“Favorite” miniature press
I found this press, which is pictured in the Letterpress Commons presses archive, at a local antique store. It is complete except for the chase.
The platen is 3 12/16” wide and 2 3/16” deep. The chase, as pictured in the archive, has two slotted screw that help to hold the type in place. The outside dimension of the chase may be 3 11/16” by 2 3/4”.
Any advice or other help in locating the chase will be sincerely appreciated!
Jack
it would need to be made, how about a photo
There is a picture at https://letterpresscommons.com/press/favorite/
Those “rail-presses” were very common and the chase, on the one that I have, was made for short type, which fit in the slots, shown with the end-screws locking them in. Mine can only print two lines of that short type, but I have used regular (.918) type with the inner wood removed. I believe that Elizabeth Harris wrote a book on small presses like that.
Dave Greer
I just viewed page 28 in Harris’ book, which shows the different castings and your “Favorite” lists some information about that particular press and gives 1879 as a date. You can still purchase that book on Amazon. See:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1567922686?ie=UTF8&tag=briarpress-20&l...
I have an extra “rail press,” without the “Favorite” casting with a chase and original wood box. Contact me and it could be yours, probably for less than the one you mentioned.
Dave Greer
Just wanted to say thanks, Dave, for your good information.
(I tried e-mailing you through this site, but it didn’t seem to work, and I’m a bit uneasy about the Internet sometimes anyway, especially when the site is listed as “not secure”, so this will have to do for now.)
Jack