C&P Original Color

Hi -

We are in the process of restoring a 10x15 C&P NS. In cleaning up the press, the color of the paint appears to almost be a shade of gray. However, it seems like in most of the pictures I see of these presses they appear to be painted black.

Any thoughts as to original color? I doubt this was an option, much like the Model T…. any color you want as long as it is ??

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I believe most of the New Series presses were painted a very dark but almost warm grey. Nearly black, but not quite. I know C&P also painted some later New Series presses a battleship grey… which they also used for most of the Craftsman models. Then they switched again to institutional green for the Model N presses.

I have restored multiple presses, and I always just use black as it is easy to find as an enamel for industrial applications.

Hope this helps.

Brad.

What year was your press made? When I got my first C&P, in the late ’70s, I sent the serial number to Chandler & Price and asked about date of mfg. and original color, Their reply said it was made in 1919 and would have been painted black. So at least at that time, someone at C&P believed that at least some of the earlier N/S presses came painted black, which makes sense for that era. My guess (only a guess) would be that they changed to the dark grey somewhat later, and the lighter grey fairly late, which would have been fairly typical of equipment during those time periods.

dicharry - fascinating. Do you know when they changed to the battleship grey? (Mine is that colour).

My C&P 10x15 is missing the serial in the press bed sadly and I’d love to know roughly when it was built!

Thank you for the comments. Our press dates to 1926 based upon the serial #.

My 8x12 was manufactured around the end of 1949 and is a dark slate gray, almost black. It still has the original paint.

section 3.04 of this site will help you date your C&P

www.greendolphinpress.com/letterpress-faq.html#3.04

I have a 1929 C & P 8 x 12 which is factory black, and a 1930 that is factory dark grey! The dark grey appears to be darker than the grey on the 1949 10 x 15 in the shop at my school, which must be the battleship grey mentionted earlier.