John Fass' Printing Presses

Photographed by John

 

 Above: John Fass' Albion printing press in his Bronx YMCA room

John Fass used this Albion press to create Hammer Creek Press books and printed ephemera. The press was made in 1905, and was brought to the U. S. by Bruce Rogers in 1919. In 1949 the artist Valenti Angelo purchased this press, and sold it to John Fass the next year.

 In 1965 John sold this printing press back to Valenti Angelo, who then gave it to the Bancroft Library at the University of California at Berkeley, where the printing press is today.

 

 

Above:  Another view of John's Hammer Creek printing press

 

 

Miniature Printing Presses Created by John Fass

And Photographed by Him:

 

 

In the 1920s and 30 John Fass handcrafted at least 10 miniature printing presses. He whittled, glued, and sanded wood to create remarkable replicas of Guttenberg-era printing presses.

John photographed the presses shown on this page.  His friend A. Burton Carnes photographed more of John's presses here.