Other Brands of Flat-bed Cylinder Proof Presses
Paul Moxon
Because Vandercook & Sons dominated the market, the 37 brands listed below are found less frequently and therefore available information is scarce. Also note that the emphasize of this table is on geared-cylinder presses over gravity presses, although a few are represented. If you can provide any information or images, please contact me. See also censuses for other brands.
| Brand | Models | Years | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asbern | AD-1, ADR-1, PAK I, PI-1 Rationella I (Piccolo) Rationella II, Rationella III | 1950s-60s | West Germany Ausburg | Imported into U.S. by E.G. Linder, Los Angeles printing equipment dealer Ernest A. Lindner co-founded The International Printing Museum in Southern California |
| Atlantic | KAS21, KAS22, KAS23 | 1960s | West Germany | Gravity style presses without geared-cylinder Distributed in US by Lutz Machinery Corp, Brooklyn NY |
| Brower | Nos. 0, 1, 2 | 1910-1924 | USA IL Chicago | Distributed by ATF. See Specimen and Catalog 1923, p.924-26. The proprietor A.T.H. Brower (1850-1924) was the first secretary of the board for American Type Founders. Briefly partnered with A.F. Wanner before he began building presses. |
| Canuck | RO 39 x 52 | 1960s | Italy Torino | These presses with rigid beds with rolling carriages were made by Saroglia in Torino, Italy. They were imported into Canada in the 1960s by Sydney R. Stone, a Graphic Arts equipment dealer in Toronto. The manufacturer is still in business, but no longer has records from this era. Don Black Linrecasting has reconditioned and sold a few over the years. |
| Cefmor-Brehmer | 0 (Reciprocating bed) 2 | 1960s | UK London | |
| Challenge | 15GP 1418E, 1425-E, 2025-E 15MA, 15MP, 15MPC 21MA 21MP 21PMC 1528K 1528KA 1528KP 2028K 2028KA 2028KP Literature | 1935-73 | USA MI Grand Haven | Challenge Machinery est. 1903. Acquired Potter and Poco brands in 1931 Shown in The 1935 ATF Catalog as "Challenge-Potter" and "Challenge-Poco" presses p F-11, F-13. The 15MA and 15MP are similiar to the SP15. Vandercook won a lawsuit that forced Challenge to abandon the proof press market. Challenge is still in business manufacturing paper cutters, drills, folders and joggers. They are not helpful in providing info on products they no longer make. |
| Claybourn | Precision Hand Proof Press Precision Power Proof Press Four-Color Proof Press | 1921-1937 | USA WI Milwaukee | Comparable in engineering and styling to Hacker presses. May have built the first power carriage proof press in the U.S. The company was acquired by C.B. Cottrell & Sons Co. in 1937. |
| Cropper Charlton | Franklin (A, B) Sterling M (1, 2, 3) Sterling S (1, 2, 3) | 1960s | UK Nottingham | |
| Elder | Super Lightning | 1960s | UK London | |
| Eickhoff | 1BSF Rapid 1, Rapid 2 BS, BSG, BSFG, BSFM, BSM | 1930-60s | Denmark Copenhagen | Manufactured by JGA Eickhoff. Boxcar Press claims to have the only 1BSF in North America. Visitor photos of clandestine presses at the Museum of Danish Resistance including a homemade cylinder proof press. |
| FAG | AP-510, CP-510, LP-510, TP-510, TP-835 SP40, SP52, C-525 550 | 1937-- | Switzerland Lausanne | FAG is still in business providing offset and digital products and services. Website sells used letterpress proof presses. Was a European Vandercook importer and a manufacturing licensee by it's British subsidiary. |
| Farley | 1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 25 Self-Inking | 1950s-60s | UK Croydon | Gravity style presses without geared-cylinder |
| GEM | GEM | c. 1933 | UK Manchester | Manufactured by Thompson & Son, Ltd. |
| Grafix | GXO | 1957-73 | Singen-Hohentwiel, Germany | Manufactured by Haas & Kellhofer, Maschenenfabrik Production dates are the best guess of the successor company HKS Filtration-Technology GmbH. |
| Hacker | No. 4, No. 5A Power, No. 5B Hand, No. 6 Power No. 7A Power, No. 7 Hand | 1914-37 | USA IL Chicago | Hacker began as a reorganization of the A.F. Wanner Co. Which made Potter and Poco presses. Hacker bought by Vandercook & Sons in 1937. A 1936 Hacker Catalog makes reference to 1923 as the year in which "a few courageous engravers adopted cylinder proofing and set the pace for what has since become new proofing standards for the industry." Hacker sold this divison to Challenge in 1931. |
| Harrild | No. 1, No. 2 Pullman Speedy Double Crown Super Speedy Ultra Speedy Verax (Demy & Royal) | 1920s-60s | UK London | Harrild & Son, Ltd. (1801-1951) Well-known manufacturer of Albion and Columbian Iron Hand Presses. W.L. Harrild and Partners Limited (1970) See Ganderton V.S, "Proof and Platen Presses" Pitman, Printing Proof and Platen Presses. London. Vol. 6, 1946. Reprinted 1953. PDF available at Bibliography. |
| Hoe | unnamed | c. 1933 | UK London | Manufactured by Hoe & Co., Ltd. Subsidiary of New York pressmaker. |
| Holmes | Dual Purpose | 1960s | UK Birmingham | |
| Hohner | Comfort I Comfort II | 1950s-60s | West Germany | Distributed in US by American Printing Equipment and Supply Co. |
| Hunter-Penrose Ltd. | Self-Inking Model 1 Model 2 No.4 | 1950s-60s | UK London | HPL had a manufacturing agreement with Vandercook to produce presses. In the early 1960s Hunter Penrose purchased S.R. Littlejohn. Company is still in business selling offset press equipment and supplies. www.hunterpenrose.co.uk/ |
| Korrex | Berlin-Spezial Berlin Type I Berlin Type II Dusseldorf Freiburg Frankfurt Hanover Karlsruhe Munich Nürnberg Stuttgart Super Royal No.10 | c. 1918-77 | West Germany Pforzheim | Manufactured by Max Simmel Maschenenfabrik who now make an offset proof press with FAG, the FAG Korrex 2000. Additional model names and photos of a press in France, and a PDF brochure provided by Simon Caquard in France. |
| Little Joe | S-78 H & HD | 1970-80s | USA NJ Clark | Built by Color Swatcher, Inc. (now Little Joe Industries). Designed for color matching and print evalation in printing ink plants and offset press room. However, the bed is recessed to accommodate a base for offset plates they can be used for relief printing. |
| Littlejohn (SRL) | No. 2 105 No.1A , 105 No.2 | 1927-60s | UK London | Built by Sidney R. Littlejohn Co. The No.2 looks very much like the Vandercook 219 NS. Company bought by Hunter Penrose in the early 1960s |
| Nolan | "Perfection" Proof Press Master-Proofer | 1932-70s | USA NY Rome | Nolan Corp. was a maker of composing room and bindery equipment and later non printing equipment and tools. Distributed by American Wood Type Co. 1955-56 AWT Catalog, p200. See note for Reprex presses See profile of Edward Nolan |
| Poco | No. 0 No. 1 No. 2 | 1910-35? | USA IL Chicago | Patented in 1910 by Walter G. Potter. Manufactured A. F. Wanner Co. Chicago, IL. 1910-14. Company renamed Horace Hacker Co., later Hacker Manufacturing. Shown in the 1912 ATF Catalog p.1184 and the 1923 ATF Catalog p.927. The 1935 ATF Catalog shows "Challenge-Potter" and "Challenge-Poco" presses p. F-11, F-13. See note for Hacker. See also: Preston Briggs' Poco website: http://sites.google.com/site/pocoproofpress/ |
| Potter | No. 0 No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 | 1910-35? | USA NJ Plainsfield USA IL Chicago | Patented in 1910 by Walter G. Potter. Manufactured A. F. Wanner Co. Chicago, IL. 1910-14. Company renamed Horace Hacker Co., later Hacker Manufacturing. Shown in the 1912 ATF Catalog p.1184 and the 1923 ATF Catalog p.927. The 1935 ATF Catalog shows "Challenge-Potter" and "Challenge-Poco" presses p. F-11, F-13. See note for Hacker. |
| Presto | Senior Model Master Model | 1953 | USA TX Forth Worth | Manufactured by K.J. Dollahite Company. Advertised in the Inland Printer, September 1953, p.119. |
| Reprex | No.0-1 No. 1No. 2, No. 3 No. 4 Hand No. 4 Power | 1951-mid 70s | USA NY Pulaski | Manufactured by United States Forge and Foundry, a company started by Edward Nolan. At one time Reprex presses were sold by American Printing Equipment Co. See note for Nolan presses See profile of Edward Nolan |
| Robel | Lightning | 1960s | West Germany | Shown in Specification Manual Printing machinery 1961-62. |
| Ronai | unknown | unknown | Australia NSW West Ryde | Comparable to Poco presses See images at Australia & New Zealand Printmaker http://www.anzprintmaker.com/ Melbourne Museum of Printing http://www.printingmuseum.org.au/ |
| Rouse | No. 2 | 1920s | USA IL Chicago | H.B. Rouse & Co. Distributed by ATF. See Specimen and Catalog 1923, p.929. |
| Soldan | Lightning Proof Master: 20-23, 25, 30, 31, 50 Reel-Fed Galley Master | 1886-1968 | UK London | Imported Vandercooks into the UK in 60s. Soldan, William. A few notes on Soldans Ltd ... from about 1886-1968. See Moran, James. Printing Presses: History and Development from the Fifteenth Century to Modern Times (London: Faber & Faber, 1973) (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978) |
| Stephenson Blake | 0 S Series (1, 3) | 1950-1960s | UK Sheffield | Gravity style presses without geared-cylinder. Distributed in US by American Wood Type Manufacturing Co. |
| Thomas Taylor & Sons | Favorite | 1960s | UK Leicester | Gravity style presses without geared-cylinder |
| Triumph | 1950s-60s | US | ||
| Wesel | Electric Self-inking Proof Press, EPP-4 | 1910s-1950s | USA NY New York USA IL Chicago | Manufactured by F. Wesel Chicago & New York & Chicago as seen in an image shown in the 1912 ATF Catalog p1184. Later: Wesel Manufacturing, Scranton PA. Distributed by American Wood Type Manufacturing Co. See: 1955-56 AWT Catalog, p199. |
| Western | 25, 30, 32 Vandercooks: 05, 4C, 219, 219AB | 1950-60s | UK Reading | Western Manufacturing had a licensing agreement with Vandercook to produce presses. Martyn Ould of the Old School Press had posted the operator's manual for his Western 30 on his website. He also writes: "The '30' refers to the width of the bed: 30 ins. There are certainly narrower ones. It was made by Adwest Engineering Ltd in Reading, England. It was sold (possibly not exclusively) by Soldans. I've no idea when it was made but 1960s would be a good bet looking at the Soldans advert pasted in the manual...." |
