My Excelsior 5x8 Model 2 1/2…?
Here are a few pictures of a Excelsior 5x8 press I picked up a few months ago. I believe it is a Model 2 1/2. It has a patent date of 1873 on it. Any comments or info would be appreciated. I can’t find any info on it except for a pic in the museum photos and that one is missing the chase / rail assembly. Hoping to make ink rollers for it soon.
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I have a No. 4 1/2, which is quite a bit larger than this one, but in the same series.
The 2 1/2 had a listed chase size of 4.5” x 7.5”
At the end of this series and style there were twelve models across six sizes (all could be bought with or without rollers).
I found an advertisement for this line, and the No. 2 1/2 with rollers cost $14.00 at the time that ad was printed.
When I first bought mine and posted it on here, someone said the No. 4 1/2 was made between 1878 and 1894.
In my research, I found that in 1875, Kelsey had modified the original 1873 patent. His modifications included adding models with rollers.
In 1875, Kelsey sold a line of five sizes, with or without rollers. One of those sizes mirrored the chase-size of the No. 2 1/2, but was not sold under that name. Although their size was the same, it might have been slightly different than what was later marketed as the No. 2 1/2 along with the 1, 2, 3, 3 1/2, 4 1/2 and 5.
I have seen a handful of No. 1s pop up on eBay over the last couple of years, but none of the larger ones. One larger model did surface on BP a few months back, but they are fairly uncommon sights. I had my rollers made by Fritz at NA Graphics and it prints great.
-Kim