The Bodleian’s Bibliographical Press is located in the Old Bodleian Library in a ground-floor room, the Schola Musicae, opening from the Old Schools Quadrangle.
Inside are free-standing iron presses (four Albions and a Columbian), a ‘Western’ model proofing press, a star-wheel etching press, a number of table-top presses, and several composing frames, including three seventeenth-century frames, with a quantity of wooden and metal type.
The room hosts classes in hand-printing for students from Oxford and other universities, and regular workshops for families, adults, and primary school groups.
Working presses in the Bodleian letterpress studio:
Large John & Jeremiah Barrett Albion Press of 1835, serial number 539.
Platen 17¾” x 24”. This was the press used by C.H.O. Daniel, Provost of Worcester College, from 1880-1906 and presented to the library in 1919.
Medium Miller & Richard Albion Press of 1898, serial number 4993. Platen 12” x 18”. From the Moss Press
A Columbian, from the Samson Press (c. 1860)
Medium Harrild & Sons Albion Press of 1877, serial number 3531. Platen 11” x 16”. From Leonard Baskin’s Gehenna Press
Small table-top Frederick Ullmer Albion Press of circa 1900, serial number 2919. Platen, 9 ⅞ x 7 in.
A star-wheel etching press
A ‘Western’ model proofing press, formerly belonging to Vivian Ridler, Printer to the University, by kind permission of the Story Museum.
A Risograph (stencil duplicator)
Other material:
A Chinese typewriter (Double Pigeon brand)
A Western typewriter (Remington)
Teaching the book: Resources for bibliography and book history in the hand-press period 