[Hof, Upperfrankonia, Germany]

Book printing/binding machines and equipment looking for a good home

 

Brief history of the workshop

The workshop is that of an old book printer founded around 1845 in Hof in Upperfrankonia (Germany), a mainly family business which has remained largely unmodernised. It is housed in an old, two floor building. There is no lift, only stairs to get from one floor to the other. The arrangement of the machines is as it was in former days with the machines placed very close to each other in order to minimise the distance betwen the printing and binding operations.

Transport

As far as I know, the building was built around the machines. As the building is going to be demolished in March, it should be possible to get the machines out the same way, when the roof and the walls are removed. So it is important that we save beforehand everything that needs to protected from the elements and empty the building one single operation if at all possible. The building is situated next to large parking space with a big entrance, and in front of the building there is a garden with big old trees that could be cut down. Otherwise the machines would have to be dismantled and moved either to the front of the property where there is a second stairway and a path to the main road (the property is built on two levels), or the adjacent parking space.

The equipment

First floor: print workshop

1 Schimanek papercutting machine; 1 Planeta Typ NA3 – No 451, two-colour offset press; 1 press from J. G. Schelter & Giesecke Printing Machine Leipzig (which must be very old because I can’t find the fusion of the two firms); 2 Heidelberg platen presses, 1 Gestetner 201 sheetfed offset; 2 old ruling machines; 1 Förste & Tromm Leipzig; 1 C.E. Reinhardt Leipzig Connewitz; as well as cupboards with typecases and antique letterpress forms, racks and shelves with paper.

Second floor: bookbinding workshop

2 book presses from ch. mansfeld leipzig; 1 papyrus brehmer leipzig industrial stitching machine; 1 numbering machine, Brehmer leipzig; large format paper handcutting machine (Mansfeld); 1 big hand stamping press with letters; pedal studmachine; pedal notching machine; 1 folding machine (Multipli); pedal perforating machine; various bookbinding machines and manual paper cutters (Mansfeld); as well as old bookbinding tables and various bookbinding papers, leather and handtools.

We are more interested in finding someone who wants to preserve, restore and use the machines and the equipment than in earning money. But it has to be considered that we would have to spend time and would have to organize the opening and closíng of the workshop so we need at least an expense allowance for doing it.

Contact

Monika Bauer
bauermonika@aol.com
Mobile / WhatsApp 0151 4646 6731

Planeta two-colour offset press