Baltimorean No 16
Stumbled across a letterpress today at an estate sale that followed me home. I’ve done some typesetting before and am pretty happy to be getting back into it. When I started researching the press, I realized two things:
The first, that no 16 seems nonexistent and the second being that the Baltimoreans I can find information on are generally tabletop presses.
This is a decent sized (4’ tall. Not the biggest but certainly no tabletop!) platent press. Missing a few bits and bobs but nothing that stops it from printing. Either way its getting a nice refurb and some use again, but I would like to know more about the (apparently) elusive no 16’s! If anyone has any knowledge, I’d be grateful!
Well, I answered some of my own questions. Thanks to Elizabeth Harris and ‘Personal Impressions’, I now know that for some reason, while the others are known by numbers the 16 and 17 are known by “baltimorean jobber” which makes sense to me.
Now I know what needs to be put back on to get this baby back in tip top shape.
Baltimorean001.jpg
It looks like that press will be fun.
Don’t wait to get it looking like an as-new museum piece.
Get some ink on your shirt and the press and get printing.
In case you need an invitation, here it is. Please share pictures of the press and your printing.
Oh trust me, It’s for use, not for show! I’m trying to de-rust and take stock in what it’s missing. Right now i’m replacing rollers (and one roller assembly), as well as redoing the foot pedal. It should print fine as is, and will probably be used in varying states of restoration. Hopefully within the next month or two I can have it working as it’s supposed to, but for now, it’s still going to print.