Commercial Letterpress – CMYK History

William Kurtz and the Attempt To Monopolize Color Printing in America

Brian Gamm January 3, 2021 #cmyk #cmykhistory #collotype #letterpress #printinghistory

William Kurtz created the first successful three-color letterpress print in the world. His example inspired the growth of color in the commercial printing industry, but it did not come without a cost. Kurtz invested his entire fortune in three-color research without any return, then lost his key patent to a corporate collective bent on monopolizing process color printing in America, bullying engraving firms to either join the collective or cease process color work altogether. This is the story of William Kurtz, his patent, and the attempt to monopolize color printing in America.

Color Theory Commercial Letterpress Offset Lithography

A Color Correction Maskerade

Brian Gamm November 28, 2020 #cmyk #colorcorrection #colorhistory #colorprinting #letterpress #offsetlithography #printing #printinghistory

The first offset lithographic press for printing on paper was invented by Ira Rubel in 1903. Yet, offset lithography did not overtake letterpress in publications printing until the second half of the 20th century. It took many decades for the industry to fully understand offset printing technology, such as the chemistry of ink-water balance, plate coatings, and color reproduction. One of the most important technical innovations in printing was the use of masking to correct for deficiencies in printing inks. This is the story of how masking evolved from a craft to a science, and solidified its place in printing toolbox.

Color Theory Commercial Letterpress Ink Manufacturing

Zander’s Baby: Red, Yellow, Blue (and Green?)

Brian Gamm September 13, 2020 #cmyk #colorhistory #colorprinting #colorscience #letterpress #printinginks

Charles Gustav Zander was remarkable not just because of his important contributions to discourse on three-color color printing, but because, in the face of criticism, he had the courage to change his mind. An ardent evangelist of three-color printing and the use of scientifically rigorous color reproduction techniques, he realized, after more than 20 years in the industry, that he was wrong. This is the story of Zander and how he came to create his four-color complementary color system, one of the earliest examples of Expanded Gamut Printing.

Commercial Letterpress

A Printing Genius Named Milton A. McKee

Brian Gamm August 16, 2020 #cmyk #color #colorhistory #cottrell #curtispublishing #letterpress #paperdolls #printinghistory #processcolors

In the early 1900’s, Milton A. McKee, a “technical expert and authority on letter-press printing,”2 made two of the most important contributions to printing industry. Donald C. Cottrell, President of The Cottrell Company, for whom McKee worked, referred to McKee as a “printing genius” in his 1955 address to the Newcomen Society.3 That Cottrell made a point to honor McKee with this epitaph 26 years after his death is a testament to the impact he had on the industry. However, achieving this level of success…

Commercial Letterpress Security Printing

Ivan Orloff and His Press

Brian Gamm July 19, 2020 #cmyk #colorhistory #colorprinting #intaglio #ivanorlov #letterpress #orlof #Orloff #printinghistory #printingink #securityprinting

This the story of the original wet-printing ink technology, the man who invented it, and the man who tried unsuccessfully to market it as the next revolution in multi-color process printing.

Commercial Letterpress Ink Manufacturing

Thomas A. Lenci and the Eagle Printing Ink Company

Brian Gamm July 4, 2020 #cmyk #cmykhistory #color #colorhistory #curtispublishing #eagleprintingink #letterpress #printing #printinghistory #printingink #processcolors #publishinghistory

First, it is my pleasure to welcome you to CMYK History! This is the first post of a site that I hope will serve as a platform for those interested in the history of color. Before starting on this research, I had just finished reading the wonderful book, “Mauve,” by Simon Garfield (about William Perkins and his invention of the first aniline dye), and was looking for my next adventure into the history of color. Having worked in the printing industry for many years, much…