Bill Ritchie Artwork in Washington State
in
the
John Cogley Collection
Purchased as a gift for John Cogley, the above shows the passive (left) and active sides.
The unique, optional clock insert shows behind the wheel, mounted in the base on the wheel, active side.
Mini Halfwood Press #55
Specifications: 2010. Mini Halfwood Press. Serial No. 60055. Rollers are 1.5 x 5.75 inches top and bottom. The bed is 1/4 x 6 x 17 inches in polycarbonate (the standard); overall length is 17.5 inches; overall width is 9 inches; overall height is 10 inches; weight, 12 lbs.; drive wheel is 8 inches diameter in stainless steel; the woods used are black walnut base with ipe cladding steel, walnut hood capped with ipe. An optional clock is mounted in the side. The instrument box is dark walnut with ipe trim. Included are felts, copper plate, test etching and print, Allen Wrench, User's Manual (with an excerpt from the out-of-print, Halfwood Press-The Story, now available as a Kindle book) and DVD.
Comment: The woods used on #55 are solid dark walnut and Brazilian ipe cladding on the steel. The hood that covers the top roller is walnut with ipe caps on the ends and a coin-sized brass medallion. All the parts have been cut and finished to fit the steel parts, oiled with tung oil and rubbed to a smooth finish. This is the first press to include a clock, and also the first to have a walnut box for printmakers' instruments. Cogley has been the CEO of Daniel Smith Ink for many years, and one of his friends commissioned this press as a gift for his 55th birthday. She also made a video of its testing.
Click here to see a video of this press in action.
See the Patron's List for more peoples' collections - click here