DEMERS ANTIQUE PRESS MUSEUM

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     Kevin Demers traveled many parts of America and all through Europe to find and secure these hard to find, obsolete  antique printing presses.  It all started at  a print company  auction in London about 15 years ago, when I bid for the 1823 George Klymer antique Columbian, and  yes  I won the bid!

  Not to realize the English government,  back then,   had an excessive export weight duty   taxed on exportation of the original cast iron  goods, like antique presses and the original cast iron telephone boxes.  It was going to be expensive. Considering shipping was free  (stored in the export 40 foot container)  I still was willing to pay the required duties. There were delays in freeing  up the press I had  previously won  by bidding at the same  London auction.

   The first of good news came during the delays,, that the British government levied the excessive tax  and duties on these goods......

  More good news , after a visit to the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz , Germany (the home of the original Bible and  press) saw the same machine as mine  - dated 1825.   Mine was older.     It is now  proudly showcased  at our Museum.

  Years later,  after a visit to the Smithsonian Institute Museum, Washington  DC ,  saw again the sister to my  1823 George Klymer, their's  was dated 1844.  Demers' museum piece is 21 years older.. 

  Another story was my attendance at the Horrowitz Binders in new Jersey . The elder  Horrowitz  had deceased and the heirs could not value the extensive antique press museum fairly..  An auction was  ordered.. I went at the last flight possible , at the last minute..Well guess what? It snows that night pretty bad, but  I was at a hotel next door  -  was one of few people there  when the absolute auction began.   It was Christmas all over.

  A bunch of ladies bid on  the old books library,  and I got a 53 foot truck load fully jammed  of most all.............