REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1921. 125 



Mr. Rudolph Ruzicka, the well-known wood engraver of New 

 York, promised the division some time ago an exhibit of his work, 

 and this year the Carteret Book Club, of Newark, presented a set 

 of four blocks and five proofs in color through Mr. Ruzicka. These 

 are especially interesting because the blocks were designed, engraved, 

 and printed by him for the Carteret Book Club, of Newark, and show 

 the fine results of modern methods. 



Among the prints received this year were about 300 from the 

 wood blocks of Thomas Bewick from Earle W. Huckel, of Phila- 

 delphia, a former aid in the division. These are of especial interest, 

 as only a few original prints were owned by the division. Nine hun- 

 dred and ninety-nine specimens were received from Mr. Huckel and 

 need careful study before further comment can be made upon their 

 value. 



Beautiful examples of the art of printing type, designs, and half- 

 tone engraving were the gift of the firm of Norman T. A. Munder 

 Co., of Baltimore. 



The Rembrandt Intaglio Printing Co., of Lancaster, England, 

 was the first to use rotary intaglio photogravure, a process developed 

 for it by Karl Klic, of Vienna. Historical examples dating 1894, 

 1896, and 1897 are among the specimens received, the 1894 example 

 being one of the first successful examples ever made. The specimens 

 in color are very beautiful. This method is now used extensively. 

 Entire newspapers are printed by this method and the " rotogra- 

 vure " section of the Sunday papers show the fine results which are 

 obtained on cheap paper. 



Mr. Benjamin C. Brown, of Pasadena, Calif., president of the 

 Print Makers Society of California, contributed six examples of his 

 work in soft ground etching, together with a written description 

 of his methods of work, which contains new information on the 

 subject. Five of Mr. Brown's soft ground etchings are printed in 

 color, and not only fill a gap in the collection but are as well fine 

 examples of the art. 



This method gives a sketchy and artistic effect. A metal plate is 

 covered with a soft sticky ground, over which it stretched a thin 

 sheet of rough paper, and on this the drawing is made with lead 

 pencil. Where the pencil marks appear on the paper, it sticks to 

 the ground, so that when the paper is pulled off the ground comes up 

 with it, leaving the metal exposed wherever the pencil has touched 

 the paper. The plate is then etched in the usual way. 



The American Museum of Natural History, New York City, is for- 

 tunate in possessing 50 of what are undoubtedly the first font of 

 metal type ever cast. They were made by the Korean Government 

 Printing Office in 1403. The American Museum presented facsimiles 

 in type metal of the brass originals to the United States National 



