Can anyone help?

Hello everyone,

I posted last week about my great grandfather’s letterpress and paper cutter: http://briarpress.org/61048. Both machines are well over 100 years old, used for many decades and always only in one family. We are looking for homes for them and help identifying.

Someone from the Smithsonian Museum of American History referred me to your website and discussion boards.

Please help as I’m worried these machines will be scrapped once someone buys my grandparents’ house in the next couple of months.

We’re hoping someone can donate to a museum ideally for education or sale if someone can pick them up in Ohio.

Thanks for any help and leads!

Amanda

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I wish I could help with this! Alas, I am a beginner without the space or the truck necessary!

Hey Amanda!

Another option you might look into is to try donating them to local colleges or universities near you. Some offer printmaking courses and might be very happy for these donated machines to use for teaching letterpress on.

Good luck!

You could also contact museums and restored historic villages in your area. They might also be happy to have them. Since your family has had them for so long, they are part of your local area’s history. They are representative of small print shops which were quite common in years past.

Ohio is a big state…which town??

Miami of Ohio has a program that might have some interest in the press and other items. Probably the fine art or English departments.

They are located in the basement of our family home in Lakewood, Ohio.

I’ll keep trying but once there is a buyer for the house it’s out of my hands. We probably only have another month or so to find a home for these. Thank you for all the advice!

You might be able to get this group to take it
https://www.morganconservatory.org/
Or https://zygotepress.org/

Amanda: Where in Lakewood is this group of machines?

We (Madison Press) are an all-letterpress shop in Lakewood, and we can help you with the move. I personally have moved a number of C&P presses and a couple paper cutters in my time. If you would want to see our outfit you may call our shop at 216/521-3789 and ask for Frank. If I can help out in any manner, I will be happy to do so.
Frank.