Frank talks about very old printing presses, specifically, the evolution of the two-person hand presses into the single-user platen presses named for George Phineas Gordon of Salem, N.H. The advantage of the platen press was that it used a foot pedal, and thus could be operated by one person, unlike the older hand presses which required two operators. The platen presses were the workhorses of the 1800s and early 1900s, and many are still in use.
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Discussion
By Bryan Gordon on Jul 30, 2021
Frank: You get better with time. Really enjoyed the video today on the platen or "Gordon" press. The paten model and the painting of George Gordon were new information to me. I have an 1892 C&P 12" x 18" platen press in my garage that I am restoring. Finding parts is a real challenge. The more videos you make at the museum the more I want to visit Boston and spend a day at the Museum of Printing. Keep up the good work. - Bryan