Help with finding C&P Old style letterpress

I might have one, but it is in Canada. Are you willing to ship it?

Viktorija

I like your ambition but C&P 10x15 or C&P 8x12 Old style presses were manufactured in the USA - it’s unlikely you will find them in Europe. You may have to consider press manufacturers nearer to home - German, British or Russian?

Good luck!

Really, other makes would be more likely in Europe, though C&Ps were exported there. You might be lucky enough to find a parallel-impression platen; search for names like the Victoria, AutoVic, Vicobold, Kobold, Phoenix, Harrild; or platen jobbers Hohner, Arab, Bremner (equivalent to C&P), Golding (these were also made in UK) or Falcon.

Hello equitas,

If you have possibility to pack properly?
I can ship letterpress from Chicago to Europe.

Also I would like to know the price, maybe you could send me photos? Is it working and dont need any part to repair?

I agree with John Christopher and Parallel_imp, you should look in Germany or Poland, transport would be easier, and less expensive. Have you looked around you in the town that you live in? Are there not printers out there, who don’t use their letterpress equipment anymore. And have you looked at Drukwerk in de Marge website in the Netherlands, a lot of material is available from Holland and Belgium. You could drive there and pick it up. Good luck!

Hi Viktorija

I am on the same boat!
Finding a good working press in Europe is almost mission impossible!
Most of them are in the museums, other are in print shops.
For example shipping from Germany to Italy for a 100kg press is 500EU!
If I can pay this I can pay shipping from USA as well, but unfortunately nobody is willing to ship!
I think some of the presses can be reassembled into two or sometimes more parts…
Good luck!

As I already said before, plenty of presses come up for little money on the Drukwerk in de Marge website. Most of their members are selling their equipment at ‘friendly’ prices. Germany is good as well, get in touch for type with georg Kraus of www.bleisetzer.de, who buys complete printshops and cleans and sells the stuff on his website. He will be able to put you in touch with the guys who sell the presses.

Thomas,

You are really helpful person!

Thanks!

Hey equitas,
Drop me a note about what C&P you have got. I’m looking.
Hugo

Contact Alan at www.excelsiorpress.org he is in the process of shipping a press to Australia right now. He may be able to give some insight!

Hi, unless I’m missing something, in my opinion, there is little value in a C&P Old style versus a New style. The New style is a far better press. As I remember OS were produced from the mid 1880s and replaced with NS from 1911-12 until the mid 1960s. All other things being equal, I would always go for the newer press. There were very good reasons for the OS replacement. Dick

Having had several C&Ps both old and new styles, I can see very little difference in them. You have to move to the heavier Craftsman series or the N series produced after WWII before there is a dramatic difference in construction and performance. Certainly an older press might have more wear, but that can be the case for both old and new series depending on what kind of use the press received. I once bought a press (OS) that had been used for sixty years by one pressman to print ribbons for a novelty supplier. He had literally worn the impression of his hands into the edge of the feedboard and his footprints into the floor from constant use. Sadly the plant burned to the ground before I could collect the press. Another old series press I purchased in 1984 had last been used to print the 1952 Tennessee drive-out tags for auto dealers. Both presses were quite useable and sound when examined. The latter was used constantly for ten years and regretfully sacrificed in a move. With care a C&P will last many more lifetimes no matter when it was made.

Paul

Few months ago I tried to contact Alan at www.excelsiorpress.org, but havent recieved any reply.

Also I got information that to ship letterpress from Canada to Estonia or Lithuania is about 2000 usd (omg!).

Thanks for thomas gravemaker information, it was realy helpful, I have found few letterpresses in Europe, but I am still searching for suitable press.

Thanks for everyone comments and looking forward to more useful information in this discussion:)

$2000 dollars was the quote a rigger gave me to move my two Kluges 20 miles.

Luckily I found a tow truck driver to do it for $300.