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ISO: Printing in the 1930s and 40s

From the contact form:

Hello, I am a writer from NJ. My father who recently passed told me several stories about his father who owned/worked for the first/only printing press in their town of Murray, KY. My father was born in 1931 so this would have been in the 30s and 40s. I am looking for information about the shop and what printing was like in those days.

I believe it was typeset printing and he would have to pick out the metal letters. Any references or other help would be greatly appreciated. I am working on a book that will pay homage to my dad and I want to get the details right. Thank you so much. Jane from NJ

Comments

  1. Paul Moxon, Website Editor 11 January, 2022 at 9:57 am

    The keyword for learning about the main printing process for this era is “letterpress.” There are a plethora of online resources.
    Start with wikipedia
    letterpresscommons

    There are lots of YouTube videos as well. However, there’s no substitute for experiencing a real printshop. There are several shops in New Jersey
    listed here.

    In New York City the best place to visit is the Center for Book Arts.

  2. Thank you so much!

  3. I’m looking for specific articles covering process details for printing covers of pulp magazines of the 1920s and 1930s. Three color process

  4. Paul Moxon, Website Editor 1 September, 2024 at 10:04 am

    See this recap of Matthew McLennan Young’s 2013 APHA Conference presentation The Heyday of Trichromatic Process.

  5. Thank you..this is getting me closer. The pulp time period 1920s-1940s seems a large time period, but having difficulty finding specific information regarding challenges and techniques, discussing the printing on the low-quality paper used for pulp magazines, including color application and registration issues.

  6. Paul Moxon, Website Editor 3 September, 2024 at 10:24 am

    You may find something relevant in the journal More business: the voice of letter press printing and photoengraving, ca. 1936–1942. Worldcat

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