found an old press in a barn
I have found an old press in my great grandparents barn and have the number off of it. I can’t seem to find any info on this press. I wanted to see if anyone here could look up the press and see if you can guild me in the right direction to how old it is, maybe what kind it is, and if it is worth anything. We did not get up in the barn far because of bee’s and snakes, but will go back in when the weather gets cooler to see what all is in there that may go with the press. There may even be two in there. My husband said they where electric. The name on the press was Multigraph model 1327 No. 412308
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Looks like an offset press to me, but those sure look like type cases in the background. Dick G.
…or beehive frames!
Yeah, it looks like a blanket cylinder (for slotted blankets) in the top photo, so it is probably an offset press. But I note the plate calls it a Multigraph instead of a Multilith, and that usually is associated with their rotary letterpress duplicator.
It is an offset press, what most of us would indeed call a Multilith. Evidently the 1327 was a reasonably early 11x17” model, and this one was made while the company was still referring to their offset presses as “Multilith Process” Multigraphs. I’d guess late 1930s or sometime in the ’40s? While (letterpress) Multigraphs have some value to some of us, old Multiliths don’t seem to be worth much.
Thank you all for looking and helping. I am going to post a few more pictures if I can. They don’t mean much to me, but to your trained eye they may.
Thanks again
Here are a few more pics. I hope to get back in there and get better pictures and see what I can find. I know I seen some letter type trays.
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The nameplate in photo 214, above, was used by the Multigraph Co. roughly during the late teens and through the twenties, I think; before the “American Multigraph Sales Co, Cleveland, OH” merged with the Addressograph Co. in 1930 to become Addressograph- Multigraph. Although the plate says “The Gammeter Multigraph” (their small rotary letterpress) I believe the same plate may have been used on other equipment such as folding machines, and I’d guess perhaps that’s what’s shown in photo 241 above. More photos, please, when you get a chance…
The older multis came with a davidson feeder, more pictures please. Dick G.
Dave, Dick and all the rest of you, thank you for taking the time to help me with the printing press mystery. I am looking into getting back to the barn to take better pictures. The press is in the back of this old barn with a lot of other stuff around them. The snakes and bees are a concern, but I will get better pictures. We really want to pull them out and see what is there with it. I am finding that there is a lot of people like your selves that love and use the old printing presses. It is a crime to leave them in this state. I will look for letters and trays and anything else that may go with the press. Someone out there could use something off of it I am sure.
Thanks again
It is very old and predates the 1250 I remember seeing one at Dawson Print (Hallmark) in New Zealand I don’t know what happened to it but Hallmark took all old machines back.