Arab Printing Press

Arab-1

I picked up a 1870’s Arab printing press this weekend. Heavy thing. Thanks to the guys at City Press in Brechin for helping out. The printing press will be used as part of our Co-op in Orkney. All it needs is some ink and some new roller cores, for which I am hunting around right now.

Pressmovie-1The Arab treadle press was one of the most common presses a hundred years ago. 40,000 were made and they are considered the best of their kind in the world. We are totally buzzed to have it and cant wait to start treadling.

Andrew

Andrew Jones launched his first internet space in 1997 and has been teaching on related issues for the past 20 years. He travels all the time but lives between Wellington, San Francisco and a hobbit home in Prague.

13 Comments

  • Matt Wiebe says:

    That is very cool. 🙂

  • Great stuff Andrew. Do you have type, stock, furniture etc for this machine?

  • Paul says:

    How cool! I just started to learn how to make books. Do you have any printing projects laid out?

  • Mike O says:

    I paid for my first year of college with my Kelsey Press:
    http://excelsiorpress.org/kelsey.html
    Is a source of rollers for Kelsey presses. Perhaps they will fit yours? A hint – don’t clean the rollers with gasoline, it’s not good for them.

  • Paul Batey says:

    Hey there,
    Hope you got your Arab press running. I have just got my hands on one too!
    I’m just wondering if you managed to find a source for rollers and roller cores etc..?
    I would greatly appreciate any info or contacts you might have as I am a pretty much a complete novice at letterpress.
    Many thanks,
    Paul.

  • andrew says:

    hi paul. jet rollers in uk did my new rollers. link

  • Dear Readers
    I have a 19th-century Arab, in full working order, and plenty of trays of type. I need to make more room and so offer it to a suitable home for the price of carriage. I am based in Oxfordshire.
    with good wishes
    Andrew McNeillie

  • Dear Readers
    I have a 19th-century Arab, in full working order, and plenty of trays of type. I need to make more room and so offer it to a suitable home for the price of carriage. I am based in Oxfordshire.
    with good wishes
    Andrew McNeillie

  • Sandrine Pilling says:

    Andrew McNeillie,
    I am very interested in the ARAB press, I have attempted to make contact via your Clutag e-mail. I would be grateful if you could contact me to discuss this further. Thanks.
    Sandrine.

  • Sandrine Pilling says:

    Andrew McNeillie,
    I am very interested in the ARAB press, I have attempted to make contact via your Clutag e-mail. I would be grateful if you could contact me to discuss this further. Thanks.
    Sandrine.

  • Dear Sandrine
    Andrew whose blog this is has expressed an interest and i was reserving the Arab for him, but as he says, he really wants to cannibalise it. I would prefer it to have a working life. I am not selling it, but it goes to the best home that would bear the cost of collection and carriage.
    Let me know via my email address what you would like to do about it. I live in Oxfordshire.
    many thanks
    Andrew

  • Sandrine Pilling says:

    Dear Andrew,
    Thanks for your reply, I have e-mailed you at Clutag.
    Sandrine

  • You have a new press… I have press envy. Hello, just a note to say enjoy, as a press may be heavy but it can make a heart feel light. I am from across the blue in New England, Maine to be more specific, preparing for a print exchange with printers from Orkney. Exciting things, presses. Best of luck to you.

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