1932 Ford Printing Block

NealinCA

NealinCA

Well-known member
Since I own two 32 Fordors, a kind gentleman just sent this to me...

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It is a printing plate and measures about 6" across, but I would like to know more about it. Would have Ford supplied these to dealers in 32?

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Neal
 
Most likely not provided to the dealers but provided to or made by the printers for Ford's advertising in magazines or newspapers.
Here's an example, only the other side of the car.
 

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It's the same side; notice the license plate numbers and the location of the horn and windshield wiper.
 
NealinCA said:
Do you know any history on these? Was there any Ford connection?

Thanks, Neal
Click to expand...
Probably the Ford connection is that they paid to have them made for their advertising purposes. Could be fairly rare as after a print run they would have been destroyed unless an employee of the print shop rescued it from the scrap pile.
 
You're right, but no bubble burst.

It's very similar to that used in local newspaper ads of the period, but usually those came out as having a dark colored body whereas this one has a very light main body color with a darker upper and moulding color such as one of the two Brewster green combinations offered. The early two-strap-type front license plate support suggests the block was made early in the model year.
 
Many years ago I used to work as a Photoengraver / Blockmaker, letterpress printing industry.
This would have been made in a Photoengraving Shop for a period advert. for a 1932 Ford. It would have been commissioned by Ford Advertising, not made by Ford!
It would have started as a hand done line drawing by an advertising artist. Then at the Engravers, it was photographed & sized to negative film [ reversed image, so it prints opposite] ; exposed onto zinc plate which had been coated with a light sensitive solution; then treated in chemicals & washed off with only the exposed areas remaining as the line image.
The zinc plate with image then is rotated in an etching machine containing a solution of Nitric acid, oil & water which over an ascertained time eats down the metal except for the exposed image which is acid resistant. The resulting relief image is cleaned & finished & finally mounted on a block of wood so it can be placed in a form with type to be at the correct height for printing on a letterpress printing machine.
This all involved a lot of hand work by skilled tradesmen, as you can imagine.
This would be a rare item which I wish I had. They would be either worn out if used for a long run, or damaged or usually just discarded after a few years storage.
Hope I have not bored anyone with all of this.
 
Tom, I am an old printer and I enjoyed reading your post. It brought back a lot of memories!!
When I joined there were 8 or 10 trades in the printing industry alone.
Some of our blocks were made out of lead plates as well. Some were wood mounted and some were metal.
Can't remember why they were different.

Cheers,

Manuel in Oz
 
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