1860 LOWE PRESS

First patented in 1856 the Lowe Press No. 2 is known for its unusual conical cylinder. The press was invented by Samuel W. Lowe of Philadelphia who debuted it at the 1857 Fair of the American Institute at the Crystal Palace in New York, where it won a silver medal. Lowe presses were manufactured by the Lowe Press Company in Boston and came in 5 sizes, this particular press was the No. 3 with a bed measuring 12” x 14” and weighs 83 lbs. In 1865 it would have cost you $40 for the press and various supplies that go with it.

According to advertising by the Lowe Press Company “All kinds of fancy and ornamental printing can be done upon this press by a boy ten years old.” Lowe’s idea was to create portable press for amateur printers who wanted created their own printed materials more affordably. Its main competitor, the Adams Cottage Press, weighed three times as much as the Lowe press, making the Lowe the more portable option. In another brochure, the company bragged that “We have sold many Presses to the Army and Navy, to printers, druggists, medicine dealers, merchants, clergymen, lawyers, mechanics... in the country, the Canadas, and in other lands.” In addition to their market amongst hobbyists and businesses, portable presses like the Lowe, Adams, and Cincinnati Type Founders Army Press were a popular choice for correspondence on the battlefield during the civil war.

The Lowe Press is also noteworthy for its unusual conical shape. Similar presses like the Adams and Army presses had more conventional rollers that went over the bed of the press. The metal cone on the Lowe that revolves in a half circle over an automatic tympan is an incredibly unique design.