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1

Antique Questions Forum / Press Plates

« on: November 07, 2005, 06:44:50 pm »

Thank you Tim.
On the advise of one of my co-workers, my friend is contacting the current publisher of the newspaper.
I never considered there might be another name for them.

K~

2

Antique Questions Forum / Press Plates

« on: November 04, 2005, 07:02:55 pm »

Help! I've spent a week researching these things and have come up empty handed!

A friend of mine came into posession of a number of printing plates. Being that I work in the newspaper field, he asked for my help. I've gone up the ladder and can't get an answer as to the value of these items. My friend had listed them on Ebay, and wasn't happy with the results. Technically since I put in the highest bid, I am now more than a bystander.

They are old, lead, mounted on about an inch of solid wood, 6 in total, from two separate dates, and only 1 'front page' plate.

Here's the tricky part. They are dated Dec, 6 1918 and Nov 8 1918 and the masthead confirms they are from  "The Stars & Stripes" - Covering WW1 from Paris, France for the troops there. I've even found copies of the actual pages they produced from the Library of Congress.

I don't know a whole lot about pricing, but I was told that they normally  melted down these lead plates to reuse them for the following edition of the paper. Which makes them legitimately rare (not just in an Ebay kind of way). Then there is a certain amount of historical value to take into consideration. Correct??  

My friend and I agree that they're worth something. We just don't know what. There's also the thought in the back of my mind that the Dept of Defense is going to show up and demand their property back - ok, so it's way in the back of my mind, but it's there. Like a NASA moon rock manuver.

Any ideas?? Thoughts?? Suggestions??

Any would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance -
K~