Need help identifying a press
Hi folks,
This is my first post here. It’s so cool to find this community.
I run a small nonprofit and a donor just gave us a letterpress, some type, and some other equipment. I have almost no experience with letterpress personally, but I am the one in charge of getting it up and running. I’m also excited to learn more.
We had a local letterpress expert take a look at the press etc. and he determined that we seem to be missing the chases. He was unable to identify the press itself on sight and suggested I post photos here in the hope that one of you might know what it is - a first step in trying to source or manufacture new chases.
Any ideas? Happy to try and answer any questions, too, of course.
Thanks in advance!
Mike
IMG_2128.JPEG_.jpg
1.jpeg
5.jpg
2.jpeg
3.jpeg
4.JPEG
That looks like a Golding Jobber - see here: https://handsetpress.org/golding/
I’m not sure what size it is, but some basic platen measurements would solve that.
James
Old Town Press
Thanks, James. Very helpful. I’m guessing it’s a #6 but will measure to make sure. Any thoughts about where I might search for a chase (outside of the classifieds here and eBay)?
Letterpress Things - https://www.letterpressthings.com/ - and Boutique du Junque - https://buyletterpress.com/ - are both great resources and might have them.
Another option is Stark Press Co. - https://starkpressco.com/ - who has been making new chases for old presses, though I don’t think they’ve offered Golding chases for sale. If you can’t find any from other sources, perhaps they (or another machinist or metalworker) can make a new one.
Hi Mike, you are lucky, that’s a great press. (In fact it’s the first press I ever ran, in high school, in the late 1950’s). One word of advice before you get too far along with it: look it over carefully and make sure there aren’t any cracks or breaks in any of the castings. The castings can be a bit brittle. Good luck and please keep us posted. If you would like to tell us where you are located, maybe one of us is located near you and can help get you started. All the best to you, Geoff
Deleted…duplicate post.
Measure the bed. I have a #7 and may have an extra chase. I think it is 7 x 10.
Thanks, everyone!
I measured the platens. The bottom platen is 9” wide by 13.25” long. The top platen is 8.75” x 13.5.”
If this is a Golding Jobber, it seems like those measurements would mean it’s a #6 with an 8” x 12” chase, right?
Geoff, I’m in the Twin Cities. If anybody reading this is local, I’d certainly take all the help I can get!
Foothillpress, according to the link James posted above (https://handsetpress.org/golding/), the #7 chase is 10” x 15.” Is that what you have?
Thanks again!
IMG_2585.jpeg
IMG_2585.jpeg
Hi Mike. Here are three photos ofmy chase. It is marked as a # 3 as you can see. I believe the # 3 and 3 7 are the same size. My chase measures 12.25” x 8.5” outside and 11” x 7” inside. The two raised edges on the right side of the chase. are unique to the Pearl. I do not have a C&P 7” x 10” chasebut the width is wider and it has no notches on the edge. I do know if it fits or not. To clarify, the bed is usually the bottom or lower part where the chase mounts and the platen is the top part with the tympan
Sorry! Photos attached.
chase back top.jpg
chase back bottom.jpg
chase right edge.jpg
I am not a Golding expert, but am in Minneapolis and know how to operate platen presses. Email me via Briar Press if you like.
The reference posted by moe_szys1ak has a link to scans of the Golding Factory Log Book, which contains manufacturing dates by press model and serial number up to about 1920.