The three antique presses to use:-
Albion Platen Press
Leeds Foundry 1889
Bed size: 24 x 36 inches
Cast iron approximate weight 1.5 tons.
Used for all surface printing, lino cuts, text, wood engravings, colographs & mono prints. manually operated, inking by hand held roller. The sort of press that Caxton would have used ( only his was made of wood).
The backbone of Bracken Press, this press was purchased in 1974 in Wensleydale.
Arab Platen Press
Leeds foundry 1896
Bed size:10 x 14 inches
Used for printing text ( usually hand set) rapid printing (as against the Albion) text is re- inked every time automatically. Foot operated.
Rochat Etching Press
Bed size 24 x 48 inches.
Design based on 1840 press, cast iron, manually operated, prints copper engravings, intaglio ( etching) plates, can be used to print colographs etc.
Rolling action; as the wheel is turned the press bed moves between two rollers. Plates have to re inked after every impression by hand.
Manufactured by Harry Rochat who is still making them and recently has manufactured a brand new Albion type press, the first for over 100 years.
Occasionally we are informed of presses for sale, similar to the ones above.
Presently we have a D & J Greig stone lithographic press for sale, bed size 24 x 17 inches, more details here you will need Adobe reader to access the file.