BLUNT -1940 Bet It’s A Boy; different production processes

Not all four editions issued during 1940 and 1941 of Betty Bacon Blunt’s wordless novel, Bet It’s A Boy, used the same production process.

Sample image used to compare
production values of the four editions.

I lack the technical knowledge regarding the printing process and invite comments regarding the images below. Please contact me at

wn at worldessnovels.com

Credit will be given for any information received.

It is my assumption Blunt drew the black lines with an ink pen and then added the blue and yellow with a water colour brush. Then images were reproduced using some type of photo-lithographic method.

The following image details are taken from each of the four editions. Attention is given to the black line drawing, particularly at the top of the woman’s calf and on the upper shin. Also compare the blue shading. This is like “Spot the Difference”:

1940 Cider Press. The black lines are smoothly drawn.
1940 General Publishing. The black lines and the blue
shading appear to be the same as above ie presumably
both used the same printing plates or negatives.
1940 Perfect Bound. This appears to have been traced from the earlier
editions above. Note how the line at the top of the calf butts in as
opposed to flowing smoothly like the first two.
Also note the blob towards the top of the shin – it appears
as if the person doing the tracing stopped and started again.
1941 Hardcover (Australia). The black lines don’t have the
shakiness of the Perfect Bound but they are a bit heavier
and the blue shading is slightly different than the first two.

COMMENTS

If you disagree with something on this page, have an improvement, or have a comment please contact me
wn at wordlessnovels.com

Any information used will be given a credit line.

Rey

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