The skill of the Victorian woodcut engraver

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

I thought this might be of interest to those of you with vintage machines who no doubt have original, or scans of, the catalogues they issued back in late Victorian times.

The photo shows the amazing skill of the Victorian woodblock engraver compared to the photo he copied. Early printing of catalogs could not economically transfer photographs so still relied on the 100’s of years old skill of woodcut engraving which had to be in reverse for printing.

[PeteParticipant @pete41194]

I knew a tiny amount about that woodblock engraving and printing method Vic, but not that it could do detail like your example. Amazing and thanks for posting it.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Difference between woodcut and wood engraving. Engraving is an intaglio process where you cut a line in an end grain block, ink the block then wipe off the ink except where it has filled the engraved line.  So where the line is comes out black.  Woodcut is I think where you cut away where you want white and the ink sticks elsewhere. That is a negative process.  I’m married to a printmaker…

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

By that time they probably used an optical projection method to assist. Are you able to see on the original whether it is in fact a manual operation rather than early lithography?

[Bazyle]

On Bazyle Said:

By that time they probably used an optical projection method to assist. Are you able to see on the original whether it is in fact a manual operation rather than early lithography?

It’s dated to 1888 and I presumed it was cut in wood but I think your right that the method used was probably lithography but the plate still had to be engraved with great skill. The engraver was Franz van Himbergen who went on to engrave many of the lathes and sewing machine catalogues for the Pittler company. Here is a catalogue page featuring that early lathe

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