Subseries 15 - Printing Blocks, Stereotypes and Photoengraving Plates

Reference code

IE CA CP/1/15

Title

Printing Blocks, Stereotypes and Photoengraving Plates

Date(s)

  • c.1930-1970 (Creation)

Level of description

Subseries

Extent and medium

1,125 items; Artefact

Name of creator

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Scope and content

A very large collection of metal stereotypes and photoengraving plates (most of which are mounted on wooden blocks) used for printing purposes for 'The Capuchin Annual'. Photoengraving was a process used in preparing illustrations for printing by transferring images to metal plates by a combination of photography and acid etching. Photoengraving was widely used in making plates for various printing processes, reproducing a wide variety of graphics such as lettering, line drawings and photographs. A stereotype consisted of engravings from a drawing or from an illustration. If required, duplicate stereotypes could be set beside text composed on a linotype machine and headings in hand-set type. Photoengraving plates and stereotype blocks were frequently mass-produced for advertisements and were sent to various printers, newspapers and publishers. These photoengraving plates and stereotype blocks were transferred (many still extant in filing cabinets) to archival storage following the closure of the Capuchin Publications Office in 1977. Many of the plates and blocks are numbered but only a few have identifying captions or annotations.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

    Script of material

      Language and script notes

      Physical characteristics and technical requirements

      Finding aids

      Existence and location of originals

      Existence and location of copies

      Related units of description

      Related descriptions

      Note

      The date entry refers to the creation date of the printing plate (if known) and not the date of the image reproduced on the photoengraving.

      Note

      For more information on the use of the stereotype process in the printing trade see http://mmop.org.au/gallery/stereo01/ast0203b.htm

      For a brief explanation of the photoengraving process see http://printwiki.org/Photoengraving

      Alternative identifier(s)

      Subject access points

      Place access points

      Name access points

      Genre access points

      Description identifier

      Institution identifier

      Rules and/or conventions used

      Status

      Level of detail

      Dates of creation revision deletion

      Language(s)

        Script(s)

          Sources

          Accession area