Uncommon Press

The Cary Collection cooperate with RIT's College of Engineering and the Museum Studies Program, organized a five-student reconstruction team, they looked for and visited such style presses stored in major museums in the United States, and eventually selected the circa 18th-century press as a prototype. After one year's efforts and under the help of volunteers, the wooden common press was finally successfully reconstructed in 2016. This press, together with other historical presses collected by the Cary Collection, perfectly demonstrated the development history of the printing press. The replica with a light-yellow oak wood was named " the uncommon press", and it was placed in the reading room outside of the Cary Collection as the Figure 3 shown. As a result of each visitor has an opportunity to observe it closely and operate it, the uncommon press has become the focus of learning and research for students.