Dutch designer, printer, and press mechanic Thomas Gravemaker recently supplied a list of European-made cylinder proof presses known to him. This has allowed me to increase and update the Asbern, Korrex, and Vandercook censuses and to add two new censuses for Eickhoff and Grafix presses. Please review and let me know if you have any […]
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Vandercook Census Poised to Reach a New Milestone
The Vandercook press census is about to total 2,400 presses. First compiled in 2006. It was thought that it might top out at 1,200. Three years later during the Vandercook Centenary, it was just short of 2,000. Although the pace has slowed in recent years, unknown presses still come to light. Presently, 8.5% of census […]
MoreMore TagProof Presses in the Wild
The Vandercook census has reached a milestone. There are now 2,000 Vandercook flatbed cylinder proof press still existing worldwide. That’s just 6.6% of the 30,000 presses the company manufactured between 1909 and 1976. To my chagrin, 12% of entries have incomplete data. A few more press that have not been included at their owners request. There are also 73 showcard style office […]
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Aloha Paul. Sorry it took so long to respond. As to the census, please list my name as Doug Hylin from Kings Beach, CA. Thanks! More updates to follow soon I hope!
MoreMore TagRare No. 119 Proving Machine
Recently, I toured Thornwillow Press in Newburgh, New York where amongst the numerous letterpress equipment on premises is a 1927 Vandercook No. 119 Proving Machine. (The image at left is its entry in one of the early sales record books.) Currently, this press is the only known example of the model in the census.* In […]
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The Vandercook Universal that I bought last week bears the number 21258. Could you tell how I can find out what year it was built? And would you like to add it to the census?
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I just posted a new census of Potters presses. I’m hoping to figure out the manufacturing history of these machines. Originally Manufactured by A.F. Wanner Co. Chicago, IL., later Potter presses have name plates that say made by Hacker Manufacturing. The 1935 ATF Catalog shows Challenge-Potter and Challenge-Poco presses (pages F-11, F-13).
MoreMore TagNew census added for Vandercook “gravity presses”
The moniker “gravity press” refers to models 0, 01, 03, and 099, a group of small tabletop presses that were the simplest ones Vandercook built. The Impression cylinder rolls on the bearers (with bearings riding on the under rails), but are not geared, and do not have paper grippers, an inking assembly nor a motor. […]
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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.
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This blog is six months old. Thank you to all the registered users, you now number 83. Together we have generated 55 posts (viewed over 10,000 times) and 254 comments. While these numbers are small, some good information has been captured and categorized for the common goal of extending the life of these presses. To […]
MoreMore TagVandercook Census
I have compiled a list of existing Vandercook Presses. This census is independent of NA Graphics’ records, but thanks to Fritz Klinke’s coöperation will soon be augmented by them. Because NA’s records may not indicate the current owner or note manufacturing oddities and do not include the stamped names of press inspectors, I encourage individuals […]
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