What is so special about this press?

[Dave Hughes]

I recently spotted pictures of this printing press in the Library of Congress archives.

Described as "Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Washington, c1920-1950."

To me it looked like a fairly average press, particularly as the title would suggest, situated in a Government office.



This picture got me thinking though. Why are all these local dignitaries taking a look?

More pictures of the press can be seen here:

http://www.metaltype.co.uk/photos/photo135.shtml

[mikefrommontana]

Given that the Bureau of Engraving is responsible for the printing of currency, I can see how the new fangled press would rate interest.   I would think that the lady sitting at the delivery is either sticking markers into the pile at certain quantities, or it looking for defective sheet (or to pull bad sheets are startup.   Press is most likely an engraving press, looks like a cylinder press of some sort.

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

[les deacon]

I'm pretty sure this was probably the first litho version of the Heidelberg Cylinder. Basically the same machine as the Original letterpress machine, but without the flatbed, making it an extremely fast-printing machine - up to about 8000 per hour as opposed to 1500. I used two versions at G C Brittains in Ripley, Derby in the seventies, they were slight variations. One was a  Heidelberg KORD, the other a KORA (don't ask me what the difference was-it was a long time ago.

That's what I think!

[Paddy]

Hi Guys

I imagine these presses are the first stephens intaglio presses used for printing secure documents such as money, pension books and other secure documents

Paddy

Ireland

[Dave Hughes]

Thanks for your input Paddy, and welcome to the Metal Type Forum.

Did you see this picture while you were here?

Cork Examiner, 1922

[J Stafford-Baker]

About those KORD presses, who remembers the 'other shell'  laying in a corner never used,   and more
to the point,  who now remembers why it was never used?  I do and it was a damn shame.

[Dave Hughes]

You've got me on this one J, presses aren't really my strong point, but you've got me intrigued.

You are going to have to enlighten us.

Why was the "other shell" never used?

[John]

This machine is actually a Harris-Seybold-Potter (Cleveland, OH) electric eye postage stamp perforating machine at the U.S. Government Bureau of Engraving (Washington, DC).

[Dave Hughes]

Thanks for that John, did you work there?