Pricing for 10 x 15 OS C and P
I am helping a friend investigate selling her father’s 10 x 15 C and P OS and though I am doing my own research, I thought I’d apply to you folks regarding pricing. It appears to be in excellent condition, has rollers and the motor runs. All the furniture and type was given away a while ago, but there is some tympan paper. I haven’t printed anything on it, so I can’t know for sure. It is in a large basement, down 5 steps and a ways in, but once outside there is easy street access to the garage. There is some furniture in the way, but they are making it a family project of clearing the way if they sell it. We are in Berkeley, CA. Thank you! Jinny
Ok, well anticipate getting some professional help moving this thing. Going up or down steps is going to be awful. You may want to use a winch to pull it up a ramp depending on the depth of the steps. Honestly hiring professional movers or getting some letterpress experts to help you move it should almost be required in this case. I was told to get equipment riggers. It’s top heavy - of course and few people really know how to move them. Will it fit through the door without removing any parts? Do you know how to put them back on if needed?
If the rollers are in good condition those are a nice bonus. Check the rails, and roller saddles for wear. It’s an OS so it’s older and more likely to have wear or damage. Look for welds to the frame, check if it’s been oiled. Does it move freely when you spin the flywheel?
Price is completely arbitrary - how bad do they want it out of there? How much sentimental memory is tied to it? Is it a random item inherited from a passed family member?
Nowadays these can go for 1,200 or more in good condition but I’ve also seem them given away to people willing to move them. Find out how much it’ll cost you to move it and then make an offer. I would offer something like 300-500 considering what a hell it sounds like to move up those stairs, but some people might consider that rude considering the upswing in the market. The worst they can say is no to your offer.
The “upswing in the market” is for tabletop presses and flatbed proof presses as far as I know. Don’t think a lot of people are beating down the doors looking for heavy 10 x 15 C&Ps. I’ve given a few away over the past several years - and those were already at ground level in the garage.
$1,200 should buy you a Heidelberg!!!!! I’m thinking $350 would be a reasonable price. Then again, I’m talking Midwest prices. I haven’t lived on the west coast for 30 years.
Rick
Rick,
You are right about the cost of a Heidelberg vs C&P. The problem is that many of the potential buyers have the money and dealers here on the West coast and in Atlanta on the East frequently ask in the high 3 figures and low 4 figures for C&Ps. I know of one locally that was going for $1000 plus another $350 for the motor and a buyer was going to pay that. My press has increased in value 300% since I got it in 2005.
Whatever the case, the press will be worth $500 more if you can get it out of the basement. Machinery in basements, or on second floors tends to wind up with negative net value (ie: you have to pay somebody for removal).
10 x 15’s are a good press, but in places like California, seem to be losing ground to Windmill’s, possibly because no hand feeding hazards are present.
Thank you very much, all of you, for weighing in. You are very generous. I will send the link to this page for her to consider. It is an interesting discussion, besides! We just bought and moved our 12x18 a couple of weeks ago, so the anxiety of moving is still fresh on my mind-but no flights of stairs, thank god! We were looking at those pricey table tops (mostly because there is already a giant etching press in the studio) but we made room and got our big girl for waaaay less…still, we didn’t consider the Heidelberg. There’s always something. Thank you, again!
You may be able to get a Windmill for 1200 if you’re lucky finding one or from an auction, but prices from more public sellers has the prices increasing greatly, from 4k to 7k+ for a clean red ball with lockout rollers.
Jinny
I should mention my prices are based on what I’m seeing offered over the internet, not true of local values if that helps. I see ebay sales of these machines hitting 800-900 and for machines that are often in poor condition. I think it’s a bit of ignorance on the buyers part.
All of the people here are correct. My mentor wouldn’t pay a dollar over 350 for a good C&P in most cases. I don’t think he even paid that for his SP15s back only a couple of decades ago. I would only consider 500 if the rollers are like new. If not Ramco can recast them. For my 7x11” it cost 65 a roller (three rollers) plus shipping so 195 total (awesome price, awesome service). So that extra 200 worth of rollers (if they were new, like new) is what might make 500 reasonable in my humble opinion.
Pantherapress, thank you. Yeah, unfortunately, we paid more than $350, but not $800, and the rollers were not new (but boxed up for Ramco as I write!), and the feed board is a homemade fix. We knew it was a little high when we bought ours, but it was a timing thing for us. I don’t know if my friend will want to go to the trouble of selling hers given the low price compared to the effort to move it. Actually, I think hers is quite beautiful in situ there in it’s nook in the basement like a Mayan treasure!
I got a good deal on my press, but I had to remake the feed boards and re-do the 3 rollers. My mentor doesn’t pay much because he has other presses and thus the luxury of waiting around for a perfect deal. It also helps that his vast experience means he can repair a lot of things. The only way you’ll get the best deal is patience, I think.
If the press makes you happy, you didn’t go broke, and you’re printing you didn’t pay too much for it. That’s my opinion!