Steel engraving is an intaglio printmaking technique in which the image is cut or etched into a plate of steel rather than the softer copper used previously. Ink is held in the incised lines and transferred to damp paper under the heavy pressure of a rolling press, producing a print with exceptionally fine, crisp detail.
Steel plates came into use for printing pictures in Britain in the 1820s. Because steel is so much harder than copper, a plate could yield thousands of impressions without noticeable wear, which made the technique ideal for book illustration, magazines, literary annuals and topographical publications. Steel engravings of landscapes, country houses, towns, portraits and reproductions of paintings were produced in vast quantities throughout the Victorian period, often with remarkably delicate tonal effects achieved through fine lines and stippling. From the mid nineteenth century copper plates could also be given a thin facing of steel to extend their life. Individual steel engravings are generally modest in value, but they are attractive and affordable for decoration, especially in sets. Collectors look for strong impressions, clean paper, wide margins and subjects of local or historical interest.
