This project was originally completed 2023-05-26
The Showcard Proof Presses are small presses used largely in stores for promotional posters and small-run prints. One day when I was looking through our storage on the 3rd floor of the museum I happened across a box with this press under it’s associated letter tray. The box itself practically disintegrated as I pulled this one out of it, but the press was in fantastic condition.
I brought the press home and immediately set to disassembling it. With a couple of tools, a scotch pad and some time I was able to get all the dirt and grime off of it and re-assemble it.
As far as restorations go, this is just about the best-case scenario. A press that was well kept but just covered in dried ink that can be removed to expose the machine below, without much in the way of Rust.
Since I finished cleaning up this press, we’ve used it at the museum a lot for doing example prints for school children who come to visit. It’s a pleasant and simple machine to use and it gave me the confidence to work on much larger projects like the Challenge Proof Press.
