Overtime: Printers measure up

[gordo]

Printers and publishers have always looked to find ways to keep their businesses at the forefront in their customer's minds. One method was to provide them with a practical tool that would likely be used every day. In the past, giving away specialty rulers was a popular way to do this since they had markings for things like picas, points, and column widths which were of concern to print specifiers that regular rulers did not have. The rulers were usually made of wood, but not always. The Howard-Wesson Co. ruler, for example is made of brass, while the Vancouver Sun/Province ruler is plastic and the John Wilkes Press proportion wheel (yes it's not really a ruler) is solid paper.

Click on images to embiggen.

 

[keith1]

Another one. It has a metal inset along the side to prevent wear.
Could have used one of those reduction wheels this morning.

 

[Repro_Pro]

Since the 1970's other versions, typically produced on transparent, Graphic Arts photographic films became quite popular.
We used to give away different versions much like this one: