Vintage 1960s Apollo Saturn V Letterpress Block Printing Plate Set Sci-Fi UFO for Sale

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Vintage 1960s Apollo Saturn V Letterpress Block Printing Plate Set Sci-Fi UFO For Sale

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Vintage 1960s Apollo Saturn V Letterpress Block Printing Plate Set Sci-Fi UFO:
$365.00

Up for sale is an incredibly rare, cohesive archive ofthree (3) matching mid-century letterpress printing plates/cutsdating from the height of the1960s Space Race. This unique chronological set seamlessly bridges the speculative fantasy of 1950s science fiction with the hard engineering reality of the Apollo Moon program.

All three blocks originate from the exact same printing house repository, featuring matching, sequential handwritten job tracking numbers (Job 456andJob 457) in vintage grease pencil on the reverse sides and edges, verifying they were commissioned together for a single publication layout.

The Three Included Blocks:

Job 456 (The Sci-Fi Vision):A beautifully detailed, heavy photo-engraved metal plate depicting two astronauts on a cratered alien moon landscape peering through a tripod telescope at a planetary body. Features a fantastic retro-futuristic observatory tower and a classic hovering saucer UFO. Measures approximately 1" thick (standard type-high).
Job 457 - Plate A (The Stylized Rocket):A unique mixed-media block featuring a photo-engraved metal needle-nose rocket ship bursting vertically through an atmosphere of hand-carved battleship linoleum exhaust clouds and star fields. Retains beautiful, authentic purple and orange ink studio residue on the face.
Job 457 - Plate B (The Saturn V & Slogan):A magnificent, multi-plate industrial letterpress cut featuring an incredibly crisp engraving of NASA’s historicSaturn V Rocketblasting off the launch pad amid gantry frameworks and billowing smoke. The base features the reversed metal text block reading:"EDUCATION ON THE THRESHOLD OF SPACE"—the official 1960s slogan ofMelbourne High School(Brevard County, Florida), located right down the road from Cape Canaveral/Kennedy Space Center during the Apollo boom.

Condition & Specifications:

Type-High Construction:All blocks are approximately 1” thick, mounted to heavy-duty plied hardwood bases engineered to withstand commercial cylinder press beds.
Authentic Patina:The metal plates show fantastic, crisp line definition with minor, stable age-appropriate oxidation and minor handling stains. No heavy pitting or flattened text. Silver anchoring pins remain perfectly intact.
Provenance:The handwritten shop numbers (456, 457) perfectly match in script style and crayon material, proving a complete archival set.

This is an exceptional, display-ready museum piece for collectors of NASA history, Florida Space Coast memorabilia, or graphic arts history. The blocks remain completely functional for hand-pulled relief prints or studio display!