Sunday, October 16, 2011

Mimeograph Machines and the AB Dick Company

One of the prizes of my colleciton is this old pre-electric mimeograph machine circa 1917. Click to read more about this old mimeograph machine. Oddly, while I do have this old one, I can't seem to find a standard electric one circa 1960s or 70s.

I've been in and out of all sorts of odd stores and even contacted the surplus people related to school districts and government agencies. I've been on Ebay with not much success.

I'm now tracking down the company that made them: AB Dick Company.   Here is a Youtube video of the dedicating of their Chicago factory in the 40s. And I quote vvickers3313 from Youtube:  This was the dedication video of the building that stood at 5700 W. Touhy in Chicago. It was converted from 16mm film, taken circa 1940s. There is no sound. This video will only be interesting to all employees who worked for this great company. 





From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The A. B. Dick Company was a major American manufacturer of copy machines and office supplies in the late 19th Century and the 20th Century.
The company was founded in 1883 in Chicago as a lumber company by Albert Blake Dick (1856 – 1934). It soon expanded into office supplies and, after licensing key autographic printing patents from Thomas Edison, became the world's largest manufacturer of mimeograph equipment (Albert Dick coined the word "mimeograph"). The company introduced the Model 0 Flatbed Duplicator in 1887. Later on, the flatbed duplicators were replaced by devices using a rotating cylinder with automatic ink feed. Basic models were hand-cranked while more elaborate machines used an electric motor.
The company had a new headquarters built in 1926, the building at 728 West Jackson now called Haberdasher Square Lofts, and remained there until their move to suburban Niles in 1949.
The company virtually created the business of "quick printing" via storefront shops that printed from disposable plates on duplicators. Tens of thousands of its Model 350 and 360 duplicator were sold, many of which are still in use. Starting in the 1960s, xerography began to overtake A. B, Dick's older mimeograph technology.
John Stetson was president of A. B. Dick when he was appointed Secretary of the Air Force in 1978.
In 1979 the company was acquired by the General Electric Company (a British firm, not to be confused with the American company General Electric). In 1988 the company acquired Itek Graphix, a leading manufacturer of plate-makers for duplicators (small format offset presses). By the late 1990s it was a division of the Nesco company of Cleveland.

I've heard that AB Dick got acquired by Presstek.
I've just started reading from a site called the OfficeMusuem.com about copy machines. Stay tuned... 

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

i saw a mimeograph manual on ebay

AdventureSis said...

My brother and I just found a 1939 AB Dick Mimeograph machine in our Mom's attic. It's in good shape...any interest?

BBat50 said...

Wow, that's frustrating. If you use comments to contact me, you'll need to give me a little more help on how to contact you.

Unknown said...

I have one it was left here in my home 11 years ago when i purchased it .it has the writeing on it that reads A B Dick Co.Chicago.....Mimeograph 420 , it looks to be in pretty good shape,my no. is 205- 587-0786 my name is Tracy Stewart.

Unknown said...

Hi, I am tech teacher that has a few old resources that should be with someone who appreciates them. Filmstrips and the accompanying records. Are you interested? cjhanley2003@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

i have a ab dick mmeograph no. 76
can you tell me an approx value amd is anyone interested email hawkinsl315@comcast.net


Anonymous said...

I have an AB Dick mimeograph xan you give me an approx value and is anyone interested contact me at hawkinsl315@comcast.com

Anonymous said...

i have circa 1917 mimeograph machine by ab dick no 76 am interested in value of it

Anonymous said...

I ran AB Dick Offset Presses for 8 years and worked for AB Dick in the mid 80's for about 3 years. Sad to see them gone. The plant was huge. Went there for training and was really cool to see the operation. OH, the good old days!BR, Phoenix, AZ. January 21, 2014

Anonymous said...

I worked for AB Dick from 1983 to 1986 as a tech. I also ran their offset presses for about 8 years. I had been to the factory in Niles a few times for training. Huge factory and really neat to have been able to see the operation. So sad they are gone now. OH the good old days.

mhein@swbell.net said...

We have found a AB Dick Company Chicago #77 Model B Serial #63481 on cylinder and serial # 19181 on the feeder plate. It has the following Pat # 1,527,783 and 784. 1,592,439 and 440. also 1,607,586 pat in foreign countries. It turns and cylinder part not bad just feeder plate is rusted. also has a roller that was used to spread ink (only a my guess) Pretty cool though. any idea of year? and it's value. E-
mail to mihein@swbell.net or 316-283-2680.

Mimeograph ink value? said...

I have some an dick mimeograph ink 1777, the number one the back is 63011. Can any one tell me a little about the worth of this ink. Obviously vintage.