Special Collections Research Center
spcoll@wm.eduSpecial Collections Staff.
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Use:
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Conditions Governing Access:
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Preferred Citation:
Ralph Green Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Acquisition Information:
Gift
Scope and Contents
Notebooks of clippings, illustrations, and blueprints relating to printing and presses in the United States and card files kept by Ralph Green. The notebooks concern presses from Patent Office records, photographs and engravings of presses, amateur and hobby printing, and samples of Green's printing.
Container List
21 notebooks of clippings, illustrations, blueprints relating to printing and presses in the U.S.; 2 card files of notes kept by Ralph Green.
- Mixed Materials Box: 1
Box 1English.
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Volume: 1 id155411
Vol. 1: "Early Wood"Scope and Contents
Mounted illustrations, clippings, photographs, etc. of Gutenberg, Blaeu, and other early presses. 56 leaves. "Detailed plans of Moxon's Blaeu press... with structural analysis..." (blueprint drawing, scale 1 1/2' foot), leave 29-37. "The Common English wood hand printing press, circa 1800" (with four drawings), leaves 38-42.
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Volume: 2 id155413
Vol. 2: Patent records relating to early American presses1813-1858Scope and Contents
Original or photocopied pages from Patent Office records, relating to early American presses. 121 leaves.
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Volume: 3 id155414
Vol. 3: Untitled1858-1872Scope and Contents
98 leaves.
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Volume: 4 id155416
Vol. 4: Untitled1872-1937Scope and Contents
106 leaves.
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Volume: 5 id155418
Vol. 5: "Gordon Presses"1858-1940Scope and Contents
Photographs, advertisements, manufacturer's announcements, etc., 1858-1940, relating to the Gordon press and its imitators, with notes and descriptions by R. G. and others. 36 leaves.
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Volume: 6 id155421
Vol. 6: "Hand Presses"Circa 1800-1860Scope and Contents
Clippings, drawings, and blueprints relating to early American hand presses, circa 1800-1860, some leaves with extensive comments, measurements, etc., by R.G. 64 leaves. List of hand presses, arranged by name, with manufacturer, dates and style, leaves 1-2. "Platen sizes of hand presses," leaves 3-4.
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Volume: 7 id155424
Vol. 7: Operation of hand presses (Instructions, etc.)Scope and Contents
Tables, notes, blueprints, clippings, etc., with four dividers: 1) "Wood Presses & Early, " 2) "Iron Presses," 3) "Jobbers," and 4) "Amateur" "List of texts containing instructions for the operation of the hand press, arranged in chronological order," leaves 1-2. "The Stansbury Press," leaves 45-52. Clippings relating to the Washington Hand Press, leaves 55-75. 87 leaves.
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Volume: 8 id155426
Vol. 8: The "Washington family" of PressesScope and Contents
Photographs, clippings, blueprints, etc. 32 leaves.
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Volume: 1 id155411
- Mixed Materials box: 2
Box 2English.
- Mixed Materials box: 2 Volume: 9 id155438
Vol. 9: Author's pencil manuscripts, with correctionsScope and Contents
53 leaves. (The Iron Hand Press in America), leaves 1-19. (A history of the platten jobber), leaves 20-43. (On Making a printing press), leaves 44-53.
- Mixed Materials box: 2 Volume: 10 id155443
Vol. 10: "Rotary Presses"Scope and Contents
Blueprints, notes, tables, photographs, etc. 78 leaves.
- Mixed Materials box: 2 Volume: 11 id155445
Vol. 11: "Misc"Scope and Contents
Photographs, clippings, etc. of unusual presses, type-setting equipment, etc. 19 leaves.
- Mixed Materials box: 2 Volume: 12 id155447
Vol. 12: "English"Scope and Contents
Clippings, photographs, etc. of early English hand presses. 40 leaves.
- Mixed Materials box: 2 Volume: 13 id155449
Vol. 13: "Foreign Wood Presses"Scope and Contents
Photographs, drawings, etc. of early presses, primarily English. 68 leaves. Photocopy of a portion of a Cambridge University PhD dissertation (?), titled: "Appendix A. A Census of Surviving Wooden Presses," leaves 40-68.
- Mixed Materials box: 2 Volume: 14 id155450
Vol. 14: "Clippings"Scope and Contents
Three dividers: "History," "Type," and "R. G." 67 leaves.
- Mixed Materials box: 2 Volume: 15 id155452
Vol. 15: "Wooden Presses, U. S."Scope and Contents
Primarily photographs and drawings of old wooden presses, with extensive comments by R. G. 54 leaves.
- Mixed Materials box: 2 Volume: 16 id155455
Vol. 16: "Williamsburg"Scope and Contents
Photographs, notes, plans, etc., regarding the English Common Press constructed at Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. "Sources of data used in preparation of plans of 1720-1750 Colonial Printing Press," leaves 20-21. Blueprints for the press, drawn by R. G. and dated May 15, 1949, leaves 22-32; "Bill of material" needed in construction of press, leaves 33-34; specifications and notes of other equipment to be placed in the restored printing shop, leaves 35-55.
- Mixed Materials box: 2 Volume: 17 id155457
Vol. 17: "Private presses"Scope and Contents
Notes and clippings on amateur and hobby printing. 18 leaves.
- Mixed Materials box: 2 Volume: 9 id155438
- Mixed Materials box: 3
Box 3English.
- Mixed Materials box: 3 Volume: 18 id155459
Vol. 18: "Specimens"1935-1960Scope and Contents
Samples of R. G.'s own printing work: letterheads, envelopes, Christmas cards, etc., circa 1935-1960. About 150 leaves.
- Mixed Materials box: 3 Volume: 19 id155460
Vol. 19: "Specimens"1935-1960Scope and Contents
Samples of R. G.'s own printing work: letterheads, envelopes, Christmas cards, etc., circa 1935-1960. About 150 leaves.
- Mixed Materials box: 3 Volume: 20 id155461
Vol. 20: "Specimens"1935-1960Scope and Contents
Samples of R. G.'s own printing work: letterheads, envelopes, Christmas cards, etc., circa 1935-1960. About 150 leaves.
- Mixed Materials box: 3 Volume: 21 id155462
Vol. 21: "Book plates"Scope and Contents
Clippings or sample bookplates. Also several clippings on unusual forms of printing and etching. 11 leaves.
- Mixed Materials box: 3 Volume: 18 id155459
- Mixed Materials box: 4
Box 4: Files and PublicationsEnglish.
Mr. Green maintained two file-drawers of note cards (3" x 5") to assemble various bits of information-- specifications, notes, drawings, etc. of interest to him. These files have been examined by Mr. S. F. Royall, of Williamsburg, Virginia, who prepared a 9-page summary of the contents. Their principal value, according to Mr. Royall, is to provide the user with a guide to the contents of his own library and files, and "taken together, must form one of the largest sources extant on printing press illustrations." Mr. Green's files have already proved of great value in locating detailed information about specific presses, identifying source of illustrations, etc.
- Mixed Materials Box: Card Files (1) id155463
Card file (1)
- Mixed Materials box: Card Files (2)
Card file (2)