Origins of Offset

The Origins of Offse By Randy Silycnnan 12,000 franc reward from France's Consulting Bureau of Arts and Manufactures in 1809 and, with the publication of his book the following year, quickly became world news. Simply purging air from bottles of food, as we now know, sol\les only part of the problem of pasteurization. Bur microbes killed through Appert's "sterilization" process remained unidentified for 50 years ' un'til Louis Pasteur identified this "se'). of organisms" microscopically during his wine fermentation experiments of 1863. The sigl).ificance of Appert's discovery; was poetically summarized in the journal Courier de l'Europe (Feb. 10, 1809) as follows: \'M~ Appert has discovered the art of fixing the seasons. With him spring, summer, and autumn exist in bottles like delicate plants that are protected by the gardener under a dome of glass against the intemperance of the seasons." As a result of the French Revolution, economic conditions in France at the Above: Java and Mocha he connection between this printed beginning of the 19th century were not Gold Band Coffie. magazine you are reading and a conducive to capitalizing on discoveries such The Tho mpson and discarded tin of tuna fish packed in oil as Appert's. This was not the case in TayLor Spice Co. Tor spring water is particularly England, however; far from it. The fascinating, but requires a bit of historical Industrial Revolution was fueled by the sleuthing, and a brief excursion through the availabiliry of capital, and driven. by men increasingly industrial 19th century. dedicated ro manufacturing commonplace The story begins in France with the amenities specifically marketed to the benevolent Nicholas Appert, who some have working class consumer. called "a Benefacror of Humaniry." In 1810, John Gamble was such a man; an Monsieur Appert published his discovery that entrepreneurial engineer. Gamble is better for long periods of time food could be stored remembered for his involvement in the without spoiling by using a process we now development of the first continuous web call "canning." His technique for preserving papermaking machine (see "Paper Trails," fruits, vegetables, meats and soups consisted GraphicArtsJournal, February 1995). While Tin cans from the collection of heating glass food jars sealed with cork visiting France on business, Gamble learned of of Carolyn Hulbert stoppers to force the air out. This simple Appert's preservation process. Realizing its procedure, developed after fifteen years of potential, he sought help from Bryan Donkin experimentation, made significant inroads and John Hall, men he had worked with toward the elimination of 19th century closely in the past. Donkin, the brilliant dietary problems such as scurvy and engineer employed by the Fourdrinier malnutrition. His work secured Appert a (Continued on page 28) 26 March 1995 coated with a layer of tin cur, formed explorers such as Captain Sir Edward OFFSET (Continuedfrom page 26) and soldered rogether along the seams. Parry. Opening these early canned foods brothers ro perfect the prororype of the Donkin's grandson recounts that these presented no problem for this rugged papermaking machine, and Hall, the were subsequently "heated very class of consumer; the instructions millwright who had uained Donkin and gradually in a bath of chloride of lime," printed clearly on the label proscribed manufactured the machine in his facrory, ro "render the albumen" in the simple access via hammer and chisel! By were eager ro collaborate on the foodstuffs "insoluble." 1810 this method was modified by the use commercialization of canned food. By 1813 the process was sophisticated of a small tin sropper that was soldered enough for presentation into the opening at the rop of the can. ro members of the Royal This sropper included a pinhole in the Household for sampling. center of its patented design. The hole Upon receiving favorable allowed steam ro escape while the can was acceptance from that heated in boiling water during processing, quarrer, canned foods after which it was soldered ro seal in the began ro circulate widely; food. These stoppers could simply be and with them, Donkin's pried our ro open the can, bur a more reputation. With this genteel approached included a thin metal nororiery came suip in the closure, the end of which recognition. Among other could be pulled ro break the solder seal. accolades achieved during The earliest method applied ro his lifetime, Donkin identifying the contents of canned foods became a Fellow of the was a printed paper label glued onto the Royal Sociery, Chairman side of the tin. Due ro the paper's of the Sociery of Arts, and friabiliry, these labels were easily damaged roday is remembered as and, by 1811 , were repla~ed by durable the father of the modern embossed metal labels affixed with solder canning indusuy. directly ro the body of the can. The Royal Navy was The next approach ro identifying and one of his early cusromers decorating canped goods employed a Above: Mazawattee Tea. Right: Monarch Cocoa. variation of Alois ~enefelder 's Reid, Murdoch & Co. lithographic process. By 1847, images printed on paper from Solenhofen The uio encountered legal as well as lithographic srones could be effectively technical impediments ro the transferred onro the metal surface of the development of this new technology. can by rubbing the freshly printed wet Hall's company records indicate that ink. Transfer printing was a time 1,000 pounds were paid for the English consuming process that allowed only rights ro Apperr's patent; but one reproduction per print, but it discrepancies in the srory exist, since offered promise that intricate pictures Appert never owned a patent on his applied directly ro the tinplate surface process nor is this uansaction were possible. corroborated in his firm's ledgers. Direct lithographic printing on Additionally, August de Heine and Peter tinplate occurred first in England. In Durand are known ro have secured preparation for this breakthrough, lead English patents in 1810 for the use of based inks suitable for printing on metal iron and tin containers (respectively) for were patented in 1864. This was preserving food, but neither is followed in 1869, by a patent for paints, mentioned in the account of Gamble, some containing metal alloys, for Donkin and Hall. In addition ro these decorating tinplate, and another in 1870 problems related ro the uansfer of for clear lacquer used as a surface varnish, earlier research, it was discovered that In 1868, French printer Hippolyte the process for sroring preserved food Marinoni developed a technique that required significant modification before eliminated the need for lithographic it could be marketed. limesrone as the printing surface in Donkin's investigations revealed that uaditionallithographic srone-printing. the cork sroppers specified in Appert's Marinoni substituted a flexible zinc plate technique were not air-tight and that, in for the gray lithographic srone and fitted fact, complete sterilization was not for canned meat, and by 1815 tins it onto a printing cylinder mounted occurring. His experiments led ro the containing preserved roast veal and directly above the flatbed press. Printing use of airtight tinplate canisters-iron carrots were travelling ro the Poles with (Continued on page 37) 28 March 1995 stamping press was patented that cut out OFFSET (Continued from page 28) the ends of cans from sheets of tinplate. from zinc plates proved less than This invention was followed by a foot satisfactory, however, as the plates rapidly operated jig that held the formed can in wore out from friction caused by direct place while its seam was soldered, so that contact with the tinplate. by 1870, one person could produce This problem was overcome in approximately 60 cans per hour. In 1883 ~ h Recycling England in 1875. Robert Barclay and]. Edwin and Oliver Norton of Chicago Doyle Fry patented a system for invented a machine that mechanically transferring the image from the zinc soldered the can's seam, raising DEDICATED TO printing plate to an impression cylinder production statistics to 2,500 cans per HELPING YOU MEET which, in turn, came into contact with hour. This figure doubled within a YOUR RECYCLING the tinplate to be printed. The surface of decade as the Norton brothers OBJECTIVES this impression cylinder was initially introduced their automated stamping coated with a specially treated cardboard, machine, capable of die-cutting complete but by 1880, this material was replaced can bodies with a single impression. Also by the now familiar rubber blanket. In adding to production speed, continuous addition to manufacturing the first tins drying ovens were introduced by 1914 Paper is more decorated by direct lithographic that allowed tinplate to be printed and valuable now printing, Barclay and Fry's London firm "stoved," in a continuous operation that also built and sold lithographic presses eliminated the need for human handling. than ever touting this novel design. Advertising with multi-colored f Lithographic zinc plate printing during tinplate images proved so effective it was before ... the 1870's and 1880's was done in one commonly applied to household color. To add contrast to the finished commodities of all types from the end of work, a solid base color was usually the 19th century on. Coffee containers, It's time to look printed on one side of the tinplate, which peanut butter tins, metal tea boxes, at a more required air drying (taking the better part talcum powder canisters, tooth paste of the day) before the lithographic image tubes, and English biscuit tins all profitable could be applied. This image was often required the lithographer's attention. By recycling plan for sealed beneath a coat of clear lacquer that 1909, even tuna fish had found its way also required time to air dry.

Load more