How to sell (or give away!) a print shop (draft)

Printing presses can be sold, however 

* One must  provide detailed information to the prospective buyers
   (including physical location: city/state, first floor or elevator or
    stairs, how close to loading area)

* Advertising/sales cycle isn't quick unless the price is very low,
  as supply usually outstrips demand, but both being cyclical,
  presses do sell for good money when someone selling is willing to 
  wait and someing buying isn't willing to wait anymore and finds just
  the right press in the right place.

* Fonts of type are normally sold in the individual type-cases, as-is.  
  At auctions, buying enough cases to fill a rack sometimes entitles one
  to a rack; other times, the racks are sold separately. 

For each press:
   Make/Manufacturer
   Model (C&P Old style or New; Craftsman or whatever; Miller Paragon);
   Date: If casting shows either patent date or mnf date.
   Size of chase  (inside of course; eg 12x18, 8x10)
   Motorized? If so, 120v or 240 1 or 3 phase?
   Feeder attachment? make? Requires air/vacuum?
   When last operated, if believed operable if cleaned/oiled etc.

For type
   Number and style of rack-cabinets 
	(metal or wood; # full and 1/2-width bays; working top?)
   Name and estimated range  and number of cases for any face held in quantity
      e.g., Broadway, multiple weights etc, 8-18pt, Monotype, 2 cases mixed
            Caslon, 6-12pt, roman and italic, 8 cases (incl dups)
   general description and number of cases for others
            typical 1940's display type, 14-24pt, 10 cases
   List separately fonts in galleys, fonts in factory wraps, fonts in
         hand re-wrap.

Number of boxes/shelves/case-drawers of 
   ordinary Books
   ordinary handtools
   ordinary cuts/ornaments
   "furniture"/leads/rule

Any particuarly interesting items (books, handtools, ornaments, etc.)
   
Places to Advertise:

* The Printer newpaper The Printer, Box 1402, Findlay OHIO, 45840 USA. I 
  think it's still $20/year, 12 issues;  One short ad FREE (25 words, 
  non-commercial) with subscription 

* The Letpress mailing list.  
  http://listserv.unb.ca/archives/
  Send message with subscribe letpress in body to listserv@unb.ca to 
  subscribe, read the introductory materials, then send your offerings 
  in full detail as above and below to the list.
  [For history, some 1998-2001 messages are in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letpress/messages ]
  
* For New England, I keep a private notification list.
  Also for New England, the members of the LetterPress Guild / New 
  England have an equipment exchange listing;  contact  
  LPSSERVJSB@AOL.COM  who also does some wholesaling and sponsors
  a flea market annually.
  
* Letterpress Things, Chicopee MA (John Barrett) is an east-coast supplier 
  of used and "new old stock" presses parts and supplies. (413) 222-9029 
  [FAX (413) 732-2146] letterpressthing@aol.com.   
  http://www.letterpressthings.com/html/about.htm 

* The local letterpress hobby/fine-art association will have a newsletter
  or grapevine.  I can provide contacts in a couple regions, via email
  contacts elsewhere.

* The Letterpress Classifieds web page courtesy of the Briar Press
  http://www.oneart.com/briarpress/
  
* Items of some historic interest can be offered to nearby museums as 
  donations.  Note that museums may not appraise potential donations, 
  that is the taxpayer's responsibility.   Consult your tax advisor 
  before taking any deductions for property that may have been 
  depreciated. (Aren't they all historic by now? It depends what they 
  already have!)

* The Museum of Printing http://www.museumofprinting.org is not accepting 
  bulk donations but is still selectively accepting such items.   Your 
  accountant can advise you what tax advantages donating your collection 
  to a 501(c)(c) charitable institution might have for you.

* Antiquarian Booksellers specializing in printerly books are listed in
  my WWW links http://world.std.com/~wdr/link/printinghistory.html
  
* In general, your local artisan and hobby printers are a useful supply
of good loving homes, but not a reliable sales market.  Certain models
(C&P newstyle with feeder, Heidelberg windmill) can be sold to export
brokers or if in excellent condition to the post-press bindery
equipment resellers.