Inquiry: Any metal type newspapers left? Any metal type web fed presses left?

[Franz]

I have already asked on Facebook, will try to update with responses from both places:

Any periodically published newspapers still printed from metal type?

Any places at all that can operate (not only display) a web fed press from metal type (flat-bed or rotary)? All museums that I know have sheet feed presses in operation, no web.

France: The Le Démocrate de l'Aisne  publishes a weekly paper from hot metal on a web press. They operate a web fed, flat bed:


https://youtu.be/voxTm4WYmwE?si=Ti-32XUmczeorE75&t=524

US, Co: The Saguache Crescent is a one man enterprise, running sheet fed:


https://youtu.be/FZvPFzXZy4o?si=UFMBM77wGDgZZnOv&t=260 (Thanks Bill Whitley)

[Dave Hughes]

Some great videos there @Franz

Interesting that Le Démocrate de l'Aisne appears to use a sans serif face for its body text.

Here's a video of a Cossar Flat-Bed Web Press taking its last run in Scotland in 1991.


https://youtu.be/2GLqrRFmSr0

More info on that press on the main site here: Cossar Flat-Bed Web Press

[George Chapman]

Not exactly what  you are looking for but we publish an 8 page newspaper here in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa every August as part of the operation of Printers' Hall during the Old Threshers Reunion.

In a few weeks several volunteer operators will gather in Ackley, Iowa and produce between 20 and 25 gallies of type on the Intertypes there.

At the end of August this all gets laid out in the page forms and printed on our big Miehle sheet-fed press (four pages at a time). After printing, the sheets get folded on our antique folder and distributed to Reunion visitors (who number about 30,000 over the five day event).

The paper, The Threshers Bee, was first produced almost 20 years  ago. We missed the Covid year and one other due to the untimely death of one of our critical volunteers—but we are back on track now!

[Franz]

George,

that's very nice - we have some ideas along this lines as well, but quite a bit to go. Do you ask for contributions from the visitors?

Would that be two sheets, so a total of four runs on the Miehle?

Would you happen to be able to show pictures of the event?

Cheers,
Franz

[Alan Thompson]

We have a static Heidelberg 18" x 23" rotary press at Amberley Museum, Print Shop.

[Franz]

Thanks Alan,

that's nice! That wouldn't actually be a Heidelberg Cylinder Press - an "OHZ" - sounds much like it.

Here I am specifically looking for "real" newspaper presses - perfecting presses who do the folding etc., both sheet fed and web, and regularly published newspapers.

Cheers,
Franz

[Dave Hughes]

This article was posted last year about a Cossar being moved from New Zealand to Holland NZ Cossar on the Move

A Yorkshire-built Cossar press is being dismantled in Pahīatua, New Zealand to be displayed in a Dutch museum.


The Cossar Press in the old Bush Telegraph building

Henk Roede, curator at the Grootegast Printing Museum says they had made several attempts within Europe to find a newspaper press for the museum. Henk says the intention is to create a special place within the graphic museum around the history of the newspaper industry.

Two technicians, Christiaan Ferdinandus and Corne Copier, were sent to New Zealand to prepare the press for transport.

The unit being transported is thought to have been made in the 1970s.


Christiaan Ferdinandus is one of the engineers working on getting the press ready for transport.

You can read more about this remarkable operation here: Pahīatua's printing press finds a new home

Many thanks to Graeme How for bringing this story to my attention.

[Dave Hughes]

John Nixon (another of Metal Type's New Zealand correspondents) updated the story with these pictures of the move:

[Dave Hughes]

Here's a video of a Cossar newspaper press in action.

The press was built into the premises of David Philips Printers, Crieff, Scotland, under the supervision of its Scottish designer, Tom Cossar, in 1907.

It went on to produce every edition of the weekly "Strathearn Herald" from that date until 1991.

You can read more about this press on the main site: Cossar Flat-Bed Web Press

Here is a video of the press's final run before being rescued by the National Museum in Scotland.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ebBp81JTcg