Apr
23

April 23, 1900

April 23, 1900 The United States Congress authorizes the Secretary of the Smithsonian, at his discretion, to exhibit the Franklin Printing Press and other articles from the Historic Relics Collection of the United States National Museum of interest to the printing trades at the New York Printing Exposition to be held from May 2 to June 2, 1900.

The images shows the Franklin Printing Press, an English common press. In 1768 Benjamin Franklin visited the printing company in London where he had apprenticed in the 1720s. Franklin purportedly took a turn at this press, although he had not operated a press when he worked there. The press was then deemed so historically valuable that it was purchased and transported to the United States, where it went on display in the Patent Office Building and later went to the Smithsonian as the “Franklin Press.”

Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Archives


Posted: 23 April 2012
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