Printing plates?

[JUNKYARD DOG]

I was looking at chicorico's find on this forum of his printing plate? and remembered I found these a couple months ago. Could these be some kind of plates or stamps, The one has alot of words on it and I can make out the backward spelling of kentucky whiskey but thats about all I can make out. They are about 2 inches square and pretty heavy. Any help please? Thanks and HH. JYD

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[PBK]

Is it like copper on the front, and maybe lead on the back? If so, it's what's called an electrotype, or "electro" for short. A wax impression is made of the set type. Next, the wax is treated with graphite and electroplated with copper. When the wax is removed, what's left is a thin copper shell which can serve as a printing plate. Usually, electros are backfilled with lead to give them added strength to stand up to the pressure of printing.

If it's solid, lead-like metal (type metal), then it was cast in a kind of thin papier mâché mould called a mat. The mat is created by impressing it upon set type while the papier mâché is still moist and pliable, then drying and curing it to withstand casting molten type metal into it.

If the condition's not too bad, any local newspaper or print shop should be able to pull a few proofs (printed copies) from it for you at little or no cost, and that would make a neat display with the plate itself.

 

[DCMatt]

Could be plates for printing whiskey bottle labels. Do a pencil rubbing then hold it up to the light to see if you can read anything else.

DCMatt

 

[dex378]

I think DCMatt hit the nail on the head!