Vandercook “Office Press” Census

01This data table lists Vandercook Models 0, 01, 03, and 099 only. Currently, 146 presses are listed (though there are undoubtedly many more yet to be counted).

Often called sign presses or gravity presses, these small proof presses differ from the larger full-featured models in that the impression cylinder rolls solely on the bearers, is not geared, and does not have an inking assembly or a motor.

These presses have a separate serial number series; #0101 was the first office press manufactured in 1929 and #07952 was the first in 1957, after which the production of these models ended. Because of their small size, there are still quite a few of these in letterpress shops.* The serial number is stamped into the bed bearer or in the case of the 099 on the bed.

Please provide the following information:
• model name
• serial number
• owner name
• location
• where or from whom it was acquired (to eliminate duplicate entries)

See also the main census for the larger geared-cylinder models and the serial number tables. To add or correct data, use the Contact Form.

ModelS/NYearOwnerLocationNotes
007301930The New Mexico Military InstituteUSA NM Roswell
004311930KarenUK West Berkshire
0011581930Maryland Institute College of Art / Dolphin PressUSA MD Baltimore
0011751930The Printmaking Center of New JerseyUSA NJ Branchburg
0013321931Pyramid AtlanticUSA MD Silver Spring
0014361931Robin EliovsonAustralia NSW Kenningston
0017221932Benjamin JonesUSA MO Kansas CityMovable register headstop and long side quoin, both adjustable with a wrench
0017491932Annette AtwoodUSA CA Whittier
0018651933Bassackward PressUSA CA Fair Oaks
0021901933Virginia Center for the BookUSA VA Charlottesville
0024431934PrivateUSA IL Lake Zurich
0025201934Western New York Book Arts CenterUSA NY Buffalo
0060021941Tony GuadagnoloUSA TX Arlington
0060371941Pinwheel PressUSA WA Seattle
0060881941U. of OregonUSA OR Eugene
0061541941Joe StollUSA NY Syracuse
0062441942The Rourke Art Gallery + MuseumUSA MN MoorheadFormerly at Kiss Letterpress
0062741942Big Dog Press/Kathee KiesselbachUSA AL Daphne
0062801942Mara FulmerUSA MI Atlas
0064361947Karen DomenichUSA AZ Tucson
0064841947Rare Book SchoolUSA VA Charlottesville
0065181947Steven SharafianUSA WA Bainbridge Island
0065671947Delaware College of Art and DesignUSA DE Wilmington
0067021947PrivateUSA PA Harrisburg
0067721947Don TuckerUSA OK Oklahoma City
0068981948Jon RaedekeUSA MD Montgomery VillageWith Cabinet
0069291948Wednesday AjaUSA CA Dana PointFormerly at Overnight Numbering
0070681948Washington UniversityUSA MO St. Louis
0071241948Starshaped PressUSA IL Chicago
0071601949PrivateUSA MA Boston
0072531949University of ReginaCanada SK Regina
0072691949PrivateUSA OH Galion
0072761949Garvin SierraUSA PR San Juan
0072821949McClain's Printmaking SuppliesUSA OR King City
0072831949Renegade Cascade EditionsUSA WA Olympia
0072941950Don HildredUSA CO LaPorte
0073751950Black Stone PressCanada BC Vancouver
0074141950Repeat PressUSA MA Somerville
0074701951Heritage ParkCandana AB Calgary
0075601951Firecracker PressUSA MO St. Louis
0076371952Aron FayUSA MD Baltimore
0076631952Amaranth PressUSA NY Syracuse
0076711952Big Wheel PressUSA MA Northampton
0076721952October PressUSA KY Lexington
0077271953White DoveUSA MN St. Paul
0077421953Tom NoyesUSA MN ?
0077501953Connie TurnbullCanada QC Montreal
0077561953Steve SylvesterUSA TX Houston
0077601953Middle Tennessee State UniversityUSA TN Murfreesboro
0078241954Greenboathouse PressCanada BC Vernon
0078361954James Rura / Grandpa's Old Time PressUSA NJ East Windsor
0078501954Little Doris PressUSA KS Lawrence
0078651954Florida State UniversityUSA FL Tallahassee
0079101955John Van Hoorn Co.USA IL Wonder Lake
0079261956Lisa CampUSA MI Jenison
0080231957Inkwell Modern Handmade Boutique & Letterpress StudioCanada NS HalifaxFormerly at The Nugget newspaper, North Bay, Ontario
0080901957Athenaeum Art CenterUSA CA San Diego
0080971957Shakespeare Press MuseumUSA CA San Luis Obispo
01010771930James AlcornUSA NY Staten Island
01011351930The Arm LetterpressUSA NY Brooklyn
01017341932Hamilton wood Type MuseumUSA WI Two Rivers
01019131933Mary MortimerUSA CA Oakland
01021701933Tom Parsons / Now It's Up to YouUSA CO Denver
01025211934The New Overbrook PressUSA ME Camden
01027851934Barrio LetterpressUSA NY New York City
01029021934Igloo PressUSA OH Columbus
01029101934PrivateUSA CO Denver
01031321935Bad Luck Monster ClubUSA PA Williamsport
01031851935Bob RossUSA TX San Antonio
01034621936Typecast PressUSA MD Baltimore
01036651936Kalamazoo Baook Arts CenterUSA MI Kalamazoo
01036711936Public ProofUSA MN Minneapolis
01036711936Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the ArtsUSA NE Nebraska City
01037641936Williams StationeryUSA NY Camden
01038461936The Arm LetterpressUSA NY Brooklyn
01038551936PrivateUSA VA Fairfax
01038931936Drukwerk in de MargeNetherlands, Amsterdam
01039021936Manchester PressUSA MI Manchester
01040451937Littlehouse PressUSA MA Attleboro
01041021937Boggs Graphics EquipmentUSA OH Chagrin
01044861937Hazel & Violet LetterpressUSA AZ Phoenix
01049951939Smoke Proof PressUSA CO Boulder
01050731939Typebee printshopUSA WA Spokane
01055471940Lauren HirschUSA KY Louisville
01056831940Bill WhitleyUSA CO Fort CollinsFormerly owned by Triangle Publishing in Fort Collins.
01057011940Give-A-Hoot PressUSA NC Swannanoa
01057801941Running Dog PressUSA VA Winchester
01057851941Curly-haired PressUSA AL Prattville
01060521941Wayne State UniversityUSA MI Detroit
01064361947Firecracker PressUSA MO St. Louis
0107351930Meanwhile LetterpressUSA IL Tolono
0109871930Salthouse PressUK South Wales, Swansea
03020861933Peter Bushell/The Auburn PressUSA IL Mahomet
03022981933Phil BrittonUSA MI Marquette
03032601935I Am Here CardsUSA AR Fayetteville
03033181935Jim BenvenutoUSA NY Potsdam
03049191938Greg ShattenbergUSA ME West Paris
03058211941Hicks Bros.USA CA San Francisco
03061091941La TipogaficaMexico, Monterrey
03039471937Robert NugentUSA NM Santa Fe
09901331929Two Birds PressUSA AL Birmingham
099020371933Robert BlackUSA NC Asheville
099021531933Blackbird LetterpressUSA LA Lafayette
099022651933GoWelshUSA PA Lancaster
099022961933SL KornUSA NY Hudson Valley
099023211933Erin McAdamsUSA WI Madison
099026091934Mills CollegeUSA CA Oakland
099028641934Hillside PressUSA CA San Francisco
099028741934Kalie McGuirlUSA ME Thomaston
099029301934The BinderyUSA WI Milwaukee
099029841935Flower City Arts CenterUSA NY Rochester
099029921935Fox & Found PressCanada BC Halfmoon Bay
099033961936The Attic PressUSA CA Mendocino
099034451936Works in ClayUSA IA North Central
099035611936Tekst in DrukThe Netherlands, Haarlem
099036251936Excelsior PressUSA NJ Frenchtown
099036971936Ink SpotUSA MN St. Paul
099037031936Ready-Mix DesignUSA MA Chicopee
099037621936School of Visual ConceptsUSA WA Seattle
099038841936Two Tone PressUSA MO Kansas City
099039701937Burnt Toast PressUSA CA Eureka
099040051937Turkey PressUSA CA Isla Vista
099040061937International Printing MuseumUSA CA Carson
099040181937Boggs Graphics EquipmentUSA OH Chagrin
099041261937PrivateUSA IL Lake Zurich
099044681937Mama's SauceUSA FL Orlando
099045981938A Revolutionary PressUSA ME Harborside
099047151938deco letterpressUSA AZ Prescott
099047211938Judy ZeddiesUSA IL Chicago
099048201938Lauran MarcelisThe Netherlands Haarlem
099048501938PrivateUSA CO Denver
099050111939725 PressUSA NY Farmington
099050231939Stiff 'n' Sore PressCanada ON Stouffville
099050641939Hellbendre PressUSA NC Celo
099051421939Rar Rar PressUSA IL Chicago
099051981939GoWelshUSA PA Lancaster
099052841939Emily Zalla/Lickety Split PressUSA KY BurlingtonOriginally owned by Armstrong Stationery Co., Cincinnati, OH
099053031939MatterUSA CO Denver
099053131939Matthew DavisUSA KS Overland Park
099056131940Wells CollegeUSA NY Aurora
099056261940Sally GardnerUSA NY New York City
099057231940School of Visual ConceptsUSA WA Seattle
099057701941Scrabbletown Press / Dorothea BlackUSA MA Newtonville
099065691947Stan's Print ShopUSA OK Checotah
099Boekdrukkerij PolkaNetherlands Amsterdam
099Het GonstBelgium Antwerpen

*Other brands include Challenge, Nolan, Showcard, Sign Press, and Triumph in the US; and Cropper, Farley, Soldan, Stephenson Blake in the UK. The German manufacturer Wittekinde exported its Triumf presses to the US under the name Atlantic.

Acknowledgments

I wish to thank everyone who has shared their Vandercook press data, but especially those individuals who made an extra effort to report multiple other Vandercooks of which they are aware: Nina Ardery, John Barrett, Don Black, Denise Brady, Alex Brooks, Terrence Chouinard, Duncan Dempster, Hans van Eijk, Eric Holub, Jonathan Jarvis, Richard Kegler, Val Lucas, Nicholas Kennedy, Gerald Lange, Val Lucas, Daniel Morris, Ray Nichols, Steve Robinson, Paul Romaine, Michael Russem, Sara Sauers, Beth Seat, Dave Seat, Harold E. Sterne, Bernie Vinzani, Rick von Holdt, Kristin Walker, Bill Whitley, Dan Wood, and of course Fritz Klinke. TablePress plugin by Tobias Bäthge.

 

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