Collection: Antique Steel Engravings

During the early part of the 19th century copper was replaced by steel for many sorts of printing plates. An American, Jacob Perkins, developed a process of steel engraving for banknotes in 1819. Steel was much harder wearing, meaning that thousands of impressions could be taken before signs of wear appeared. Steel also allowed the engraver to produce much finer detail than copper, because the wear on the plate was much slower. The engraving was made on steel that had been annealed to soften it. After the plate had been engraved on it was rehardened. With the advent of steel engraving, there was a new impetus given to produce illustrated books, as the much greater number of prints possible from a steel plate reduced the costs of printing images. 1820 to 1840 was the last great age of line engraving. Steel allowed line engraving to be pushed to the limit, with prints being produced in such detail that one needs a magnifying glass to see the individual lines.

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  • Brighton from Kemp Town - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1838
    Brighton from Kemp Town - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1838
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  • Antique Map of Sussex by T Moule - Steel Engraving circa 1848
    Antique Map of Sussex by T Moule - Steel Engraving circa 1848
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    $207.00
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  • Kemptown, Brighton - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1841
    The Pavilion Brighton - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1841
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  • Battle of Waterloo - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1860
    Battle of Waterloo - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1860
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  • Duke of Wellington - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1860
    Duke of Wellington - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1860
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  • Horatio Nelson - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1860
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  • Napoleon I - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1860
    Napoleon I - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1860
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  • Death of Lord Nelson - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1860
    Death of Lord Nelson - Antique Steel Engraving c1860
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  • Marine Parade & Chain Pier Brighton - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1845
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    $88.00
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  • Battle of Montebello - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1858
    Battle of Montebello - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1858
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    $39.00
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  • Louise Duchess of La Valliere - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1844
    Louise Duchess of La Valliere - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1844
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    $49.00
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  • The Duchess of Kent - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1840
    The Duchess of Kent - Antique Steel Engraving circa 1840
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    $42.00
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