Albion Press

1862. Exhibit at the Ceredigion Museum‎.

1832. Printing Press No. 277 in Dorset County Museum, made by Jonathan and Jeremiah Barrett, Exors of R. W. Cope of Finsbury

Albion Press made by Frederick Ullmer, at Cambridge Museum of Technology

The Albion press is an all-metal hand printing press, originally designed and manufactured in London by Richard Whitaker Cope, c.1820.

It worked by a simple toggle action, unlike the complex lever-mechanism of the Columbian press and the Stanhope press.

Albion presses continued to be manufactured until the 1930s, in various sizes.

After Cope's death, Albions were manufactured by his heirs and members of the Hopkinson family (trading initially as Jonathan and Jeremiah Barrett and later as Hopkinson and Cope), who are said to have improved the design.

From the 1850s onwards Albion presses were manufactured under licence by other firms, notably Harrild and Sons, Miller and Richard, and Frederick Ullmer Ltd.

The Albion press was copied in France by Giroudot, under the name Gutenberg press.

Traditional Albion presses are made today by Harry F. Rochat in New Barnet, Hertfordshire.

See Also

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Sources of Information

• Wikipedia entry, accessed 18 Feb 2020