metal prints: The Etching Press

The etching press, purchased from a professor at the Art Institute of Chicago somewhere around 1970,

and was moved twice in one piece finally landing here last week.

I understand it to be from France.

There are no identifying markings that I can see,

short of the #s1,2,3,4 on the bushings, two of which are upside down.

It is 37.5" from the floor to the bottom of the 1.75" bed.

The bed is 19" x 33".

The top roller is 6.5" in diameter.

Is there anyone out there

who has seen a press like this,

another of it's kind,

know anything about it's assembly, workings,

how the bushings are supposed to be,

if the bed is to roll smoothly from one side to the other,

being held up by the bars at either end,

or land on the bars at either end as a teeter tauter (which I doubt),

Right now, in this photo it is centered on the big roller below and the two smaller bars at either end.

Someone out there suggested it might be from the

Ledeuil Workshop in the 19th century in Paris...

some Googling led me to Polymetaal

where I found this Ledeuil press.

But then I found their photo of a Krause press:

THIS next print,

found on the William P. Carl Fine Prints

looks very similar to mine.

I want to fine tune this press.

I think hoping for any original paperwork on it is wishful thinking,

but perhaps I might find someone who knows something real about it,

or one of it's kind.

Please contact me if you do!

should the bushings be looking the same?

the one about, #4, is pushed in more than the one below#1?

Bushing #2 on the bottom, and #3 above, are upside down, does that make a difference?

metal prints