Favorite Platen 3

Hi Rob:
Favorite (clamshell) Platen was made by Damon & Peets, N.Y., 1887, 1894.

Above was from “A History of the Platen Jobber,” by Ralph Green, 1953.
An illustration of the Favorite is on p. 244 of “Catalog of Nineteenth Century Printing Presses” by Harold E. Sterne, 1978, ISBN: 0-932606-00-8

I had one, bought from a fellow in Westchester County, NY. (WHY can’t I remember his name? He was fairly well known in printing circles.) Sold it to a woman in Arizona. Her brother picked it up at my house in the Hudson Valley in 2010 or so and took it down to her. Can’t remember her name either and my email files were long ago destroyed by a virus.
Was not a very high quality press. It was a 7x11 and well worn, but the fellow who sold it to me gave me a very good price. I enjoyed using it. Sold it when I upgraded my Pearl No. 1 to a Pearl No. 3. - Dave
Pix here, if the url shows through:
http://www.windsweptpress.com/temptemp/dpoa.jpg

From Sterne 2001, page 134.

Favorite.jpg

I believe I remember that there is, or was a few years ago, one displayed on the second floor of the Wright Cycle Shop in west Dayton, Ohio, representing their printing activity.

Bob

Thanks guys for all your information.

I forgot to mention it is a ‘Table-Top” press with ‘Favorite Platen 3” on the side of the press.

I stumbled across it when I was on holiday in Southern Iberia (Europe) last week (not one for beach holidays!).

I am now back in the UK and stupidly not taking a photograph of the machine I am trying to get a photo from a contact there.

In the meantime perhaps someone may be able to point to the exact manufacturer as it seems after a bit of research that the Favorite could have been manufactured by someone else other than Damon & Peets of New York.

Look forward to your replies and thanks again
Rob

There was a Favorite tabletop platen made by Gorham In 1875, also later by Curtis and Mitchell. It was also manufactured in England by the Birmingham Machinists Company according to Green.

Several companies used the name Favorite for their presses.

On page 119 of Personal Impressions by Harris it lists a 4.5” x 6.5” table top Favorite by Curtis and Mitchell and there is a reference that it was also manufactured in England by the Birmingham Machinists Company.

Page 187 of A Catalogue of 19th Century Printing Presses by Sterne lists the same press.

The picture of the Amateur Self Inker bottom right is from the Curtis and Mitchel Favorite ad. (The Simplissimus and the Simplex were also made by The Birmingham Machinists Company.)

favorite.jpg

From Sterne 2001 page 187

In 1888 the U.K. price was £3 10s

Favorite.jpg

Hi Guy’s

I have eventually got photo’s of the press.

The format they have been sent to me in isn’t compatable with the attachment sources on this site but I will print it out and take a photo of it in due course and post them.

The name cast on the right hand side of it is ‘Favourite Platen 3’ not as I first thought.

Therefore the ‘u’ in the word makes it British not North American but maybe some of you may know more about it ie Manufacturer and date.

I suppose it could be a British copy of one of your 19th century manufactured presses.

Look forward to your thoughts

Rob

You need a JPG for this site.

Try opening it with Paint in Windows and then saving as JPG

Here’s the pics

I think it is the British version of the J W Daughaday model presses.

What puzzles me is that the Model Printing Press Company in London doesn’t list the ‘Favourite Platen 3’.

If anybody can throw any light on it please let me know

Thanks

image.jpg

This is a copy of the Model No 3 (UK numbering), there were other manufacturers of the Model design in Britain.

According to Moran the Favourite was made by Thomas Taylor & Sons of Leicester and had a platen size of 9” x 6” .

Unfortunately the St Bride library is closed with no reopening date so we can’t check their records for information on Thomas Taylor.

Thanks for the information Platenprinter.

I have been researching The Model Printing Press Company of London but have been getting nowhere with the list of presses they produced or sold.

That led me on to Carlo Squintani and his Company in the UK.

I had until just know reached a dead end as I had contacted the St Brides Library and then found out they closed in July. So now I can check this one out which I am sure you are right and I am just down the road from Leicester in Nottingham (Robin Hood and all that).

Thank you once again.

Some info here Rob.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/75606019@N08/albums/72157638161138473

Is there any chance you could get another picture of the Favourite taken from the side?

I have got two more photos that the site wouldn’t take because it went over the limit!

One of them shows the right hand side of the machine and I can just about make out the word ‘Favourite’.

I assume the left hand side as you would work it has the manufacturer on it on a plate or cast into the body.

I could email you the other two pics I have got but I am returning to southern Iberia in three weeks where I will be able to get the relevant pics.

I will certainly keep you posted on the eventual identification.

If you want me to forward the remaining pics let me know and thanks again for your interest and help.

Rob

Attached is an 1892 advert that shows Thomas Taylor were in Gladstone Street, Leicester.

Maker of the “Favourite” Treadle Platen Printing Machine.

1892_Leicester_i0683SMALLER.jpg

Great

Looks like that’s the Manufacturer.

I bet when I see the m/c it will confirm it.

It’s frustrating because the person I got to get the photos has now gone on holiday to the states so I can’t get anymore photos at this stage.

So it could be a sold as 1892.

Thanks