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In November 2004, Marc Cote wrote a message to the
LetPress e-mail list
describing an F.M. Weiler Liberty press that a church in
Boston wanted to sell. "The press does not have much of its
original blue and gold color left, but the parts (treadle,
wheel, platen) seem to be in very fluid, operable
condition. The oldest printed documents that I've seen so
far on site are from 1890. I believe the press has been
there since the erection of the church. The press was used
for baptismal certificates, church circulars and the like."
In a followup message Marc added, "The press is, unfortunately, up 3 flights of stairs. I've contacted local movers who've tentatively said that they could move it down to the outside of the church" The press has been located at the First Congregational Church of Hyde Park (address: 6 Webster Street, Boston, MA), but in late 2004 was sold to Paul Aken of the Platen Press in Zion, Illinois. |
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Although it was in a crowded room, Marc took pictures
showing many interesting features of the press. It is
similar to the press at
History San Jose with the same patent numbers and
manufacturer name ("F. M. Weiler, N.Y. Liberty Machine
Works"). These indicate the press was built between 1877 and
1881.
It has a feature lacking on the San Jose press: a throw-off. And it differs from later Liberty presses (such as Herwig Kempenaers's) with a delivery board only on the left side of the press rather than running behind the platen. |
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| Overview | Treadle | Serial Number | Chase |
Press Identification Summary
| Owner: | Paul Aken |
| Location: | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Manufacturer: | F. M. Weiler, N.Y. Liberty Machine Works New York |
| Model: | No. 2A (9 x 13 inches) |
| Serial Number: | 8950 |
| Patents: | April 24, 1860, Extd April 23, 1874; Dec 13, 1870; May 28, 1872 |
| Throw-Off? | Yes |
Main Liberty Press page.
Page prepared by Dave Tribby
from pictures by Marc Cote.
Last modified January 5, 2007