Columbian Printing Press
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The Columbian press is a type of hand-operated
printing press A printing press is a mechanical device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a printing, print medium (such as paper or cloth), thereby transferring the ink. It marked a dramatic improvement on earlier printing methods in wh ...
invented in the United States by
George Clymer George Clymer (March 16, 1739January 23, 1813) was an American politician, abolitionist and Founding Father of the United States, one of only six founders who signed both the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. He was among the e ...
, around 1813. Made from
cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content more than 2%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its color when fractured: white cast iron has carbide impuriti ...
, 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 Printmaking is the process of creating work of art, artworks by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. "Traditional printmaking" normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand proce ...
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 The Albion press is a model of early iron hand printing press, originally designed and manufactured in London by Richard Whittaker Cope (d. 1828?) around 1820. History The Albion press worked by a simple toggle action, unlike the complex lever ...
. 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 Andrew Strahan (1749–1831) was an MP and printer who served as the King's Printer. Biography Andrew Strahan was the youngest son of William Strahan (1715–1785), and carried on his father's business with success, becoming one of the joint ...
, the
King's Printer The King's Printer (known as the Queen's Printer during the reign of a female monarch) is typically a bureau of the national, state, or provincial government responsible for producing official documents issued by the King-in-Council, Ministers o ...
, 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 A platen (or platten) is a flat platform with a variety of roles in printing or manufacturing. It can be a flat metal (or earlier, wooden) plate pressed against a medium (such as paper) to cause an impression in letterpress printing. Platen m ...
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 The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...
on the top lever which represents the United States. The eagle weights around and functions as a
counterweight A counterweight is a weight that, by applying an opposite force, provides balance and stability of a mechanical system. The purpose of a counterweight is to make lifting the load faster and more efficient, which saves energy and causes less wear ...
, acting to raise the
platen A platen (or platten) is a flat platform with a variety of roles in printing or manufacturing. It can be a flat metal (or earlier, wooden) plate pressed against a medium (such as paper) to cause an impression in letterpress printing. Platen m ...
from the paper after a print has been made. The eagle clutches in one talon a
cornucopia In classical antiquity, the cornucopia (), from Latin ''cornu'' (horn) and ''copia'' (abundance), also called the horn of plenty, was a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers ...
, representing prosperity and plenty. The other clutches an
olive branch The olive branch is a symbol of peace and victory associated with customs of ancient Greece and connected with supplication to gods and persons in power. It is found in most cultures of the Mediterranean basin and became associated with peace ...
, representing peace. Illustrations of the earliest presses show the eagle also clutching thunderbolts of
Jupiter Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, but ...
, but these is not present on any examples that survive. The side-columns of the press are decorated with a
Caduceus The caduceus (☤; ; la, cādūceus, from grc-gre, κηρύκειον "herald's wand, or staff") is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology and consequently by Hermes Trismegistus in Greco-Egyptian mythology. The same staff was also ...
, the symbol of
Hermes Hermes (; grc-gre, Ἑρμῆς) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology. Hermes is considered the herald of the gods. He is also considered the protector of human heralds, travellers, thieves, merchants, and orato ...
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 Aldine Press was the printing office started by Aldus Manutius in 1494 in Venice, from which were issued the celebrated Aldine editions of the classics (Latin and Greek masterpieces, plus a few more modern works). The first book that was dat ...
. The large main lever also carries a cartouche of flowers and fruit around an engraved, brass
maker's plate A builder's plate is usually a metal plate that is attached to railway locomotives and rolling stock, bogies, construction equipment, trucks, automobiles, large household appliances, bridges, ships and more. It gives such information as the name ...
.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 Linocut, also known as lino print, lino printing or linoleum art, is a printmaking technique, a variant of woodcut in which a sheet of linoleum (sometimes mounted on a wooden block) is used for a relief surface. A design is cut into the linoleum s ...
or
woodcut Woodcut is a relief printing technique in printmaking. An artist carves an image into the surface of a block of wood—typically with gouges—leaving the printing parts level with the surface while removing the non-printing parts. Areas that ...
methods for
printmaking Printmaking is the process of creating artworks by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. "Traditional printmaking" normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand processed techniq ...
. 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 The International Printing Museum, has one of the largest collections of antique printing presses in the United States. It offers educational programs for school groups at the museum, and also has a Ben-Franklin-type printing press on a trailer tha ...
, 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 McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
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 The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is New Zealand's national museum and is located in Wellington. ''Te Papa Tongarewa'' translates literally to "container of treasures" or in full "container of treasured things and people that spring fr ...
, a Clymer and Dixon press made in England in 1841. It was sent to New Zealand in 1842 by the
Church Mission Society The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British mission society working with the Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as mission ...
. It was gifted to the museum in 1974. *
Museum of Printing The Museum of Printing (MoP), located in Haverhill, Massachusetts, is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of printing technologies and practices, the graphic arts, and their role in the development of culture and literacy. History In ...
,
Haverhill, Massachusetts Haverhill ( ) is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Haverhill is located 35 miles north of Boston on the New Hampshire border and about 17 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The population was 67,787 at the 2020 United States Cen ...
. The collection includes an 1886 model, which is demonstrated from time to time. *
National Museum of American History The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves, and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific, and military history. Among the items on display is t ...
(Smithsonian), an 1860 example made by Ritchie and Sons, Edinburgh, Scotland. *
National Museum of Scotland The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland, was formed in 2006 with the merger of the new Museum of Scotland, with collections relating to Scottish antiquities, culture and history, and the adjacent Royal Scottish Museum (opened in ...
, 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 The Science Museum is a major museum on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, London. It was founded in 1857 and is one of the city's major tourist attractions, attracting 3.3 million visitors annually in 2019. Like other publicly funded ...
, 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 Tharangambadi (), formerly Tranquebar ( da, Trankebar, ), is a town in the Mayiladuthurai district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu on the Coromandel Coast. It lies north of Karaikal, near the mouth of a distributary named Uppanar of the Kave ...
India; this press remains in use.


Notes


References

;Citations ;Bibliograph *


Further reading

* *


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