The Mimeo Resources. a repository of random findings.

Genstler - one of the fathers of mimeography, having its start in Europe. Genstler (the person after whom the company is named) invented the rotary cyclostyle pen, improved stencil paper (by using waxed Japanese bamboo paper) and generally produced everything from flatbed kits to fully electric duplicators. Searching the name alone will bring bunch of later electric models, so best to narrow the search for particular thing like the pen, stencil... or just mimeograph, as they are one of the few companies that had the patent to use the term. Those machines can also be found under the term Cyclostyle.

AB Dick / Edison - AB Dick company produced mimeographs under license from Edison's patents. Those companies were the "other fathers" of the tech, making mimeos on the States side of the pond. Just like Genstler, AB Dick used to make all kinds of stuff so narrowing your search is a good idea. They made both flatbed (like mine Edison Model 1) and rotary mimeographs, as well as bunch of accessories from pens to mimeograph furniture!

Print-O-Matic - mid XX century makers of desktop rotary mimeographs and a small selection of shading plates, styluses and stencil papers. Their machines produce postcard sized (and smaller) prints. Also the model of my Print-O-Matic.

Speed-O-Print - producing machines similar to the Print-O-Matic. Also makers of a wide selection of plastic accessories, mainly styluses, shading plates and lettering guides. Their machines seem much more rare than the accessories.

Multistamp Duplicator - stamp-like mimeograph kits originally used for printing backs of postcards and early mail advertising. Seems to be using a more liquid ink compared to the other types of mimeos (you're supposed to pour it inside the device).

Gem Duplicator - pretty much the same design as the Multistamp, but this one is from Bond Equipment Co. of St. Louis, MO. Might be a later or cheaper version, as it only seems to come in cardboard box (vs. a wooden box of the Multistamp).

Heyer Lettergraph - makers of yet another postcard duplicator (also some rotary mimeos). Lettergraph seems to be their name for the copyrighted "mimeograph".

Lion Menucator - late XIX / early XX century flatbed mimeo kits that seem to be using Genstler tech. Popular in the UK.

Flatbed style mimeograph #

The original mimeo tech works similar to contemporary screen printing: a hinged frame holding the stencil rests on top of a base where the paper is placed. To print simply roll ink over the stencil with a roller/brayer so is goes through the holes in the stencil and onto the page.

The early mimeos consisted of such frame and everything else needed for duplication packed in a wooden box (for storage and transportation). A kit would usually include ink, roller, plate to roll the ink on, the stencil paper and the stylus used to make the stencils. It was a one-stop-shop for all your duplicating needs. While slow to duplicate compared to later models, the benefits of this all manual process is that it allows for greater control over the process and requires only the bare-bones materials. Examples: Edison Mimeograph model 1, Lion Menucator.

Hand cranked rotary mimeograph #

Duplicate faster with a power of a crank! This is a much better solution if you need many copies (e.g flyers), but is not as good when you want to change inks or stencils often - the drum cleanup can be a pain, and ink saturated stencils need tending before the ink dries to be reusable.

Those machines consist of a drum with a crank on top of a rubber roller, both attached to a base (which often did double duty as paper feed). To print you need an ink pad (usually a piece of flannel) stretched over the drum. Depending on the model, you either ink the pad or pour ink inside the drum so it can seep through the fabric pad. The stencil is placed on top of the pad and has to be secured to the drum (usually by proprietary eyelets attached to the stencil) to print.

When you turn the crank, the paper is pulled between the drum and the roller. The tension makes it move at the same speed as the drum and creates a point of contact where the ink is squeezed onto the page. After the paper rolls through the stenciled part of the drum, the it simply comes out (hopefully nicely) printed on the other side of the machine.

Electric powered mimeograph #

As time progressed the machines became more and more sophisticated, eventually incorporating electric motors, automatic ink dispensing and all kinds of different bits of fancy automation. Of course this means the machines became more complex, which made them more difficult to maintain and fix. Risograph^[1] (which is having a bit of its own renaissance nowadays) is basically an example of fully automated mimeograph tech.

Those machines work on the same principle as the the hand cranked version, but do it faster and with more bells and whistles thanks to replacing human arm with electricity. I haven't really delved into those machines just yet - more info to come at a later date.

Rolling stamp mimeograph #

Those handheld "postcard printers" use a stencil over a curved surface that you press against a page to produce the copy. If you imagine cutting a section of the circular drum of the rotary mimeo and attaching it to a handle, that's basically what the rolling stamp duplicator is.

It works on the same principle as the rotary mimeograph - it creates a single point of contact between the stencil and the paper as you rock the stamp back and forth on the page. Most of them seem to use more watery inks that you pour inside the body of the device and it seeps through to the ink pad. The handheld form factor seems great for adding small graphics to a larger page.

Trypography File Plate - a metal plate with texture similar to that of a fine metal file or rasp. This is the earliest method for cutting mimeograph stencils: a waxed sheet of paper is placed on the file plate and "drawn" on with a dull metal stylus. By pressing with the stylus the texture of the plate will perforate the paper enough to allow ink through while still keeping the paper intact. Nowadays file plates are pretty much unavailable outside of Japan, where the method was used until mid XX century.

Rotary Cyclostyle - a pen with a small toothed wheel designed by Genstler. Used to to cut stencils, it was the preferred tool in Europe and US as early as the late XIX century. The wheel makes a series of tiny, almost microscopic cuts in the paper and produced a cleaner line than using trypographic file plates. Those pens are pretty rare, as improvements in stencil paper production allowed to use much cheaper tools.

Shading Plates - mid century plastic plates with textured patterns. Used with a flat dull stylus to "rub" their pattern into the stencil paper. It was a simple way to add ornamentation to a print and apart from repeating patterns, graphic elements like lines and borders where sold.

Specialty styluses - dulled metal implements used for "cutting" stencils. Originally had to be used with a file plate to produce a good line, but as the wax stencil paper technology improved, a wider variety of stylus shapes were able to be used even on a flat surface (not requiring a file plate underneath the stencil paper). Most mimeo companies produced their own range of styluses.