Ruggles Card-and-Hand Billhead jobber

This platen jobber, with clamshell mechanism (Green's “cylindrical impression”), was made by the S. P. Ruggles Power Press Manufacturing Company of Boston beginning in 1854. The press has an original maker’s label and some old dark green paint with red pinstriping. The original chase, inking rollers, and treadle are missing (and were replaced in the Museum). The press has a height of 27 inches (excluding the flywheel) a length of 38 inches and a width of 26 inches; its chase measures 3.5 inches by 6.75 inches.

Stephen P. Ruggles (1808-1880) was granted a patent for this press in 1851. It was one of a new breed of jobbing presses with the bed and platen more or less vertical, hinged together below their lower edges, the pattern which was followed by George Gordon and others. A few years after its introduction Ruggles added a smaller, bench-top, and a larger size to the line.

The press was to be bolted to a box, and a long treadle lever connected to its flywheel. The cylindrical back of the type bed forms an ink-distributing surface over which the rollers pass before crossing the type itself. A short distributing roller vibrates from side to side, guided by a follower in a spiral track.

In 1854 Ruggles sold his interests in his press to the newly incorporated S. P. Ruggles Power Press Manufacturing Company and retired a wealthy man. Some time later the Hoe Company acquired all rights to the press and produced their own very similar model. An example is at the Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan.

Donated by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hennage, 1969.

Citation: Elizabeth Harris, "Printing Presses in the Graphic Arts Collection," 1996.

Currently not on view