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| Introduction In the early 20th century, printers were still pulling crude proofs from hand presses and simple galley roller presses that depended on gravity for the impression. In 1909, R.O. Vandercook was the first to develop a geared, rigid-bed cylinder proof press, a machine capable of providing the industry with high-quality proofs from metal types and photoengravings. The company’s reputation was built on technical innovation and quality construction, and for the next fifty years Vandercook & Sons set the standard for subsequent manufacturers in the U.S. and Europe. In the 1960s, when offset lithography eclipsed letterpress as the leading commercial printing method, printers began decommissioning their letterpress equipment (often giving it away). As a result, Vandercook presses began to be adopted by artists and hobbyists for short-run edition printing due to their ease of operation. Now widely found in art schools and book arts centers, Vandercooks are arguably the press of choice for fine press printers and book artists. |
1909
R.O. Vandercook began making presses in Chicago. The earliest known advertisement is a flyer for a company called The Vandercook Press, on W. Lake Street in Chicago, boasting of its hundreds of users since the first press was sold in May 1909. Before this, Mr. Vandercook owned and operated the Evanston Press, a weekly newspaper.
Vandercook Trip Action Proof Press (AKA “the Rocker”)
From March 1909 Inland Printer article and ad:
6″ × 11″ $50
8″ × 14″ $75
10″ × 17″ $115
12″ × 21″ $150
“It is better, quicker and cheaper to run limited editions on this press then to make ready a power press. “
From The Vandercook Story, January 1964
The Smithsonian’s Printing Presses in the Graphics Arts Collection, p. 49, has a brief description of their rocker.
I believe this is the production press prototype R.O. Vandercook had showed to potential customers before it was suggested that he build proof presses.—P.M.
In addition to this press, there are four other sizes of “trip action high side arm” presses (11″ × 17″ for $140, 12″ × 18″ for $150, 12″ × 25½” for $180, and 17″ × 25½” for $200 — all except the 17″ are $10 less without trip), two sizes of “low side arm” presses (12″ × 18″ for $160 and 17″ × 25½ for $250), and two sizes of “roller press” (12″ × 25″ for $100, plus $15 for grippers and trip; and 25″ × 25″ for $150, plus $25 for grippers and trip and $125 for automatic inking).
1914 SN: 1
Harold Sterne’s serial number information notes that “from September 30, 1909, when the company was started, until June 1914 Vandercook manufactured about 280 presses without serial numbers. On June 23, 1914, they shipped a model 17 with serial SN: 1.”
On the other hand, the model number information shows the No.17 as first manufactured in 1927. — M.W.
No. 15 Family: 1914-1956
15 20 16 21 32
Vandercook 21
From 1925 BB&S catalog:
The Vandercook Rigid Bed Roller Series Proof Press is “The Speed Press a of the Vandercook Line.” This family includes presses with three bed sizes, with and without an inking carriage that was separate from the impression cylinder. The 20 has a 10″ bed; the 15 and 21 have 12″ beds; and the 16 has a 14″ bed. All are 24″ long. The 15 and 16 are hand-inked. The 20 and 21 have the inking carriage. These presses were “pushers”— no crank. No grippers. Rubber blanket.
From 1934 Vandercook catalog:
“The press has two ink plates, one at each end of the press…. Put the galley on the press. One swift motion inks the form—the rollers coming to rest on the other ink plate under the cylinder. Lay the sheet to be printed and give the handle on the cylinder a little pull.”
From 1935 ATF catalog:
Only the 20 and 32 are left. The rubber blanket has been replaced by Monocork. The 15 itself clearly went through changes during its five decades of production.
Vandercook 15 Rigid Bed Roller Series Proof Press 10/22/14 SN: 31 – 4/3/56 SN: 18117
The early model is part of the No. 15 Family and apparently went out of production before 1935. Sometime before 1951 a new version was introduced.
From 1925 BB&S catalog:
Maximum form: 12″ × 24″
Floor space: 22″ × 48″
Shipping weight: 600 lb (cabinet 60 lb).
From 1934 Vandercook catalog:
Hand inking. Monocork blanket. Galley height.
Shipping weight: 775 lb (otherwise, as above).
Vandercook 15 Galley Proof Press
From late 1950 and 1957 Vandercook and 1953 WNU catalogs:
Bed: 15″ × 26″
Maximum sheet: 14¾” × 28″
Maximum form: 14″ × 24″
Floor space: 1′11″ × 6′2″
Weight: 1000 lb
“This new machine” is clearly quite different from the previous 15s – from its crank to the motor driven ink drum. Synthetic rubber drawsheet. Like a 05, but with powered inking and crank.
1915 SN: 56
Vandercook 20 Rigid Bed Roller Series Proof Press SN: 4/1/15 SN: 71 – 11/11/38 SN: 7884
Part of the No. 15 family. See also 32.
Inking carriage. No grippers or crank. Optional cabinet and shelf.
From 1925 BB&S catalog:
Maximum form: 10″ × 24″
Floor space: 22″ × 48″
Shipping weight: 650 lb (+cabinet 60 lb).
From 1934 Vandercook and 1935 ATF catalogs:
Maximum sheet: 12″ × 26″
Maximum form: 10″ × 24″
Floor space: 1′10″ × 4′
Shipping weight: 775 lb (cabinet 60 lb, shelf 50 lb)
Price (1934): $275
Monocork blanket.
Vandercook No. 1 Proof Press 9/27/15 SN: 101 – 9/8/66 SN: 25743
This press is different than the 01.
Vandercook No. 1 Rigid Bed Truss Proof Press (Double Truss)
From 1925 BB&S catalog:
Bed: 13″ × 19¼”
Maximum form: 13″ × 18″
Floor space: 30″ [sic — actually 18"] × 30″
Shipping weight: 240 lb (cabinet 120 lb)
“Built for the Greatest Good to the Greatest Number”
Rubber blanket. No grippers. Hand inked.
Arie C. Koelewyn’s SN: 2205 was delivered on 3/24/25,
and the NA Graphics records describe it as:
Bed: 14″ × 19½”
Maximum form: 14″ × 18″
Floor space: 18″ × 30″
Shipping weight: 260 lb (cabinet 120 lb)
Price (1925): $120 f.o.b. Chicago, cabinet $40, register device $3.
Vandercook No. 1 Proof Press (Single Truss)
From 1934 Vandercook and 1935 ATF catalogs:
Bed: 14″ × 1925½” (1934)
Maximum sheet: 14″ × 20″ (1935)
Maximum form: 14″ × 18″ (1934), 13″ × 18″ (1935)
Floor space: 1′6″ × 2′6″
Shipping weight: 260 lb (cabinet 120 lb)
Price (1934): $120
No grippers. Hand inked. Tindeck blanket.
Optional cabinet, register device.
[The measurements in the 1935 ATF catalog: are slightly different from the 1934 measurements and those of the 1920s-era No. 1 above.]
Vandercook No. 1 (Later model)
From 1946 ATF, 1950 and 1957 Vandercook, and 1953 WNU catalogs:
Bed: 16″ × 21″
Maximum sheet: 15¾” × 19″
Maximum form: 15″ × 17¼”
Floor space: 2′4″ × 2′8″
Weight: 410 lb
Price (1950): $525 (immediate shipment)
Grippers and crank, hand inked. Available without cabinet. See also the 14, which was the larger version.
1916 SN: 124
1917 SN: 332
1918 SN: 569
Company is incorporated as Vandercook & Sons.
1919 SN: 652
1920 SN: 1397
1921 SN: 1472
1922 SN: 1533
1923 SN: 1649
Vandercook presses do not appear in the famous ATF Specimen book issued this year, but does include advertisements for proof presses by Challenge, Poco, Potter and Rouse. See Other Brands.
Vandercook 21 Rigid Bed Roller Series Proof Press 3/12/23 SN: 1666 – 6/2/27 SN: 3154
Part of the No. 15 Family
From 1925 BB&S catalog:
Maximum form: 12″ × 24″
Floor space: 33″ × 50″
Shipping weight: 775 lb (cabinet 60 lb).
Inking carriage.
Vandercook 16 Rigid Bed Roller Series Proof Press 5/24/23 SN: 1724 – 4/22/27 SN: 3093
Part of the No. 15 Family
From 1925 BB&S catalog:
Maximum form: 14″ × 24″
Floor space: 33″ × 50″
Shipping weight: 700 lb (cabinet 60 lb)
Hand inked.
1924 SN: 1838
No. 17 Family: 1925-1939 17 18 25 25A 26 26A
The 17 and 18 support a 17″ form width — the 25, 25A, 26 and 26A handle 25″.
All five presses have a maximum form length of 25″.
The 17, 25 and 25A have automatic inking — the 18, 26 and 26A don’t.
The “A” suffix means the press includes “press transfer equipment.” This seems to consist of a) iron blocks to put under the feet of the press to raise it to the height of a makeup truck, facilitating the transfer of a form between the truck and the press; and b) the curious foot-operated truck-tilter shown in the image of the 25A.
On the hand inked presses, there are no grippers—the paper is laid on the form. The automatic inking presses use composition rollers. Both types include rubber blankets.
1925 SN: 2135
The Vandercook Story (1964) mentions the first Vandercook “engravers test press” being produced in 1925, “a hand operated model with power driven ink distribution … an important milestone in the history of the Vandercook company.” This might have been the 18, except that that family does not have power inking.
Vandercook 18 Rigid Bed Composing Room Cylinder Proof Press
2/6/25 SN: 2168 – 11/5/29 SN: 4811
Part of the No. 17 family.
From 1925 BB&S catalog:
Bed: 17″ × 31½”
Maximum form: 17″ × 25″
Floor space: 40″ × 60″
Shipping weight: 900 lb (cabinet 75 lb).
Hand inking. No grippers.
Vandercook 119 8/24/25 SN: 2360 – 4/2/27 SN: 3063
1926 SN: 2492
Vandercook 32 Roller Series Proof Press 11/2/26 SN: 2842 – 4/13/42 SN: 9322
Part of the No. 15 family. Different than the 032.
From 1934 Vandercook catalog:
From June 1928 Inland Printer ad:
Maximum form: 13 3/8″ × 26″
Floor space: 34″ × 53″
Shipping weight: 900 lb
Price (1934): $340
Inking carriage. No grippers. Optional shelf and cabinet.
From 1935 ATF catalog:
Bed: 25″ × 32½;”
Maximum sheet: 15″ × 28″
Floor space: 2′10″ × 4′5″
Shipping weight: 900 lb (cabinet 60 lb, shelf 50 lb).
1927 #2926 RIP: 119, 16, 21.
Vandercook 25 Rigid Bed Composing Room Cylinder Proof Press
12/3/27 SN: 101A – 1/26/39 SN: 7961
Part of the No. 17 family.
From 1925 BB&S catalog:
Bed: 25″ × 32½”
Maximum form: 25″ × 25″
Floor space: 48″ × 60″
Shipping weight: 1450 lb (cabinet 100 lb).
Automatic inking.
Vandercook 25A Rigid Bed Composing Room Cylinder Proof PressDates and serial numbers unknown
Part of the No. 17 family
Bed: 25″ × 32½”
Maximum form: 25″ × 25″
Floor space: 48″ × 60″
Shipping weight: 1550 lb (cabinet 100 lb).
Automatic inking for page transfer (includes iron raising blocks and truck lift for moving forms to and from makeup trucks).
Vandercook 26 Rigid Bed Composing Room Cylinder Proof Press
Dates and serial numbers unknown
Part of the No. 17 family.
From 1925 BB&S catalog:
Bed: 25″ × 32½”
Maximum form: 25″ × 25″
Floor space: 48″ × 60″
Shipping weight: 1200 lb (cabinet 100 lb).
Hand inking. No grippers.
Vandercook 26A Rigid Bed Composing Room Cylinder Proof Press
Dates and serial numbers unknown
Part of the No. 17 family.
From 1925 BB&S catalog:
Bed: 25″ × 32½”
Maximum form: 25″ × 25″
Floor space: 48″ × 60″
Shipping weight: 1300 lb (cabinet 100 lb).
Hand inking for page transfer (includes iron raising blocks and truck lift for moving forms to and from makeup trucks). No grippers.
17 Rigid Bed Composing Room Cylinder Proof Press
12/19/27 SN: 100A – 3/10/36 SN: 6592
Part of the No. 17 family.
Maximum form: 17″ × 25″
Floor space: 40″ × 60″
Shipping weight: 1100 lb (cabinet 75 lb).
Automatic inking.
Vandercook 219 Old Style 12/17/27 SN: 3429 – 11/20/47 SN: 10506
See also 219T Old Style, 219T New Style, 219AB, 219ABT, 219 Hand, 219 Power.
Bed: 19″ × 42½”
Maximum sheet:19″ × 26″
Maximum form: 18″ × 24″
Floor space: 2′8″ × 10′9″
Shipping weight: 2400 lbs.
The 219 family (and the 215) is distinguished by its swing-out shelves. Over 2000 of the old style were installed, according to a 1950 ad for the new style. There is a power switch in the middle of the base below the bed. Galley height.
