Stone printing was an exciting discovery in 1796, but it wasn't until the late 19th century that lithography became more widely used. In 1904, Ira Rubel of New Jersey stumbled upon a missing sheet that led to the development of the first offset press. This press, which used a zinc plate, rubber blanket, and impression cylinder, revolutionized the printing industry. By the 1960s, offset had overtaken letterpress as the preferred printing method due to its ability to replicate higher quality four-color prints. As offset printing celebrates its 120th anniversary, we can reflect on its major impact it had in the industry.
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The printing press is either the greatest blessing
or the greatest curse of modern times,
sometimes one forgets which it is.
The most powerful machine ever developed by man
was not the nuclear reactor nor the computer.
It was the Printing press, without which
neither would have seen the light of day.