Mel Williams, Visitor Experience Kiwi North
Our access to news and information from anywhere in the world is unprecedented and arguably one of the most important tools we have as a society.
Prior to the technology we enjoy today, prior to the internet, television and even radio, people relied upon print media to keep abreast of goings on and printing presses were the technology that made that possible. The first printing press allowing for the mass production of books was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440, however Chinese Monks are thought to have been printing on paper using a much simpler wooden block method 600 years prior to this.
In the Whangarei Museum we have a beautiful Columbian Printing Press which was invented in Philadelphia by George Clymer in 1813. What makes it so special, aside from its stunningly ornate appearance, is its ability to print an entire newspaper page with one pull of a lever. Unfortunately for Clymer, the retail cost of around $400 per unit at the time (double the price of a conventional wooden press) meant it was it was considered too expensive for the American market. Clymer then made the decision to relocate to London in 1817 where his Columbian Press went on to revolutionise the printing industry and was widely distributed around the United Kingdom and Europe for the next hundred years.
To aid in sales George Clymer purposefully added elaborate decorations to the Columbian Printing Press, some of which also have a practical function. An example of this is the eagle on top which is a counterbalance weight and can be adjusted by sliding along the main counterbalance lever. The eagle, a nod to its American heritage, was interchangeable depending on what country it was destined for. In Germany it was replaced with a Prussian Eagle and French versions often used a lion or globe as the eagle was considered a contentious political symbol post Napoleon.
In one of the eagle’s talons is a cornucopia, also known as a horn of plenty, representing prosperity and abundance. In the other talon is an olive branch, representing peace. A secondary counterweight in the back is adorned with a woman holding an anchor symbolizing hope and stability. The role of the printing press is alluded to on the side columns with the inclusion of two caducei; staffs entwined by serpents and topped with wings, a symbol of Hermes who was the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology. Other creatures are included to represent wisdom and knowledge, and the makers plate is ornately decorated with colourful flowers and fruit.
The printing press we have on display was the 1,285th one made. It was manufactured in England in 1861 and became an important part of print media right here in Northland where it was used by The Advocate until 1968. It was donated to the Whangarei Museum in 2004 where is still sits proudly, reminding us of how much technology has changed in a very short span of time.
