This is a book describing and illustrating a variety of American (and two British) iron hand presses from the period 1830 - 1900. The text has been carefully researched and includes the invention of each press, patent information, and sizes. The illustrations are wood engravings by the late John De Pol, and are both artistic and accurate representations of the presses. Originally published in a limited edition by the Yellow Barn Press, it was issued in a trade edition (both hard bound and paper bound) by Oak Knoll Press, in 1992.