Liberty Press at Darmstadt, Germany Herwig Kempenaers, a Belgian whose collection of printing equipment includes a Liberty press, visited several German museums during the summer of 2004. He was particularly intrigued with a Liberty press at one of his stops: "In Darmstadt ‘Haus für Industriekultur’ they have a wonderful Liberty press!! I will send you the pictures with this mail. It is a very early press."

Details on this Liberty show it is unlike most others: It has plate (shown at left) mounted on the counter-weight identifying it as a Liberty No. 2. The name "Weiler" doesn't appear on the press...only "Degener" on the plate. The serial number on the crank shaft (shown at right) doesn't have the usual shield surrounding it.

This press only has the original patent date (April 24, 1860) so it was likely manufactured during the 1860s. The Liberty press is located in the "Haus für Industriekultur," a department of the Hessisches LandesMuseum Darmstadt (Federal State Museum of Hesse). The "Haus" is at a different location (Kirschenallee) than the main museum (the Friedensplatz). They have lots of machines—7 handpresses (including Stanhope, Columbian, and Dingler), 6 cylinder presses—and really nice people.

Press Identification Summary

Owner:	Federal State Museum of Hesse
Location:	Darmstadt, Germany
Manufacturer:	Fred Otto Degener
Model:	No. 2 (7 x 11 inches)
Serial Number:	1518
Patents:	April 24th 1860
Throw-Off:	No

Main Liberty Press page.

Page formatted by Dave Tribby from material supplied by Herwig Kempenaers <info@historischedrukkerij.be>.
Last modified October 18, 2004