Small Chandler & Price Press — In search of Serial Number

I’ve got a small Chandler & Price press here with press bed measurements of 7 1/2” by 11 1/2”. It also has several different numbers.

Under the C&P name (back of platen): 205A
Back of ink plate: 207
Back of press bad: 203A

I am searching for the serial number but have found nothing yet. Are these numbers simply the part numbers, and can anyone help me find the serial number or direct me to a source that can?

I am also looking for a chase. Where are the best places to look?

Thank you!
Eggshell White

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That’s a Chandler & Price Pilot. The serial number, if it has one, will be on the top left face of the chase bed. I don’t think there’s a serial number list, so there’s no way to date the press. Those numbers you’ve found are not the serial numbers, but instead are part numbers.

Chases for Pilots aren’t cheap as the press is in high demand. You might want to keep an eye on eBay or put an ad in the classifieds section of this site.

Thank you for your quick and useful reply! I bought the press for $50 from someone who got it at a yardsale or antique shop, for probably less than that. I’m trying to get it up and working. I’ll post an ad for a chase here, but any other advice is still welcome.

Eggshell, i had the same problem a few years ago, i had a press but no chase could be found, in the arhcives on this site there is a thread about making a chase from plywood, i thought it wouldn’t work but i was wrong, the plywood chase works great. Good Luck Dick G.

Chases for a Pilot typically run about $30 although I’ve seen them go for much more on eBay. They are out thereā€¦ you just have to look for them. Dick’s suggestion about the plywood chase is also a good one. Whatever gets you printing.

On Ebay, there is a guy under “the printers helper inc” that sells chases for $55. He has all kinds and sizes.

Since a working Pilot Press would be worth well over $1,000.00 it is well worth your while to purchase a chase and perhaps new rollers to get it functioning again.

Rick

Dennis:

What do you mean by “under ‘the printers helper inc’”? Do you mean this is his user name? I don’t use eBay much, so I may be doing something wrong, but I couldn’t find this person.

When you log on, under search at the top where it says “go”, type in item # 250452945327, it should come up! Seller id is printershelperinc. You can also, put in”letterpress chase” in the regular box and it should come up that way as well.

Thank you for all the help. I have chosen to take up an offer for a chase made in response to my classified ad on this site. Another question, however:

As I don’t own any type (I have studied letterpress at Wells College and elsewhere, but have no equipment of my own - this is my first press), I am going to begin by delving into digital letterpress. The Boxcar Press site recommends a 5 by 8.5 base for a Pilot press, but the press bed dimensions they give for the pilot are smaller than mine: the site says 6.5 by 10; mine is 7.5 by 11.5. Obviously, I would like to get the largest base possible, to best make use of the press. It seems to me that 6 by 9, the next size up, might work, but I’m not sure.

So, at long last, the question: does it make sense to go with a 5 by 8.5 base, even though the press bed dimensions suggested for this base are smaller than mine?

And is it possible to simply get a base the size of the press bed and forego a chase entirely?

Thanks everyone.

You are working with the inside chase measurements, rather than the entire bed. On the platen you have to have gauge pins or other methods of registration for the paper to be printed. Go with the 5 x 8.5 base. Boxcar knows their business.

Paul