ANY PEERLESS INFO?
We have a Peerless 10x15 Platen Letterpress believed to have been made in Palmyra, New York and was hoping to get some help on year, make, and model.
No idea what year it is or how rare it is. We would like to sell it but trying to gather some info on it. Can’t find anything comparable to it.
No serial numbers found, including on the platen as suggested on other posts.
ANY INFO WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, THANK YOU.
Please see pics from post http://www.briarpress.org/28828 for pics
Type & Press No. 69, Summer 1991 features the article “John Jones and his Peerless Press.” This article is not on the APA website where one can find numerous PDFs from T&P. Unfortunately, I can’t scan my copy at the moment, but can share some salient info:
Jones’s company Globe Manufacturing, in Palmyria NY, the Peerless debuted in 1875 and were built until 1918. There several sizes: 8x12, 9x13, 10x15, 11x17, 12x18, 14x20 and 14.5 x2.2.
“The Peerless gained favor with pressman because of its massive construction, solid bed, dead dwell of its platen during impression and long rest in the open position. The later feature made it easy to feed. Advertising claimed that it was the first open press to be equipped with an automatic chase lock, depressible grippers and a self-locking positive throw off.”
My interest is keen because I will take possession of an 8x12 in a couple weeks.
John M. Jones is said by Ralph Green to have built thirteen different presses in Palmyra in 6 different companies he established over the years. He has to have been one of the most prolific press builders ever — and he invented several other things not related to printing as well. Busy guy!
Bob
According to Ralph Green in his History of the Platen Jobber, the Peerless Printing Press Company of Palmyra, N.Y. manufactured the Peerless-Gordon from 1891 to 1900. There was also a Peerless jobber made by the Globe Mfg. Co. in Palmyra from 1875 to 1918 (the book has a typo that says 1818).
Paul