This set of etched printing moulds from Kuon Ying Press (冠英印务局) were previously used to print the logos or receipts for Chinese clan associations in Kampar—a town in Perak, Malaysia. Kampar was a major tin-mining town in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with large numbers of Chinese immigrants settling in Kampar to work in the tin-mining industry. Hence, there were many clan associations set up in Kampar to serve the needs of these immigrants. 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.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.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.
