Engraving & Printing on Copper

DESCRIPTION: This eight-piece (9 figures) composite offering is a complete collection of wood engravings from a special feature on ENGRAVING & PRINTING ON COPPER, first appearing in the Illustrated Magazine of Art in 1853, a historical periodical produced by John Cassell in London. The layout illustrates a step-by-step technological overview of 19th-century copperplate printmaking, engraving, and automated printing processes. FIG. 1.—ENGRAVERS' WORKSHOP (Top Left): Displays artisans working at desks next to large windows, meticulously transferring and cutting designs into sheets of metal. FIG. 2 & 3.—GRAVERS, OR BURINS / TRACING (Top Center/Right): Close-up diagrams of specialized metal-cutting tools (burins) and an hand-drawn demonstration showing how a line is manually traced into a copper plate. FIG. 4.—FAC-SIMILE OF A 15TH c. ENGRAVING (Centre): A portrait reproduction showing standard portraiture work achieved through historical engraving methods. FIG. 5 & 6.—CHARCOAL PAN / INKING THE PLATE (Middle Right): Visualizes the step where the plate is heated over charcoal and dark ink is meticulously worked directly into the hand-cut grooves. FIG. 7.—COPPERPLATE PRESS (Middle Left): A heavy roller press designed to forcefully squeeze fine damp paper against the inked metal sheet, crisping the text and linework. FIG. 8.—THE PRESS-ROOM (Bottom Left): A wider look at a commercial workshop floor running several industrial roller presses in tandem. BLACK'S PATENT MACHINE (Bottom Right): Displays Black's patent machine for folding sheets of paper into octavos, duodecimos, etc., capturing early automated mechanisms that revolutionized bookbinding and magazine manufacturing. *Overall size is approx. 41½ cm x 42½ cm. STYLE: Engraving COLOUR: Monochrome SIZE (cm): 41.5 x 42.5 CREATORS: PUBLICATION: Illustrated Magazine of Art PUBLISHER: DATE: 1853 COMMENTS: Excellent condition SUBJECT: Newsprint PACKAGE: Single one-sided sheet in acid-free mount, flat & unfolded inside hard-backed envelope. Royal Mail Tracked 24 included. Note: Images are provided for illustration purposes only and are intended to show the complete printed product, including any imperfections of age that may be present. Frames or props shown in the images are for display purposes only and are not included with your purchase.