Brundell — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:04:45 +0000

I’ve been through the small numbers of ‘British Printer’ I have. Soldan does advertise in 1962 and 1965, but never with the initials SRL.

There is one firm — Sydney R. Littlejohn & Co. Ltd. — which advertises, and this would match SRL.

In 1962 they advertise ‘Fastcoat’, an enamel for metal printing; and ‘Graphicolor’ a massive colour camera.

In July 1965 they advertise the ‘HPL Littlejohn Pin Register System’ the footer has two addresses — Equipment Division, Sydney R. Littljohn, Brewery Road, London, N7; and Chemicals and Sundries Division, Hunter-Penrose-Littlejohn, 109 Farringdon Road, London, EC1. Branches are shown in Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.

While neither ad shows a proofing press, it does establish a firm with the initials SRL which presumably did link with Hunter-Penrose who made proofing presses.

By: Eric Holub

Eric Holub — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 23:20:50 +0000

By 1905 Soldan (”Everything for the Printer” their motto) was already selling Lightning proof presses of a very advanced design. The simplest was like a Poco, but better models had grippers, feedboard, form and distribution rollers, etc., and got as large as 27×39.
I don’t know why these presses never made it here.

By: Paul Moxon, Moderator

Paul Moxon, Moderator — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:32:19 +0000

Perhaps. Soldan Ltd. is named as an importer of Vandercooks into England on the model serial number cards held by NA Graphics. Some cards also note that Soldan also assembled Vandercooks from shipped parts.

Other than the image of the Lightning proof press Eric gave me, I don’t have much information on Soldan. I have emailed contacts in the UK, but this has yet to yield a new lead.

The next time I’m in Silverton, if time allows, I will look again at the Vandercook export data. I have compiled a list of 15 dealers in the US, Canada and Europe, but the are some discrepancies in it.

By: Eric Holub

Eric Holub — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:12:31 +0000

The “S” might stand for Soldan, and the L for Ltd. but I have no idea what the “R” might be.