The first iron presses
Albion Press
The first presses were made of wood and operated by a screw and lever and while this was improved in the middle of the seventeenth century, it was 1800 before the next major advances were made.
The UKs iron hand presses reduced the amount of force needed to print, and allowed the printer to print a double the previous area.
The key presses are the Stanhope, the Albion and the Columbian press. My experience with these presses is almost nil, and any further help about the practical use of these machines, or to add colour to these accounts would be appreciated. The text on each of these presses is taken directly from John Southward’s Practical Printing.
In terms of choosing a press, Southward suggests that…
For all ordinary work up to double-crown size the Albion is preferable, for its pull is easy and light, the pieces few, the mechanism simple, and the wear not destructively injurous. Beyond double-crown, however, the Columbian press is generally preferred; for in the larger sizes it works lighter than the Albion; that is, it requires less exertion and strength.
