Atlas press?
Hello all. I recently acquired a few presses and a dozen cabinets of type. I am new to the site as a member and am working big to small with my identification puzzles. First off, I am trying to find out some information about the first clamshell style press. Since I can’t find much information about it, I am wondering if it is on the rare side and subsequently will be difficult to get up and running. If so, what it might be worth? My hope is to start printing sooner rather than later… am I better off selling it and buying a more common C&P? It appears to have about an 8x12 chase (if that helps with scale). I also removed the treadle to move it. I am so in the dark on this one, the only thing I think I have discovered is that it was made by the same “Shaw” of “Shaw’s supermarkets” (which I only know of from advertisements during Boston Redsox games on the radio (it seems like they are always having sales on potato salad and corn!). Thank you for your time and any information you can provide!
-H
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I’d say very rare — the only Atlas I’ve heard of is an English hand press. Hal Sterne’s book has no mention, nor does James Moran’s. There seem to be a lot of Edgar Shaws in the Boston area and I would be dubious of a connection to the super market, but it’s possible, especially if their founder was from Lynn. Not much help, sorry! But if it needs any parts you will have to make them.
Bob
Yes, I definitely would say your Atlas press is somewhat rare. That certainly does not mean that you should dump it for a C&P. It appears, from your photos, to be in quite good condition, and may just need a bit of a clean-up and a set of rollers and trucks to get it back in the swing of printing.
John Henry
Cedar Creek Press
Thanks for all the info! Anyone care to hazard a guess about value?
Thanks.
-H
Hello all. I found out what the press is! I thought for you academics, I would share my findings…
It turns out it was an invention by A.F. Hyde (of Boston) and submitted on August 20th 1883 that “improved” the printing press “…to give a proper rest or dwell to the platen when at its lowest point, so as to give time to the operator for the removal of the printed sheet and replacing it by another piece to be printed…”.
I have included the link to the full patent, granted on February 26th 1884 (we are just a couple days from its 134th birthday)…
https://patents.google.com/patent/US294048A/en?oq=294%2c048
-H
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