John Horn sent me this photo of his innovative rolling Vandercook work station. John says, “It’s two feet deep and four feet wide. It’s a prototype so it is pretty crude. I love having the furniture cabinet close at hand. I park this work station right behind the operator so that he or she can […]
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Universal III carriage conversion
Chris Manson, proprietor of Crooked Crow Press, in Rockville, Maryland has converted his Universal III Power Vandercook to a hand-cranked press. He had a retired machinist make a collar extension to fit onto the bearing stub on the impression cylinder (photo 3). Onto this new bearing stub Chris attached a crank from a large Poco […]
MoreMore Tag232P restoration and conversion project
Wesleyan University Art Professor David Schorr and Studio Tech Kate Ten Eyck have acquired a Vandercook 232P for the Printmaking studio. Kate sent me this photo of the press as it looked in November. Their objective is to convert this power carriage press into a hand-cranked one. The 232 is a big press: maximum form: […]
MoreMore Tag“SRL” proof press
Marty Veerde, Chair of Printmaking at the Quay School of Fine Arts in Whanganui, New Zealand sent me these photos of a Vanderlook-alike with hopes that I could identify it. Unfortunately, I have no information on this make. It has only two written references on it, one on an attached plate stating “Impression On/Off” and […]
MoreMore TagR.O. Vandercook
Robert Oatman Vandercook, (1866–1951), was the founder of the pre-press equipment company that bore his name. His interest in printing began when he was ten years old. It was claimed that in high school he built his first press on which he printed the school paper.* While a student at Northwestern University (class of 1888), […]
MoreMore TagE.O. Vandercook
Edward Oatman Vandercook (1897–1985) was the eldest son of company founder R.O. Vandercook. After discharge from the military in 1918, he along with his brothers Fred and Dave began working for their father. The elder Vandercook retired by 1940 and E.O. Vandercook, who was general manager, became president and headed the company until it was […]
MoreMore TagVandy art
Here is a nice illustration of a No. 4 Vandercook, with a split vibrator and riders, featured in a two page ad for ink manufacturer Interchemical Corporation. (The Inland Printer, September 1953, p.24-25, from the library of Fritz Klinke). Is anyone familar with the pen-stick ink applicator shown?
MoreMore TagPresto proof press
Advertised in The Inland Printer (September 1953, p.119; it does not appear in previous or subsequent issues). This press features a reciprocating bed and a belt-driven oscillating roller. It may not have been put into production. Has anyone seen one of these? The manufacturer was based in Forth Worth, so perhaps one of our Texan friends? […]
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As a result of publicizing the gains of the Vandercook census, owners of other brands of cylinder proof presses have volunteered their data and have also alerted me to the existence of additional owners. In particular the “Asbern”:https://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/asbern/ and “Challenge”:https://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/challenge/ censuses have begun to take shape.
MoreMore TagA thousand Vandercooks!
The Vandercook Census has reached a milestone: “1011”:https://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/census/ presses are known to still exist worldwide. Are there another thousand out there? Is your press represented? How many “Asberns”:https://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/asbern/, “Challenges”:https://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/challenge/ et al. ? The globe graphic, one of three similar designs, is from a Universal I operator’s manual dating from the late 1950s.
MoreMore TagThe young Vandercook sons
From left: Fred, Ed, and Dave Vandercook standing next to a lathe, circa 1918. This may be the W. Austin Avenue plant (Nos. 1716-1722). This photo, perhaps taken by R.O. Vandercook, is provided courtesy of Bill and Lynn (Vandercook) Critchlow.
MoreMore TagStanley Metza
Not long ago I interviewed Stanley A. Metza, West coast regional sales manager for Vandercook from 1960 to 1975. Now 94 years old, he spoke of heading a four-man sales team selling Vandercook products from the 30-26 four-color proof press to the SP15 which he deemed “a pup.” The son of Polish immigrants, the […]
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