This copper plate is from a catalogue printing block, which was used for printing the Newman Brothers’ trade catalogue dating from circa 1920s.
Copperplate printing (also known as engraved printing) uses extreme force to press paper deep into the engraved areas of a copper printing plate onto which a design has been etched or engraved. This creates an impression on the paper surface. Copperplate printing produces crisp, well defined images.
Newman Brothers promoted their products annually at trade shows. Perhaps the most important show was the annual exhibition of the National Association of Funeral Directors (N.A.F.D.), where suppliers to the trade showed off their wares.
