circa 1800 - circa 1899

tools and equipmentmachinesbook ornamentation

48 in

42 in

Mentioned in June 1862 edition of The Bookseller, a British publication that published literature as well as reviewed new machinery in the bookbinding trade, the Sanborn Arming Press was noted for its innovations. The levers on most arming presses used the same sideways pulling motion as printing presses, and required a separate table where the items to be embossed waited—the Sanborn has the embossing plate above the table for the works and its lever is pulled downward, instead of across. These features enabled the embossing to proceed at a faster rate.