AMERICAN IRON HAND PRESSES

New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Books, 1995. stiff paper wrappers. 8vo. stiff paper wrappers. xii, 108, (2) pages. Paperback edition. Second printing. For 350 years from the fifteenth century to the beginning of the nineteenth century, the methods and equipment of printing changed remarkably little. Decade after decade, the essential techniques of punch, matrix, type mould and handset type remained unaltered. The printing press continued with perhaps only one improvement of consequence. Then the nineteenth century brought the technology of iron working. Iron replaced wood and inventors were busy finding new ways to speed up work that had been done by hand. The cylinder press came early in the century but parallel with this invention was the development of the iron hand press. During the first part of the century, the iron hand press was as important to life and commerce as the more complex cylinder press. As late as 1837, Harper Brothers still had twenty-four hand presses in their plant for book printing. Stephen O. Saxe, the well-known printing historian, presents in this book the story of the iron hand press in North America from its first appearance to final manufacture. Saxe's well-researched text is accompanied by John DePol's illustrations. Presentation from the editor on the half-title.