Solving the Mysteries of the Basement
At the risk of getting jumped on by half by members, I am trying to determine if it is worthwhile for my mom to spend time on seeking buyers/museums/etc. for my dad’s print shop or whether we should lug the majority of it to the scrapyard. *ducking quickly to avoid flying type* :-)
Dad was a printer all his life, having worked more than 30 years for a local paper in Nova Scotia. I think the ink had sunk into his pores because after the Record burnt to the ground, he started collecting and setting up his own little shop. Now we have to find a home for it all and we don’t frankly have a clue.
I know there is a little Adana table-top (Eight-five I think, a Westman & Baker press, a Chandler & Price table-top cutter, and a proof press we haven’t managed to dig out yet (we are under construction so Mom can stay in the house). There are over 100 drawers of type (all properly sorted for the most part, including wood type), some very hard-used cabinets, composing sticks, ink rollers, gauges, and too many things to list.
My question is — Is it viable to think there might be a market way out on the East Coast?? I am not there and Mom can’t handle packing, so I guess finding someone to take the whole lot would be best. Is this even feasible?? I would hate to just see it all sit and rust or just fall apart.
Any help or guidance would be appreciated. I do have some (very bad) photos to provide to at least give an idea of what is there, if that would help.
Adana.jpg
Chandler & Price Cutter - 1.jpg
Chandler & Price Cutter - 2.jpg
Westman - 1.jpg
Westman - 2.jpg
Type Cabinets.jpg
Type - 1.jpg
Type - 2.jpg
Bits - 1.jpg
Bits - 2.jpg
Bits - 3.jpg
Bits - 4.jpg
If memory serves, search for Gaspereau Press on the South Shore. They are a letterpress shop.
Well, from a financial standpoint, you have a fair amount of equity in that print shop. I know that Canada Post has a flat rate box for Ebay users, though I don’t know if it is available to the general public. Also, Don Black (donblack.ca) could potentially be interested, though I don’t know if he would want to drive the 20 hours to your area.
If you can make the trip up there once, you might want to consider offering some of it for sale either here on Briarpress, or on Ebay. A quick look at your listing shows over $1,000 USD (or Canadian, given the weak USD) in just the Adana, composing sticks, gauges and smaller stuff that can be easily moved and shipped.
Best of luck.
Don’t toss it. There are many options. Do a little research, send some emails and be patient. At the very least just to move it and see it go to good use you could offer it for the taking. Free stuff always pulls people out of the woodwork ;)
Yes, “don’t toss it”. Research and pass it on. I guess you can auction it to be picked up or flat rate boxes for small materials. I wish I could go see it, or you would email me pictures (aartium (at) aol (dot) com). I am always interested in type.
Cheers
Andre