This webpage is dedicated to sharing information about FAG proof presses built from the early 1940s until the late 1990s, with a special focus on Swiss-built letterpress proof presses.
FAG letterpress cylinder proof presses, especially the Swiss-built models ‹FAG Control› and ‹FAG Swissproof› (1962–1994), have been exported to all five continents, serving printmakers, photoengravers, repro services, layout studios, composing rooms, and ink and paper laboratories as efficient and economical tools in the process of production and quality control. Since these machines were massive and built to last, many FAG letterpress and offset proof presses have survived and are still in use today. They are used not only by traditional printmakers but also by a growing scene of young graphic artists, do-it-yourself printers, and professional printmakers. Though originally built as proofing presses to relieve the printing production presses, today many of them are used not only for proofing purposes, but also to produce complete print editions. Some users may be fed up with the perfection of digitally produced prints; others want to re-explore analog layout, typesetting, and traditional printmaking; and some wish to combine analog and digital qualities. There are those who are strictly Luddites, while others enjoy mixing old and new techniques. Probably all of them are fascinated by the quality of autonomous production and the full design control, from the first sketch to the delivery of their printed products.
As this community of artists continues to grow while the number of traditional “still-in-business” printmakers is shrinking—and because there may still be many FAG proof presses in circulation—this webpage aims to serve as a helpful database for all users. Hopefully, this platform helps to share information among printmakers about their FAG proof presses and supports one another in solving possible issues.
All information on this page has been collected and digitized from original FAG catalogues, manuals, spare-parts catalogues, magazine articles, and interviews conducted around 2011 with Mr. Philippe Orville (General Manager at FAG Lausanne) and Mr. Horst Grebien (retired former Chief Production Engineer at FAG Avenches). A huge thank you to FAG Lausanne for their support countless binders of informations to scan! A special thank you to Mr. Orville at FAG Lausanne for all the help!
This Webpage does not contain any official information about FAG Graphic Systems SA, Lausanne, Switzerland and is not directly related to www.fag.ch. This is a fan page dedicated to some historical FAG products from 1940–1990. It does not represent the full information about all FAG products of that period, only a small part of the collection (only the letterpress proof presses (excluding related ‹Form-Test› tools or offset proof presses manufactured by FAG). The name FAG and the FAG logo are legally protected worldwide.