proofpress.ch

Our big brothers from 'Big Fag Press' in Sydney need to move their 4 ton FAG flatbed offset proofpress again. They set up a crowfunding project called the 'The Big Fag Dance' here.  Please check out the family tree print that Zoe Sadokierski did for the crowdfunding project! I think this is definitely something that is also interesting for us letterpress proofress geeks. Support them if you can!

There is a Control 405 listed on Ebay Germany. I also listed it in the Equipment for sale category.

There is a FAG Swiss Proof 40 listed on Ebay Germany! I also listed it in the Equipment for sale category.

Thanks Gianluca Graca from Stamperia 74b and Elizabeth Fraser from Cambridge School of Art for these two interesting registrations this week! Great, we have now 64 press registrations! Still looking for more...

Jules Maeght and Vincent Schmitt from ‹Arte Maeght Editeurs› Paris, France sent me the documentation of their restoration process of their FAG Control 900.

The 05.04.001 was bought in 1968 by Adrien Maeght bought this press as the first owner from FAG Paris. Acording to Jules Maeght they used the printing press mostly to print linoleum. But they also made a modification to print from zinc offset plates. They added a cooling system beneath the pressbed to control the temperature and condensation on the plate.

The press has been in storage and partly disassembled since 1980ies. In 2011 Jules Maeght and Vincent Schmitt started the restoration process. (See the images). The press had some rust and there were some electrical issues. But mostly everything was there. They removed the cooling system and painted the press in a Bugatti blue. Since early 2012 they work with alot of different artists to print mostly linocuts on their FAG Control 900.

See some samples of their artist's work here.

See the registration of their FAG Control 900 here.

Thanks to Jules and Vincent for sharing your process! Well done!

FAG Lausanne is selling a FAG Swiss Proof 40! Please check out the «Equipment for sale» section. Let me know if you buy it! 

There is a FAG Standard 550 (with adjustable bed) listed on Ebay Germany! I also listed it in the Equipment for sale category.

Rose Thomas from the Graphic Design Print Area of University for the Creative Arts, Epsom just registered the second Swiss Proof 52 ever built. Thanks for your registration!

See the registration here.

The serial number is: 06.01.002

The first two digits (06) stand for the model «Swiss Proof». 

The second two digits (01) stand for the model version. So 01 is the first version. After every model revision they would change this number.

The third three digits (002) stand for the machine number. So this is the second machine of the first edition. Since the Swiss Proof 52 has been developped for Drupa 1972 as a cheaper andsimpler alternative to the Control 525-MRS, this machine here was probably built in 1971 or 1972.

Here is a list of the machines and their machine-codes (first two digits):

02 = Control 405
03 = Control 525
04 = Swiss Proof 40
05 = Control 900
06 = Swiss Proof 52

Some earlier models like FAG Standard, Control 800, 835 & 839 and even some very early models of Control 405 and Control 525 didn't have these structured serial numbers, but just a four or five digit number.

Thanks for these two interesting registrations this week! Great, we have now 50 press registrations!

We just got 4 new registrations from 4 different countries this week!

+ «Museum of Work» from Hamburg, Germany registered their FAG Standard CP-510. Thanks to Helmut Bohlmann!

+ «Escola Massana» from Barcelona, Spain registered their FAG Control 405. Thanks to Iñaki Granell!

+ «Edition Eupalinos» from Schaan, Liechtenstein registered their FAG Control 900. Thanks to Hansjörg Quaderer!

+ «Museum für Druckgrafik» from Rankweil, Austria registered their FAG Control 835 and FAG Swiss Proof 40. Thanks to Markus Gell!

The communitiy is growing... Great to see!

I am still looking for more FAG users. Give me a shout if you know someone!