Columbian printing press

The Columbian press is a type of hand-operated printing press invented in the United States by George Clymer, around 1813. Made from cast iron, it was a very successful design and many thousands were made by him and by others during the 19th century. Columbians continued to be made as late as the early-20th century, 90 years after their introduction. Despite their age, many are still used for printing, especially by traditional printmaker artists.

The Columbian design is also notable for its elaborate, symbolic ornamentation.

History

The Columbian press was inspired in some measure by the earlier Stanhope press. It was designed to allow large formes, such as a broadsheet newspaper page, to be printed at a single pull. The press worked by a lever system, similar to that of the Stanhope press and quite different from the toggle action of the slightly later English Albion press. Clymer's new iron press was first advertised in April 1814.Moran (1973), p.61

Clymer manufactured a few presses in America and sold them to newspaper printers in New York, Philadelphia and Albany.Moran (1973), p.62-63 One was used to print the ''Philadelphia Aurora'' However the market was limited as his presses cost around twice as much as a traditional, wooden printing press. Also the Columbian was heavy, weighing around . Wooden presses that were lighter and easier to transport were more attractive to printers outside of major centres.
In 1817, Clymer moved to London. He filed a patent for his invention in November of that year, and began manufacturing presses in premises at 1 Finsbury Street in 1818. His presses cost between £100 and £125, depending on the paper size they printed. But he later reduced prices to between £75 and £85. Among the early adopters were Andrew Strahan, the King's Printer, and Abraham John Valpy, who were both using the presses by 1818.

In 1830, Clymer formed a partnership with Samuel Dixon. The company moved to new premises at 10 Finsbury Street and traded under the name of ''Clymer and Dixon''.Moran (1973), p.64 In 1834, George Clymer died but Dixon continued the make presses. He later joined with other partners, under the name of ''Clymer, Dixon and Co.'' The company was later taken over by others and continued production until it closed in 1863.

Meanwhile, other manufacturers made Columbian presses under license, with at least one company in Germany making unlicensed versions. More companies began making them after Clymer's patent expired. The presses were sold with different sizes of platen to accommodate different sizes of paper. Around 40 companies in eight countries are known to have made Columbian presses. Mostly, the design saw little modification or improvement although some makers in Continental Europe altered or simplified the ornamentationMoran (1973), p.68 and some mounted their presses on a wooden base rather than a cast-iron one.

Production continued for many decades - surviving trade catalogues show Columbians were still available for sale in 1906.Moran (1973), p.67

Decoration

The press is sometimes referred to as the "Eagle press" due to the characteristic, cast-iron bald eagle on the top lever which represents the United States. The eagle weights around and functions as a counterweight, acting to raise the platen from the paper after a print has been made.

The eagle clutches in one talon a cornucopia, representing prosperity and plenty. The other clutches an olive branch, representing peace. Illustrations of the earliest presses show the eagle also clutching thunderbolts of Jupiter, but these is not present on any examples that survive.

The side-columns of the press are decorated with a Caduceus, the symbol of Hermes the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology. This alludes to the role of the printing press in the dissemination of knowledge.Moran (1973), p.59 A secondary counterweight carries a figure of a woman in flowing robes with an anchor, this was an emblem known as the "Hope and Anchor".

The serpent-like creatures on the press' levers are intended to be depictions of dolphins. They may represent wisdom or knowledge. Also, the dolphin was the mark of the famous early book printer, the Aldine Press. The large main lever also carries a cartouche of flowers and fruit around an engraved, brass maker's plate.Moran (1973), p.60 The legs of the press rest on claw-and-ball feet.

These decorative elements were altered by some manufacturers. For example, some presses sold in France had the eagle replaced with a globe or a lion as the eagle was a contentious political symbol in the post-Napoleonic era.Moran (1973), p.66

Surviving examples

Of the thousands made, 415 surviving presses were recorded in a world-wide census compiled between 2013 and 2017. Examples of Columbian presses can be currently found in 29 countries. Around half of the presses are in the United Kingdom. Some are still in use by artists using the linocut or woodcut methods for printmaking.

None of Clymer's earliest, American-made presses are thought to survive. There are around 40 surviving presses made during Clymer's lifetime. The majority are presses made by other companies after Clymer's patents expired.

Many museums and other institutions own a Columbian press, some of which are still used. Examples include:

* International Printing Museum, Los Angeles County, California. This museum has three Columbian presses, including ones made in 1824 and 1838.
*Leicester Print Workshop, a registered charity and art studio in the United Kingdom. Their 1838 Columbian press is among the facilities available for use by artists.
* McGill University Library, Montreal. The library displays an 1821 example, the oldest Columbian in North America. The press was used until 1965.
* Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, a Clymer and Dixon press made in England in 1841. It was sent to New Zealand in 1842 by the Church Mission Society. It was gifted to the museum in 1974.
* Museum of Printing, Haverhill, Massachusetts. The collection includes an 1886 model, which is demonstrated from time to time.
* National Museum of American History (Smithsonian), an 1860 example made by Ritchie and Sons, Edinburgh, Scotland.
* National Museum of Scotland, a circa 1865 example made by D. and J. Greig of Edinburgh. This was originally bought new from the manufacturer for use by the museum's print shop. It was retired in 1964 and transferred to the museum's collection.
* Printing Museum, Tokyo, this press is still used to demonstrate printing to visitors.
*Pickering Beck Isle Museum, North Yorkshire, 1854, press still in use demonstrarting to visitors (31)
* Science Museum, London, number 785 made by Clymer and Dixon in 1837.
* Ulster Folk Museum, Northern Ireland. The museum owns a working example that is displayed in a recreated print-shop.
*Ziegenbalg House museum, Tharangambadi India; this press remains in use.

Notes

References

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Further reading

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External links

Printing Yesterday and TodayMcGill Book Arts Lab , Printing demonstration using The Columbian, an iron press dating to 1821
McGill university

{{Letterpress

Letterpress printing
Printing devices