Category: General discussion
Later topic: Modifying an embossing die?
Earlier topic: Letterset printing - Davidson Dualith

R Hoe Co.???

There are many places that mention R Hoe Co. purchased
S Rust patents about 1835. But Delaware Universety states that Hoe purchased Rust Washinton Handpress assets in 1827 (They have the R Hoe papers collection.) Also Wikipedia and the Encyclopedia Of Britannica state the 1827 date. Any
comments or history would be helpful.

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Based on the information in Comparato’s comprehensive history of Hoe (Chronicles of Genius and Folly) I would say the 1935 date is correct.

Hoe would of course prefer to backdate the purchase to validate their actions. However, as far as I know there is no evidence that Samuel Rust’s 1829 improved-frame patent was assigned to Hoe or anyone else, and the record seems to show that Rust & Turney were still making Rust’s earlier design of the Washington in 1829. There is also the later Washington press, with the 1829-patented frame design, clearly labeled as made by S. Rust, which is in the collection of the Museum of Printing. The papers contain what Hoe Co. wrote, and the encyclopedia articles are based on similar records. The facts about Rust’s activity in press manufacture are pretty well documented.