Minerva-type iron printing press. Initially hand-operated, it was later electrified. Printing is by rollers and the sheets are fed in by hand. The trade name “HISPANIA” is shown on the front and there are wooden trays on the sides.
The name Minerva was used generically to refer to all small presses used from the end of the nineteenth century. The Minerva was the most widely used before the introduction of the first cylindrical presses in the mid twentieth century. The Hispania model, produced in Barcelona, was very popular from 1950 on, since it was easy to operate and gave good results.
Much of the history of printing in Gipuzkoa is bound up with the institutions of government. This press was used by the provincial government's printing house, which remained at government central offices until 1985. It was later housed in a special print house, where it was only used for occasional work. It ceased operation in 2007.
Bibliography:
Arana Martija, José Antonio. Euskal Herriko inprentaren historia. Uztaro. 1994, 12, 37-53.
Fernández de Casadevante, Mª Dolores. La imprenta en Guipúzcoa. [S.l.] : Adi, 2015. 527
Inventory number: GFA-035792-001
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