reading the literature on the early koban proofs, raises some confusion ... woodward believed the proofs were lithographed, and spaulding points to die size being 0.5mm larger than final typo examples. likely, these were prepared before the die hardening process...
plate proofs printed on wet parchment paper are very smooth lined ... the proof sheets : 2 steel and 1 parchment. this sandwich was then placed between 2 rollers - or, perhaps a flat plate impression was made ... result, a fine impression, closest to artist drawing.
the typographic press plates, differ ... dry paper method...
hardening of the die, transfer to plate matrix , then rolling to fit a rotary press. result, the increased temperatures and pressures cause both shrinkage and metal striations ( as igneous rock) ...
modern typography, can add a chroming process to rotary-typo-plate to minimize faults.
