From the Contact form:
My husband and I have an antique Hektograph from the 1880s. I believe it is a dry copy press? The only things I’ve gathered from it are that it’s made by the Hektograph Mfg. Co., the inventors (Rudolf Husak and Vincent Kwaysser from Austria) were the first the receive the US patent for it when it was first made. I was hoping to understand more about this specific Hektograph itself, the inventors and company. Thank you! Athena Kabana
Form the Contact form:
I’m writing a history of the use of photos in American farm publications. I’m trying to pin down when the first editorial and advertising COLOR photos appeared in a farm publication. Any idea where I might go to research this question?
Jim Patrico
From the Contact form:
I’m writing a dissertation on newspaper buildings, using the NY Times as an example, and had a quick question about presses. The New York Times had a Hoe’s lightening press when they started in 1851. Would they have used the stereotyping process at this time? If not, when did that start? The first time they mention it being done was in their 1889 building, but I think it was done long before that.
Thank you so much,
Emily
From the Contact form:
I am working on a research project and I was curious about the history surrounding impact print. I remember there being a debate at one time as to whether or not non-impact print such as ink jet was considered legally binding, and for a time only impact print such as from a typewriter was considered legally binding due on immutability. I cannot find any information about this online and would be very happy if you could help shed some light.
Spencer Allen
From the Contact form:
I am curious how a poster was reproduced in the early half of the 20th century. Specifically, how was the winning poster of a contest reproduced? My best guess is lithography, but exactly how did they get the original artwork to a reproducible form. Did the artist or other craftsperson recreate it on the stone or was there a means of transferring original work? Or was there another process entirely?
From the Contact form:
Is there any written or known history on the influence of the printing press and standardizing the look/shape of the symbols used in music notation and the criteria used?
Johan Solberg shared his recent research on historical papermaking in Central Asia, the geographical conduit through which paper technology moved from the Eastern world to Europe over a thousand years ago. Few sources remain to shed any light on how paper was made in the region when it first appeared there in the seventh or eighth century; the lack of available scholarship led Solberg to plan a trip to Uzbekistan in search of answers. [Read more]
Catherine Liu preparing dyes (Amy Childress)
Ms. Liu started her demonstration by showing participants previous printing experimentations she had created. To create her inks, Liu uses natural dye extracts, water, mordants and Akua Intaglio Transparent Base, which is a hybrid of water and oil based inks. Some of the collagraph prints she shared, showed how different natural dye and mordant inks react with different metal surfaces. It was really exciting to see her experimentations. Liu then showed participants how to prepare the dyes and mordants to create concentrated liquids that could then be mixed with the ink. [Read more]
Johannes Regiomontanus, Calendarium, (Venice: Erhard Ratdolt, 1476), showing built-in paper instruments: a lunar volvelle and a quadrant, and a sundial. (Art Institute of Chicago. Gift of Emil Eitel in memory of Mrs. Emil Eitel, 1948.343.)
Suzanne Karr Schmidt has conducted extensive research on the topic of Renaissance prints and the ways in which prints on handmade paper move from two dimensions to three dimensions. Due to this focus, Schmidt’s research and curatorial work address many topics that interest members of APHA and the FDH. [Read more]
From the Contact form:
I am writing a book about the life of a man who emigrated to the U.S. in 1907 and who set up a small printing company in New York City. I am trying to learn more about the printing industry in New York at that time. Any historical background or information about the printing business around that time and place would be useful. Any thoughts on what I might look at?