My New Press

This is my first post here, so it will serve both as an introduction, and a “thank you” for providing such an amazing resource for someone like me, who is eager to join the world of Letterpress.

I am Joshua, and my fiance (who will also be here posting and reading) is Lynn. We decided to start in letterpress because we love the finished product. We want to make our own Wedding Invitations, the way we want them, and therefore started researching what it would be like to start this as a fun hobby. She is really amazing at graphic design, and I love to make things. We started to realize that there are relatively few people that still practice this antique art, and therefore decided to start off well. We researched for a couple months, and finally found a machine for sale, and jumped at the opportunity.

We purchased an OS C&P 10x15 this last weekend (we drove 15+ hours each direction to pick it up), and I have just started the cleaning process. We are going to wait a while to re-finish/paint it, but will eventually completely restore it also.

I am already very happy with the machine we purchased, and got a really good deal on it-considering the drive time and cost associated with it’s move. It’s in pretty good shape, it seems so far, but I haven’t done much more than start cleaning and oiling it. The motor runs pretty well, it’s a variable speed, and seems to be able to really get up and move…

I have found some engraved dates on the back of the machine, and a sticker with a 5 digit number….I would really like to find when the machine was manufactured, and any other info that could provide the history of it.

Any advice you guys have will be greatly appreciated, and again, thank you for all of the wonderful information available.

Thanks,
Joshua
Graytin Press

image: The Beast

The Beast

image: The back

The back

image: Close up

Close up

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Is that everything you got with the press? It lacks the ink disk, the feedtables, and a chase. If you don’t have these things, I have a friend who may be parting out a broken 10x15 C&P soon.

no, I have the ink disk, feed tables, and 2 chases. I just removed them to clean the press… :)

Joshua
Graytin Press

I also received rollers, tons of wooden furniture, 5 or 6 quoins, a few rubber based inks, 6-8 steel font types, tymp. paper, guide pins/wax, and some basic paper to get used to the machine.

Joshua
Graytin Press

The serial number is located in the upper left corner of the bed where the chase goes. You may need to scrub a bit with a green pad to see it. There’s a list accessible online that will give the date based on that number, though I can’t find the link right now. I have a copy at home so if no one else posts the link in the meantime post the number and I’ll look it up tonight. It’s an Old Style so was made before 1912.

Rich

Front Room Press
Milford, NJ
http://frontroompress.com
http://frontroompress.blogspot.com

Joshua,

Here’s a visual of the serial number (see attached).

Congratulations on your new press. It’s funny, I recently purchased a C&P 10x15 (New Series), drove about 15 hours to get it and am wrapping up its restoration.

Whereabouts do you live? I’m in Colorado, bought press in Vegas.

Let’s talk!

Joshua
Bellus Letterpress

image: serial_number.jpg

serial_number.jpg