Does anyone know of references on the subject of books printed in
copperplate instead of letterpress? I have only been able to find a
short discussion of the topic in a paper in "Arts et Metiers Graphiques
Paris" no. 24, July 1931.
Generally, book historians emphasize the visual appeal of such books.
However, perhaps text in copperplate should be considered as a
printing-on-demand scheme, not requiring the printer to make a large
initial investment in paper or carry a large inventory of printed
sheets, but rather just storing the copperplates for occasional print
runs.
Sincerely,
Ronald K. Smeltzer
rsmeltzer@sarnoff.com