Publishing Plates: Stereotyping and Electrotyping in Nineteenth-Century US Print Culture

Stereotyping was first realized commercially in the late eighteenth century, revolutionizing the book printing industry. Publishing Plates explores the technological and cultural shifts that resulted from its introduction in the United States, tracing the first uses in Philadelphia in 1812, its adoption by printers in New York and Philadelphia, and its effects on the trade. It also examines the origins of the American publishing industry and American mass media, changes in authorship, copyright, and language, and their effects on writers and literary circles.

Format: Hardback
Length: 214 pages
Publication date: 22 November 2022
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

Stereotyping, a revolutionary printing technique that emerged in the late eighteenth century, revolutionized the book printing industry. This process involved creating solid printing plates from moveable type, leading to significant changes in shop practices, distribution methods, and the author-publisher relationship. Publishing Plates, a comprehensive account of stereotyping's introduction in the United States, delves into the technological and cultural shifts that ensued.

Jeffrey M. Makala, in his book, traces the early uses of stereotyping in Philadelphia in 1812, its adoption by printers in New York and Philadelphia, and its profound impact on the trade. Through meticulous research and analysis of archival records, Makala unveils the intricate web of printers, typefounders, authors, and publishers who witnessed the rapid transformation of small, regional, artisan-based printing traditions into the industrialized publishing industry that emerged in the United States in the mid-century.

Makala's book offers a captivating exploration of the origins of the American publishing industry and American mass media. Through case studies of the publisher Mathew Carey and the American Bible Society, one of the pioneering publishers of cheap Bibles, Makala delves into the complex interplay between authorship, copyright, and language and their profound effects on writers and literary circles. By examining the works and lives of renowned figures such as Herman Melville, Sojourner Truth, Edgar Allan Poe, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman, among others, Makala sheds light on the ways in which stereotyping shaped the literary landscape and influenced the development of American culture.

Publishing Plates is a meticulously researched and richly detailed work that incorporates perspectives from the fields of book history, technology history, material culture studies, and American studies. It presents a comprehensive history of stereotyping, offering insights into its technological advancements, cultural impact, and its profound influence on the publishing industry and American society. This book is a valuable resource for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the history of technology, literature, and media.

Weight: 464g
Dimension: 159 x 238 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271094038