Don’t want to just discard old letterpress equipment
After a lifetime in the newspaper and printing business, it’s time to retire and move on. My wife and I are about to sell the building which has housed our businesses for more than 40 years and contains letterpress (and offset) equipment which has been in the family for generations. I would love to be able to set up an old antique print shop but I am unable, nor do I have the means.
Our building contains a lot of equipment which hasn’t been used in years, such as a Heidelberg Windmill, a Chandler & Price 12x18 from about 1916, a linotype machine with lots of scattered magazines and mats, a Ludlow machine and full type cabinet, a Chandler & Price manual paper cutter, a small number of old (and unfortunately rickety) California Job cabinets and cases, some wood type, a 22x28 (I think) Baumfolder that I still use weekly to fold Rotary Club bulletins, a 3-unit 1970 Cottrell V-15A newspaper press which was retired five years ago, and an assortment of other equipment and supplies.
What we have is probably not worth a liquidator’s time. We are in a very small, rural area where marketing opportunities don’t really exist and so relocation becomes a problem.
But this stuff means a lot to us and we don’t want to just send it to the scrap pile.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about finding it new homes?
Depending on location and ease of loading, you likely could piece it out through this website. Paul at highbidswin will auction stuff off, but i don’t know if he will handle thinks as large as a linotype or newspaper press.
Where are you located? As Steve said, location is important. Maybe there is someone within driving distance who could give your equipment the opportunity it needs to survive and have a new life.
yes, a location, if only general would help.
it costs so much to move equipment these days.
If I had to guess, I’d say Georgia.
Where are you located?
Where are you located?
We are located in Washington, Georgia. About 100 miles east of Atlanta.
A photo of the extent of the stuff in the shop would be helpful as would some idea of your thoughts on pricing.
After posting pictures, you might try a “yard sale” to see what sells. You are less than 2 hrs from Atlanta and there are enough printers there you might get some real interest. There a few of us in SC who might make the drive as well
LD
Personally, I am located in Savannah, GA and would be more than interested in acquiring some of your equipment. You should definitely post it here on Briar Press so the community can try and save it and keep things in use.
Hi I know this is from a while back, but I’m a new faculty member at Mercer University in Macon, and we are working hard to develop a letterpress studio here in the Art Department. If you still have equipment and supplies that need to go to a good home, please contact me. Thanks!