Category: General discussion
Later topic: Golding Official No 7 - anybody ever seen one?
Earlier topic: Metal Type news

Help needed identifying a Golding Pearl

I joined this site hoping to find information on an old printing press. I know nothing about such things and just trying to help a friend who has had it in his barn for 60+ years.
It has the name “GOLDING & CO. Boston. U.S.A.” cast into both the left and right “legs”.
It has a brass plate, as best as I can make out, is marked “MADE By GOLDING & CO BOSTON U.S.A.”, “PEARL”, “PATENTS NOV 21 ‘82 MAY 5, ’91 JAN 15 ‘95”.
The foot petal is shaped heart shaped.
I read somewhere there is a serial number under the area below the rim of the ink disk. I’m guessing at the ink disk but did find the number “24” stamped in the casting below it.
I see references to “chase” size to help identify different models but that is a mystery.
Any help for this helper is appreciated.

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Look around for the chase, a cast iron frame in which the type was locked using pairs of iron wedges, the inside length and width measurements tell you the press “size”. The bed of the press, where the chase mounts, appears to have some sort of plate which may be locked in the chase, and the serial number would be stamped in the middle of the top edge of the bed, behind the chase which is held in by a latch at the top. Otherwise the press appears complete, except the roller wheels, or “trucks”, seem bigger than normal. The press is the “Original Pearl” and appears to be complete.

Here is a great resource
https://www.perennialdesigns.net/?page_id=1742

Looks to be an Oldstyle Pearl No.3 from 1890.

Thanks folks. It looks just like the 1890 Oldstyle Pearl No.3 on the linked website.
So, the “chase” is a separate piece that fits where the X is on this photo? There is a bin full of metal letters, but I didn’t see a frame to hold them.
Is this machine and metal letter worth anything other than scrap metal? It seems to be quite heavy.

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Definitely not scrap do not force it to turn it will need a clean up and good oiling.
It is the first design early. Measure size between rails can help ID model size.
Not easy to move I know one mechanic still moving them at a fair price. What state are you in.
I do see one weld on flywheel some professional help and good look over will be needed to value.
Im sure someone on here or my self would try to bring it back to life.

Everything seems to move fairly easy when the flywheel is turned. Any rust appears to be minimal and surface rust. It has been in a weather tight New Hampshire barn for the past 60 years or so.
What are the rails that would need a measurement for further identification?
It does look like 2 spots on the spokes of flywheel have been welded or brazed and then painted.
Just guessing it weighs 300 - 400 pounds so a tractor bucket should be able to lift it.
Thank you for the information.

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With care, and maybe a helper, that press can be moved using a refrigerator hand truck with an adjustable ratchet strap to secure it, or even on an ordinary 2-wheeled hand truck. I moved 2 Pearl #11 presses that way, one at a time of course. The ref hand truck can also negotiate steps or stairs with help with the weight.

Any idea of a value range for this press?
Is there any value of the bucket of letter type?

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bucket of type led scrap price.
rails, the rollers what’s left of them are rolling on. inside left rail to inside right rail about 13” inch it would be a 7x11 number 3 Pearl. 500.00-1500.00

Thank you for that information.