Other Brands

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Other Brands of Flat-bed Cylinder Proof Presses
Paul Moxon

Because Vandercook & Sons dominated the market, the presses 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.

BrandModelsYearsLocationNotes
AsbernAD-1, ADR-1, PAK I, PI-1
Rationella I (Piccolo)
Rationella II, Rationella III		1950s-60sWest Germany AusburgImported into U.S. by E.G. Linder, Los Angeles printing equipment dealer Ernest A. Lindner co-founded The International Printing Museum in Southern California
AtlanticKAS21, KAS22, KAS231960sWest GermanyGravity style presses without geared-cylinder
Distributed in US by Lutz Machinery Corp, Brooklyn NY
BrowerNos. 0, 1, 21923USA IL ChicagoDistributed by ATF. See Specimen and Catalog 1923, p.924-26.
Canuck RO 39 x 521960sItaly TorinoSold for the Canadian market. Contacted the successor company MEC Saroglia (makers of automatic platen die cutting machines with devices for simultaneous hot foil stamping and embossing) who said that all info on the Canuck was lost in a move to a new building ten years ago. On the Saroglia website is an interesting historical outline of the company, founded in 1911. Don Black has had these presses for sale from time to time.
Cefmor-Brehmer0 (Reciprocating bed)
2		1960sUK London
Challenge1418E, 1425-E, 2025-E
15MA, 15MP, 15MPC
21MA 21MP 21PMC
1528K 1528KA 1528KP 2028K 2028KA 2028KP Literature		1935-73 USA MI Grand HavenThe 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. The 1935 ATF Catalog shows "Challenge-Potter" and "Challenge-Poco" presses p F-11, F-13.
ClaybournPrecision Hand Proof Press Precision Power Proof Press Four-Color Proof Press1920-1930sUSA WI MilwaukeeComparable in engineering and styling to Hacker presses. May have built the first power carriage proof press in the U.S.
Cropper CharltonFranklin (A, B)
Sterling M (1, 2, 3)
Sterling S (1, 2, 3)		1960sUK Nottingham
ElderSuper Lightning1960sUK London
Eickhoff1BSF
Rapid 1, Rapid 2
BS, BSG, BSFG, BSFM, BSM		1930-60sDenmark CopenhagenManufactured 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 LausanneFAG 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.
Farley1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12
25 Self-Inking		1950s-60sUK CroydonGravity style presses without geared-cylinder
HackerNo. 4, No. 5A Power,
No. 5B Hand, No. 6 Power
No. 7A Power, No. 7 Hand		1916?-37USA IL ChicagoHacker 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." However a 1916 patent date can be seen on their plate gauges. Hacker acquired the company that made Potter and Poco Presses, c.1922. Apparently Hacker sold this divison to Challenge. The 1935 ATF Catalog shows "Challenge-Potter" and "Challenge-Poco" presses p F-11, F-13.
HarrildNo. 1, No. 2
Pullman
Speedy Double Crown
Super Speedy
Ultra Speedy
Verax (Demy & Royal)		1930s-60sUK LondonHarrild & 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.
HolmesDual Purpose1960sUK Birmingham
HohnerComfort I
Comfort II		1950s-60sWest GermanyDistributed in US by American Printing Equipment and Supply Co.
Hunter-Penrose Ltd.Self-Inking Model 1
Model 2
No.4		1950s-60sUK LondonHPL 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/
Grafixunknown1960s-70sWest Germany
KorrexBerlin-Spezial
Berlin Type I
Berlin Type II
Dusseldorf
Freiburg
Frankfurt
Hanover
Karlsruhe
Munich
Nürnberg
Stuttgart
Super Royal No.10		1910s-77sWest Germany PforzheimManufactured 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 JoeS-78 H & HD 1970-80sUSA NJ ClarkBuilt 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 		1927-60sUK LondonBuilt 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-Proofer1932-70sUSA NY RomeNolan 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
PocoNos. 0, 1, 21912-30sUSA IL ChicagoSee also Preston Briggs' Poco website: http://sites.google.com/site/pocoproofpress/
PotterNo. 0 No. 1 No. 2 No. 31910-30sUSA NJ Plainsfield
USA IL Chicago		Originally Manufactured by Walter G. Potter. Then A. F. Wanner Co. Chicago, IL. After 1922 Potter presses have name plates that say made by Hacker Manufacturing. Shown in the 1912 ATF Catalog p.1184. Shown in the 1923 ATF Catalog p.927. The 1935 ATF Catalog shows "Challenge-Potter" and "Challenge-Poco" presses p. F-11, F-13. See also note for Hacker.
PrestoSenior Model
Master Model		1953USA TX Forth WorthManufactured by K.J. Dollahite Company. Advertised in the Inland Printer, September 1953, p.119.
ReprexNo.0-1 No. 1No. 2, No. 3 No. 4 Hand No. 4 Power 1951-mid 70sUSA NY PulaskiManufactured by the Machinery Division of 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
RobelLightning1960sWest GermanyBritish Printer. Specification Manual Printing machinery 1961-62 
RonaiunknownunknownunknownSee images at Melbourne Museum of Printing
RouseNo. 21920sUSA IL ChicagoH.B. Rouse & Co. Distributed by ATF. See Specimen and Catalog 1923, p.929.
SoldanLightning
Proof Master: 20-23, 25, 30, 31, 50
Reel-Fed Galley Master		1886-1968UK LondonImported 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 Blake0
S Series (1, 3)		1950-1960sUK SheffieldGravity style presses without geared-cylinder.
Distributed in US by American Wood Type Manufacturing Co.
Thomas Taylor & SonsFavorite1960sUK LeicesterGravity style presses without geared-cylinder
WeselElectric Self-inking Proof Press, EPP-4 1910s-1950sUSA 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.
Western25, 30, 32
Vandercooks: 05, 4C, 219, 219AB		1950-60sUK Reading Western Manufacturing (had a manufacturing agreement with Vandercook to produce presses. A unit of Western became known as Pre-Press Ltd.). "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...." (Martyn Ould)

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