Printing press

Printing presses used in London in the 18th century were made largely of wood. They were known as 'common' printing presses because their use was so widespread and their design so standardized. It was only with the advent of iron printing presses in the early 19th century that they were superceded and scrapped. The epithet 'common' has remained though original 18th century English printing presses are now very rare survivals.

This printing press has a London provenance. It was owned by the Ledgers, a firm of buckram stiffeners and dyers of Potter's Field, Tooley Street, Southwark. It was used to print identification marks onto the coarse cloth that protected bales of textiles. The printing press was donated by the Horselydown Printing Works to the London Museum in 1920 along with a collection of printing plates or 'tillet blocks'. The printing plates suggest that the textiles were for export.