Welcome to the Bracken Press PRINT-workshop website
Intaglio (etching, drypoint, aquatint)
& block printing & wood engraving
(lino-prints, surface printing) & letterpress
Established 1974.
Occassionally we hear of printing equipment that is for sale, any item for sale will appear here.
Equipment for sale:-
Columbian Press
For Sale
Dixon & Co
1840 -1850 ( approximately)
No name plate.
Tympan & Frisket
Platen
18.25 x 24.25 ( inches)
465 x 615 mm
Bed
20.5 x 28 (Inches)
525 x 710 mm
80 (inches) Height
50 (inches) Wide
64 (inches) Long
£7500.00
Buyer to arrange removal
The Iron Printing Press
There are several types of printing press available to the iron press printer . Originally the preferred and available press being the old wooden press of Caxton which eventually led to the invention of the Columbian Press of 1813 by George Clymer.
Other Iron presses being Stanhope press, the Britannia, the Albion, the Cogger & the Imperial press. During the Victorian era smaller and more portable presses were made known as 'table tops' these presses became the favourite of small hobby printers.
The principle of the Iron press is this:-
The forme of type is placed on a flat plane of hard material. Over this is another flat plane of iron, the latter moves only vertically, always being kept parallel to the other. The sheet of paper to be printed, being upon the type, the moving plane approaches and finally comes in contact with it, the downward pressure of the top plane of iron causes the impression on the paper.
The setting up of an Iron press is most important, insomuch as the two pieces of iron should and always remain parallel to each other.
The flat plane, upon which the type is laid, is called the bed of the press. The flat plane which moves vertically is called the platen. These are the most important parts of the Iron press.
The bed of the press ideally needs to be moveable, so that the printed page can be removed and another clean sheet of paper can be loaded. This meant that the 'bed' be mounted on a set of rails. To move the bed a mechanism was installed called a rounce which would, upon being turned move the bed underneath the platen. To regiter the paper to the text another metal frame was attached to the edge of the bed, this being called the tympan. By affixing the paper to the tympan ( by means of registration marks and holders) each uniform piece of paper is exactly registered to the type.
Large cast iron Harrild relief press in very good condition for relief printing.
1.15m across the printing bed.
Accurate press and gives even pressure across the whole bed - to the thickness of a sheet of printing paper, and comfortably prints a metre wide.
Presently dismantled for transport, by present owner, who has owned the press for the past 20 years
Ready for collection from
Fife, Scotland
Price £2000.00
More details available from:-
Buyer to arrange removal.
Albion Crown Folio
Hand Lever Proof Press on custom-made oak base with secret compartment.
The press was owned previously by a distant relation, who bought it from the Essex Printers’ Supply Company (Leyton depot) in 1970. At that time, it lacked a frisket frame. I added a frisket (made by a blacksmith at the Weald and Downland Museum before it became known as the setting for The Repair Shop) after the press came to me in the mid-Nineties. Later, I also had the base made.
Bed size:- 14 x 20 inches
Platen size:- 11 x 16 inches
MANUFACTURED BY BENJAMIN PORTER
1830-1850 LEEDS
Known as a 'Super Royal'
Tympan (not original ) no counter weight.
No top item.
Benjamin Porter was born on 13th April 1791 in Leeds, married in 1813 and by 1841 was living in Queeen's Square, Leeds.
Porter was listed in Leeds newspapers as a 'whitsmith, a partner to a blacksmith but working with white metals.
Porter's works were in a courtyard - Cross Court - off Brigate in Leeds.
Harrild & Sons relief press
Britannia
Platen Press
Bed size :- 34 x 25 inches
862 mm x 635mm
Platen Size:- 29.75 x 21 inches
755 mm x 533mm
£6,000.00
Buyer to arrange removal
Nameplate from the press
SOLD