Retiring! Lots of stuff to price and sell

I inherited my print shop in 1973, before that it was a newspaper going back to early part of the century. I have been an offset shop but have held on to a lot of the old letterpress supplies. I plan to list a lot of the stuff only collectors and letterpress craft shops might use (type high guages, quoins and such) however I have a nice Hamilton type case with type that looks like would be worth lots more to people that shop etsy. (I have seen a similar one listed for 8k!) I am attaching a photo and thought I would reach out to you folks that could offer advice on this particular item. Should I list it here, or remove type and sell the fonts here and the cabinet on etsy?

image: DSCN5981.JPG

DSCN5981.JPG

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I would suggest listing it here. You might see other listings for high dollar amounts but that’s doesn’t always indicate what these things are actually *selling* for. You’d probably get the most interest on this site.

Brad.

Thanks for your response, Brad. I was thinking that selling the fonts separately might bring a better price. Any thoughts of what it might be worth as a complete unit?

I personally like to buy a complete cabinet with type. Location of the item (basement, 3 floors up, or just by a large drive up garage door) is key, also what state your in will effect the price. The biggest will be the type faces you have.

Steve

The income from the font price will be dependent on how much you pay yourself to set all the type and spacing up in a galley in order and then tie it up and wrap and pack it so it arrives undamaged. Dumping it into a baggie and shipping it in a flat rate box will appeal to hand gun loaders and toy soldier makers.

Bob

Great comments, thank you. I will plan on making a list of the fonts, and listing it here first. The cabinet is on ground level in N.E. Texas.

Steve, I am fixing to list this for $2,400. (some fonts missing.)
call me asap and I can discuss. Located in NE Texas easy loading (dock). I am not sure how safe it is to list phone numbers but I’ll risk it. 903-456-4328.

The double wide cabinet shown was made by Thompson Cabinet, circa 1930. I have the exact same style cabinet sitting in front of me and they are really nicely made. Mine came with the balance of a shop we purchased in the 1980s in Washington state, and the prorata value at the time, with a full load of type, was maybe $300. But that was then. The shop also contained this currently for sale cabinet: https://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/products/f1722
but mine was loaded with borders, ornaments, wood type and wood borders, etc. The cabinet itself had been sold to one of the employees and I drove a hard bargain to buy it from her for $100. The Rejuvenation people are prominent in Portland, Oregon and some years back, had them manufacture about 15 reproduction light fixtures for our town hall. Their description is not accurate as at least one case shown in the pictures is a blank case, and not a California as described. But then their one letterpress former employee, Jeff Shay, has been working elsewhere for several years. The cabinet appears to be missing the very nice Hamilton tag that once was on it, like this one: https://flic.kr/p/qLJKWY

The above photo of the double cabinet is of a Hamilton cabinet, not Thompson.

Michael

The Thompson cabinet is one of the nicest I’ve ever seen. Couldn’t afford it unfortunately. However could use detailed photographs, and have a copy made. Thanks John from Lancaster Pennsylvania