Height x Width x Depth (.1 Press Bed MSC crate 15): 48 × 40 × 96 in. (121.92 × 101.6 × 243.84 cm) Height x Width x Depth (.2 Web Mechanism Pennsy pallet): 98 × 60 × 130 in. (248.92 × 152.4 × 330.2 cm) Height x Width x Depth (.4 Paper Roll MSC crate 72): 26 × 32 × 34 in. (66.04 × 81.28 × 86.36 cm)
Type:
Printing Equipment
Place:
United States of America
Date:
1914-1955 (BEP)
Description:
170 - subject rotary intaglio printing press designed by Benjamin R. Stickney, mechanical expert, designer, and employee of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP).
The first rotary stamp press was in the developmental stage from 1911 to 1914. The Bureau began producing United States postage stamps on rotary presses of "Stickney" design in 1914 and stamps were produced on presses of this type until 1955. At which time five new dry printing presses were purchased from The Cottrell Company and installed for use in printing postage stamps. These new presses improved the quality of the stamps and were two to three times faster than the old "Stickney" presses.
Since 1914, nine presses of the small size (like the one shown here) were used to print 150 and 170 subject sheets of postage stamps for coils and 102 and 170 subject sheets of playing card stamps. Twenty presses of the same design, but of a larger size, were used to print 200, 280, 288, 360, and 400 subject sheets of United States postage stamps.
Credit line:
Transfer from The Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Engraving and Printing
