Antique Stereotype Copper & Wood Printing Block Bateman Mfg Iron Age Cultivator
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:30535282 | Type: Printing Block |
| Material: Wood |
Description: Antique (circa 1850s) printing block made of very heavy exotic wood. A copper stereotyped plate is affixed on top of the wood. This stereotype depicts a farm machine called a cultivator. This was made to produce a printed illustration for advertising in catalogues for Bateman Manufacturing Company in Grenloch, New Jersey who made the "Iron Age" line of equipment. (It was among a collection of Bateman printing blocks that came directly from the Bateman House in Grenl...och where it has been stored for over 100 years). It is quite detailed. This is one-of-a-kind piece called a stereotype and is highly collectible! It is on the smaller end when compared to most of the other blocks in this collection. Condition: Very good - this piece is comprised of a single block of wood. Specifications: 1 3/8ths inches tall and 2.25 inches wide. 15/16ths of an inch thick. HEAVY for its size. In 1836 the Bateman Manufacturing Company started doing business in Grenloch, New Jersey. They manufactured farm and garden machinery and implements and had many innovations and inventions (including the potato planter shown above). Toward the late 1800s they started marketing these products under the name of “Iron Age.” They sold their products all over the world and marketed them through catalogues, trade journals, and other printed matter ads. To illustrate their products they relied on printing blocks which followed the same progression throughout the decades as the printing innovations – starting with hand carved boxwood blocks to stereotypes (making a mold of the engraved block in plaster and pouring in molten metal [similar to type metal] to make a cast. The cast was then mounted onto a block of wood to make the printing surface the same height as the type. Zincographs involved making a plate with raised images and affixing it to wood.Then came electrotyping with copper. A basic description of the process is as follows. The engraved surface of the woodblock was pressed into hard wax making an impression that could be used as a mold. This mold was then dusted with ‘black leading’ to provide an electrically conductive surface. The mold was placed in an electrolytic bath and a thin shell or skin of copper deposited over the surface of the mold. The copper skin was stripped off the mold, laid face down in a tray and the back filled with type metal to give it strength. The resulting metal electrotype, commonly called an electro, was then mounted onto a block of wood and printed alongside type. In this way many copies could be made and distributed of one wood-engraving.My one-of-a-kind collection contains examples from all of these techniques and these fine blocks are now being offered to the world of print block collectors, antiquities lovers, and antique farm equipment aficionados. Every piece is different. They came directly from the stored estate of the Bateman Family in Grenoch, New Jersey. Although there were earlier suppliers, some of the boxwood and other exotic wood came from a company called V. Grottenthaler in Philadelphia (listed in 1867 to 1876 as “manufacturers of Boxwood for engraver’s use. Other boxwood was stamped “A. W. Carlson 58 Fulton St. NY.” Also “A.P.J. 18 Spruce Street NY. Some came from Carlton Engraving Co. in Worcester, MA. Some of the slighter later boxwood and other woods were stamped “C. Van Vlack Springfield, Mass. (Listed in a 1913 directory of Massachusetts businesses).For a while Bateman Mfg. operated in Toronto, Canada under the name Batemen-Wilkinson. Bateman’s Iron Age transferred from them to Farquahar in York, PA around 1930. Farquahar had been selling its Iron Age implement lines for years prior to the actual buy-out and continued with various Iron Age sprayers and other equipment. Disclaimer: I have researched these blocks and guarantee them to be the real deal and the source to be without question since I personally removed them from a former very old house of Mr. Bateman after purchasing them and there was also some company literature in this stockpile.Since this is not my areas of expertise I do not know about exact techniques and what years they were employed, nor am I am expert on early farm equipment or implements so any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for looking/bidding. We try to be very fair with our S&H charges. Please recognize that seller costs includes time, packing materials (boxes, bubble mailers, bubble wrap, etc.), gas to and from the post office, listing fees, final value fees, PayPal fees, taxes, USPS tracking, and more. PLEASE READ THIS IN ITS ENTIRETY: 1. QUESTIONS - Feel free to e-mail me with any questions you may have. I will try to respond within 12 hours or less.2. RETURN POLICY - I try to be fair and accurate with all my auctions and descriptions. Please read each auction and bid carefully. 3. SALES TAX - NJ residents are subject to 6.63%sales tax. Select other states are also assessed sales tax. 4. INSURANCE - We recommend insuring items, we hold no liability for those that are not insured and are lost and/or damaged once package is sent.5. PAYMENT ISSUES - Due to recent ebay policy changes, PayPal is the only form of payment that I currently accept. I reserve the right to relist any item that is not paid for within 10 days of the close of the auction.6. FEEDBACK - Please view my feedback and bid with confidence! I also ask that if for some reason you are not happy with your product you contact me directly before leaving feedback. This is how I earn a living and I strive for positive feedback.7. INTERNATIONAL BUYERS - We use ebays Global Shipping Program for all international orders. Please be aware of any and all fees associated with this program. These are not known to me.8. NONPAYING BIDDERS - This seller participates in the non-bidder program. Please do not bid if you do not intend to pay. Please keep in mind that when you bid you are entering into a legally binding contract and that by placing such a bid you acknowledge and agree to the terms and conditions stated herein.
Here's what I, in turn, offer you: *Shipping within 24 hours (unless other circumstances prevent this).*Careful packaging*A variety of payment options*Worldwide shipping*Forthright business practices*Constant turnover in inventory (I add about 25 new listings per day so make sure you keep checking back!)*The best value for your money that you will ever find on ebay - I REFUSE TO BE UNDERSOLD. Lastly, due to the high volume of auctions that I concurrently run it is hard for me to notify everyone that I have received their payment or sent their item out. Please know that I drive to the post office every day to get these treasures to you as quickly as possible! PB50
00242
Thanks for looking/bidding. We try to be very fair with our S&H charges. Please recognize that seller costs includes time, packing materials (boxes, bubble mailers, bubble wrap, etc.), gas to and from the post office, listing fees, final value fees, PayPal fees, taxes, USPS tracking, and more. PLEASE READ THIS IN ITS ENTIRETY: 1. QUESTIONS - Feel free to e-mail me with any questions you may have. I will try to respond within 12 hours or less.2. RETURN POLICY - I try to be fair and accurate with all my auctions and descriptions. Please read each auction and bid carefully. 3. SALES TAX - NJ residents are subject to 6.63%sales tax. Select other states are also assessed sales tax. 4. INSURANCE - We recommend insuring items, we hold no liability for those that are not insured and are lost and/or damaged once package is sent.5. PAYMENT ISSUES - Due to recent ebay policy changes, PayPal is the only form of payment that I currently accept. I reserve the right to relist any item that is not paid for within 10 days of the close of the auction.6. FEEDBACK - Please view my feedback and bid with confidence! I also ask that if for some reason you are not happy with your product you contact me directly before leaving feedback. This is how I earn a living and I strive for positive feedback.7. INTERNATIONAL BUYERS - We use ebays Global Shipping Program for all international orders. Please be aware of any and all fees associated with this program. These are not known to me.8. NONPAYING BIDDERS - This seller participates in the non-bidder program. Please do not bid if you do not intend to pay. Please keep in mind that when you bid you are entering into a legally binding contract and that by placing such a bid you acknowledge and agree to the terms and conditions stated herein.
Here's what I, in turn, offer you: *Shipping within 24 hours (unless other circumstances prevent this).*Careful packaging*A variety of payment options*Worldwide shipping*Forthright business practices*Constant turnover in inventory (I add about 25 new listings per day so make sure you keep checking back!)*The best value for your money that you will ever find on ebay - I REFUSE TO BE UNDERSOLD. Lastly, due to the high volume of auctions that I concurrently run it is hard for me to notify everyone that I have received their payment or sent their item out. Please know that I drive to the post office every day to get these treasures to you as quickly as possible! PB50
00242
