This set of etched printing moulds from Kuon Ying Press (冠英印务局) were previously used to print punch cards in Kampar—a town in Perak, Malaysia. Before the advent of computers, the bulk printing of text, logos and patterns requires skilful carving of wooden blocks by hand. With technological advancements, etched printing plates were used for mass printing as they are more durable than wooden printing blocks and can be reused many times before showing signs of wear and tear.Etched printing moulds are created by using strong acid to cut into metal surfaces (usually copper) to create designs. To produce a print, each plate would be covered with ink and the surface ink wiped off, leaving only ink along the etched lines. The plate and a piece of paper would then be placed together in a press to print the image. Multiple moulds of the same image are sometimes made to create a variety of colours on the finished product.Kuon Ying Press was established in the 1920s and printed a variety of materials ranging from cinema tickets to wedding invitation cards for the local community. Kuon Ying Press also served as a half-way house for immigrants from the founder’s hometown in China (Heshan, Guangdong) who stayed at the shop while they search for jobs in Malaya. The shop remained in operation during the Japanese Occupation and might have printed for the Japanese army as well.
