M O D E R N R E P R O G R A P H I C S | JUNE 2000
Repro Roots
Necessity is the Mother of Invention
By Denise M. Gustavson
So what business are you in? Is it blueprinting or is it something
else? Nowadays, it can be hard to say exactly what type of shop you
are running. You may provide blueprints, you might output
large-format tradeshow graphics, you could create large outdoor
signage, perhaps you provide litigation graphic services, or create
POP displays and signage. But what do you call yourself? A
reprographics shop? A digital color shop? You could be a photo lab,
a quick printer, or commercial printer expanding into the
wide-format arena. These days it's getting harder and harder to
identify who does what.
In order to fully realize where we are going, we need to see where
we've been. This industry has gone through many changes throughout
the years, many of which were urged on by the customers of the
blueprinting shops. These customers demanded more services and as
the years progressed and technology improved, they got what they
wanted. But where did it all begin?
Genesis
As with any story, there has to be a beginning--and blueprinting has
an interesting start. It is said that a process similar to
blueprinting was known to the Phoenicians in ancient times.
Apparently, the Phoenicians made opaque drawings on translucent
papyrus and used the sun to transfer the designs. The practical art
of blueprinting, however, is a fairly recent discovery and its
widespread use came about with the growth of industrial construction
during the 20th century.
Its inauspicious modern start was in 1840, when Sir John Frederick
William Herschel, an English mathematician, astronomer, and chemist,
was working with light sensitive emulsions. He observed that light
impressed upon a paper coated with silver chloride became tinted
with nearly all the colors in the spectrum. He experimented further
and discovered that paper coated with potassium citrate and then
exposed to light produced a blue color. By first drawing on thin,
translucent paper and laying it on top of the coated paper and
exposing these layers to sunlight, he discovered that it produced a
print of white images on a blue field. He is reported to be the
originator of the terms positive and negative in connection to this
solar blueprinting process, having used these terms in a report to
the Royal Society of England on his experiments.
This process spread to France, Germany, and Switzerland, where many
improvements in its practical application were developed. By the
early 1870s, it is reported that the mining, heavy machinery,
industrial building, and railway operations of Europe had whole
departments for blueprint copying of drawings and maps. Its first
introduction to the United States was in 1876 when the process was
demonstrated by the Swiss at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.
It seems that blueprints were shown at the exposition more as a
curiosity than anything else. Even when blueprints came into general
use by architects, engineers, and builders, it was thought that the
only satisfactory way to make them was by means of sunlight. Thus
blueprinting in the early days was subject to the changes in the
weather.
Blueprinting in the early days could hardly be called a fine art.
The instructions which accompanied the formula stated that the
chemical solution should be spread evenly on the paper with a sponge
in a dark room. The tracing for the blueprint and the prepared paper
were then placed in a frame and exposed to the sunlight. After
exposure, the blueprint was washed in water and hung up to dry.
It is recorded that in February 1878, P. Barnes of Plainfield, NJ
published the first workable blueprint formula in the US. It was
basically the same mixture that Herschel had used back in 1840. In
1879 Silliman and Farnsworth of New York City were engaged as
architects for the Chemical Laboratory Building of Vassar College.
This building had been donated to the college by the sons of Matthew
Vassar, founder of Vassar College. Silliman and Farnsworth had been
selected for this work because Silliman was also a chemist and
familiar with the laboratory requirements.
Silliman brought from New York City three blueprints of the proposed
laboratory building. According to the Architectural Record of May
1932, these blueprints were a sensation in Poughkeepsie, NY. And
well they might have been, as they are thought to be some of the
first blueprints ever produced.
Over the next 20 years, a revolution seemed to sweep through
American architectural and engineering offices. Tracing drawings to
make copies was more or less eliminated. By the 1890s, tracing was
estimated to cost 10 times more than blueprinting.
The standard, bare bones blueprinting machine was a simple glazed
frame with a spring loaded back, into which the original and the
blueprint paper could be placed. Then this device had to be placed
in sunlight from two to 30 minutes. Typical exposures for blueprints
could stretch into hours on cloudy days. This eventually gave rise
to the movable sunframe. A.H. Mathias, one of the oldest reported
firms in the IRgA, was located on the top floor at 57 Federal Street
in Allegheny, PA to allow rooftop access for exposing original
drawings to sunlight.
In 1886, the Keystone Blue Paper Company was formed expressly for
the purpose of coating paper by machine, but mechanical difficulties
delayed the work. Frank A. Brunner of Keystone got a Gold Medal at
the Chicago Exposition for what he called his Blue Process Paper.
H.A. Rogers of Minneapolis, who compiled much early history of the
International Reprographic Association (formerly The International
Association of Blueprint and Allied Industries), credits Brunner
with being the first to have raw stock made to specification for
blueprint use in France, the first man to make a fast paper with
good color, and the first man to use arc lights successfully for
printing.
Although the coating of a strand of paper had been accomplished by
about 1890 by the Keystone Co. and others, it remained for Williams,
Brown & Earle of Philadelphia to make one of the first continuous
sensitizing machines in 1900. The stock was rolled onto a bar, 50
yards at a time, and lowered into the solution. The wet stock was
passed through the dry box which was heated by three Bunsen burners
covered by a perforated metal plate. A motor pulled the paper
through and it was wound onto a roller and stored for future use.
Well into the 20th century, carriages for exposing blueprints to
sunlight were common sights in the office districts of most cities.
A New Industry, A New Century
In October 1900, a patent was filed for the Star Photo-Printing
Machine that claimed both sun and electric printing capabilities of
drawings up to 70'x54" wide, which were mounted on a track that
could pass through a window opening less than 2x3'. The first
vertical blueprinting machine, using an arc lamp for printing was
brought out by B.J. Hall and Co., of London, England and soon after,
(1898) one was introduced in the United States. As the arc lamps
improved in reliability, the vertical blueprint machine grew in
popularity. By 1905, most of the blueprints were made on vertical
machines, although some still clung to the sunframes.
Williams, Brown & Earle offered blueprint machines of variable
speeds. Prints could be made at a maximum speed setting of one (one
minute exposure) up to 10 for a ten minute exposure. The exposed
prints fell into a dark box for washing and drying at a later time.
A complete machine for tracings up to 30" wide was priced at $400.
In 1903, two engineers--Everatt in the west and McAdam in the
east--on almost the same day, conceived the idea of making use of
the Cooper-Hewitt mercury vapor lamp for blueprinting purposes,
enclosing one or more of these lamps in a revolving glass cylinder.
Their applications reached the Patent Office at the same time and
they decided to combine their efforts rather than fight it out in
court. A roll of tracing cloth was used in this machine as a medium
for holding the blueprint paper and tracing in contact with a
felt-covered cylinder, the tracing and blueprint paper being carried
past a bank of arc lamps.
In 1910, three continuous machines came on the market--the Paragon,
the Blue Streak, and the Pease automatic. The Pease Automatic,
invented and developed by C.F. Pease, combined printing, washing,
and drying equipment.
During the 1930s, blueprinting benefited from improved technology
and higher productivity. In 1937, the Revolute 3H Continuous
Automatic Blueprinting Machine in 42" and 54" widths, with a choice
of gas or electric drying capability, and operating speeds up to 22
linear feet per minute was released. A year later, in Sept. 1938,
the C.F. Pease Model 27-D blueprinting machine was released.
Also at this time, photocopying was becoming more widespread. The
machines Rectigraph and Photostat generated unreversed prints that
would eventually spell an end to hand copies, which were both
time-consuming and subject to human error. Photocopying became more
important to reprographic businesses as more and more customers saw
the value of these machines. In 1935, two photocopy machine
manufacturers, Rectigraph and Haloid Co. merged.
1940s and 1950s
Although diazo emerged during the 1920s, it wasn't until after World
War II that it was established in the market. Advantages of diazo
over blueprinting were clear from the get go. Diazo is a dry process
requiring no washing or drying and it can produce finished prints in
seconds under normal lighting.
In October 1948, the Haloid Co. of Rochester, NY demonstrated its
new electrostatic process, xerography, using light and electricity
rather than chemicals to make copies. A few months later in June
1949, Haloid presented the Xerox Copier Model A and offered the
blueprinting industry exclusive resale licenses. Although the
equipment didn't meet expectations at that time, they continued to
develop and refine the process.
Color arrived in the 1950s. In 1951, G.E. Keeney introduced a new
color photocopy process, then known as Dupliton, later called
Chromastat.
1960s and 1970s
Dominance of diazo development of electrostatic copying shaped much
of the 1960s, while the appearance of computer aided drafting (CAD)
foreshadowed reprography in the 1970s and beyond. In the early
1960s, diazo was the reprographic technology of choice over the old
blueprinting methods. Diazo was cleaner and dryer, and
electrostatics offered most reprographers new services and profits.
In 1966, Plan & Print published a talk by Gerald J. Demirjian of
Chrysler Corp. that focused on the Future Computer Graphics. He
referred to computer graphics as "communications with a computer...
the ability to input and output information graphically." At this
time, IBM offered a graphics package that included a scanner to
record and digitize drawings and display them. In 1968, Joseph E.
Dietzgen, president of Eugene Dietzgen Co. presented a talk at the
annual IABPAI (now IRgA) convention encouraging the industry to
embrace this growing computer drafting technology.
The 1970s was a decade of technical advances. CAD had changed the
rules, and now blueprinters had to understand what their customers
did in order to provide services for them. Architectural and
engineering firms were heavily involved in CAD, which was saving
them time and money, eliminating mistakes, and producing better
work. CAD also ate away at traditional services like mylar washoffs,
printed forms, and screened backgrounds.
1980s
During the 1980s, the market broadened. Technologies like color and
large-format electrostatics and CAD's establishment in the A/E
markets shaped much of the industry. The growth of affordable
electrostatic technologies broadened the industry even further. In
1983, the Canon NP 4 four-color copier was introduced. 1986 saw the
release of the Xerox 2510 low-volume, large-format engineering
copier, and in 1987 the Canon color laser copier was introduced.
Xerox and Shacoh made inroads into work traditionally assigned to
photographic film, while faster, bigger copiers made advances in the
offset printing market. Color copiers allowed smaller shops to enter
the color market. CAD, however, eliminated the market for many of
the traditional graphic arts supplies.
The mid-80s was a booming time, when many new firms enjoyed these
emerging technologies and markets. This was also the time when
companies started the transition from optical/analog to digital.
1990s to Today
The 1990s was a decade of digital technology. Digital became the way
to do business for many reprographics firms. Today's shared digital
technology and information increases teamwork and helps save time.
The 1990s also marked a time when it became increasingly difficult
to notice the difference between shops. There was an increasingly
blurred line between technologies like copiers, printers, plotters,
and scanners. Technology changed rapidly and it became a challenge
to keep up. Many smaller mom-and-pop shops couldn't keep up in this
technological race and merged with other companies. Consolidation
became a buzz word in the industry by the late 1990s. Although
conversion to digital was happening throughout the country, it
wasn't as quick in some geographic areas. Individual shops needed to
stay in sync with their markets and their customers. The investments
in new technology can only be made when technology is both
affordable and justified.
Overall, many of the changes in the blueprinting industry resulted
from a need in the market. That it still the case, in many ways,
today. No longer are blueprinting shops just blueprinting shops. No
longer are they offering just blueprinting services. The edges are
blurring and shops have become what is needed by the customers and
clients. This industry is still growing and evolving. Shops must
continue to adapt to the needs of its customers, build growing
client bases, and develop and master new technology. Who knows where
this will take us, but sit back, put your seat-belt on, and get
ready for the ride of your life.
Early Movers and Shakers
1878
Eugene Dietzgen immigrates from Germany and settles in New York
where he goes to work for Keuffel & Esser, an engineering supply
house, now 11 years in business in the US. He becomes their Midwest
sales rep.
1880
The Bruning family arrives from Nyborg, Denmark and settles in
Cincinnati. Charles Bruning is 14.
1885
Eugene Dietzgen starts a business in Chicago that later becomes the
Eugene Dietzgen Co.
188?
Charles Bruning, his brother Jacob, and cousin Frederick Post arrive
in Chicago. Fred Post goes to work at Eugene Dietzgen's company. The
Bruning boys work for another blueprint company. They all learn the
blueprint business.
1893
Frederick Post, Charles Bruning, and Jacobi form their own blueprint
company in Chicago under the name Post, Jacobi, & Bruning.
189?
Jacob Bruning and W.B. Huey form American Blueprint Co. in Chicago.
1896
Charles Bruning leaves Post & Jacobi, and after a honeymoon in
Europe, returns to the US and settles in NYC. Frederick Post starts
Frederick Post. Co. in Chicago.
1897
New York Blueprint Paper is founded by Charles Bruning in January.
1898
After a fire, Bruning rebuilds the New York Blueprint Paper Co.,
only to close it and return to Chicago. He sells his blueprint
business interests to George W. Earle, founder of National Blueprint
Co.
1899
In April, Charles Bruning returns to NY and starts the Charles
Bruning Co.
1902
Bertrand L. Makepeace, who in 1895 started the B.L. Makepeace Co. in
Boston, hires 14 year old James W. Dieterich as an errand boy.
1911
James Dieterich, who has worked his way up to blueprint foreman at
B.L. Makepeace Co., goes west and lands a job as a salesman with the
K&E branch in San Francisco.
1914
In Chicago, Charles Bruning buys out W. B. Huey's interest in
American Blueprint Co. Jacob and Charles Bruning now own the
company.
1915
In the America Blueprint Co. buyout, W.B. Huey and A.W. Huey acquire
the coating rights to Bruning products and start the Huey Company.
1918
Frederick Post Co. opens a branch in San Francisco and puts
Frederick's nephews, Rudolph and Victor Post in charge. This branch
has no blueprint shop.
1921
Rudolph Post recruits Jim Dieterich from K&E and obtains financing
for a blueprint operation from his uncle, Charles Bruning. Later in
the year, the two buy out Bruning's interest and form Dieterich-Post
Company.
This article was not done solely from my own resources. Many in the
reprographic industry have been instrumental in providing
information and artwork to help me flesh out this story. Thank you
for your help. It was invaluable.--DMG
Herb Mathias, A. H. Mathias Reprographics
Dick Condon, Charleston Blueprint & Supply Co. Inc.
John Deermount, BP Repro/Graphics
Sean O'Leary, IRgA
James Ashton Greig, editor, The International Blueprinter,
February 1928-April 1928 issues
Janet Brown Arden, staff writer, Repro Report,
August 1993-December 1993 issues
Plus all of Herb Mathias' sources:
Jack Archibald and Andrea Imburgia, Eastman Kodak Co.
James Bannon, Azon Corp.
Patricia Brown, John Boswell & Associates
Charles and Edwin Bruning, Charles Bruning Co.
Bill Crocker, Ricoh Corp.
Cory Deermount Jr., BP Repro/Graphics
Ray Good, IRgA
Marjory Hinman, Broome County, NY Historical Society
Bill Joyce, B.L. Makepeace Inc.
Sid Landmann and Herb Liberman, Blueprint Services Inc.
Tony Laquintano and Barbara McDonnell, Dietzgen Corp.
Sol & Nan Magid, National Reprographics Inc.
Pamela S. McKenzie, Océ-USA Inc.
Marjorie McNinch, Hadley Museum & Library
Peter Muller, Andrews Paper & Chemical Co. Inc.
Phil Nowers, AEGIS
Ed Perry, Joseph Merritt Co. Inc.
John Schaberg, Reprographics Plus
Huey Shelton, The Huey Company
Jim Veebeck, Plan & Print Magazine
L. David West, Phoenix Blueprint Co.
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History of Blueprinting and
Architectural Blueprinting
(reproduced pending approval)
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