PROOF (OF. prove, preure, Fr. preare, from Lat. proba, proof, from prohnre, to test, exam ine). In the mechanical arts, a trial copy or impression. Thus, in the art of die-sinking, the impressions taken from the the from time to time as it is brought to a state of approximate completion are called proofs, as their purpose is to guide the artist. They are, of course, struck in metal of no great intrinsic value except in the case of the last state of the die, or what is expected to be the last, when a proof will be taken in the metal intended to be used. As, however, museums and private collectors com pete with one ;mother eagerly for the proof copies of coins. and still more eagerly for proofs of important medallions, it is not unusual to take a number of such impressions from the com pleted die. These are sometimes marked as proofs by having a peculiar characteristic. Thus, all modern coined money is saved from the attacks of those who clip or pare the edges of silver and gold pieces (which practice was a great abuse as late as the eighteenth century) by baying raised letters around the edge, such as "Dieu protge in France." on some French coins of the Third Empire and the Republic, or else by having the edge fluted or reeled with little bars across it. These will be omitted in the proofs.
In the printing of books and periodicals. the proofs used are of several different kinds, and these are described under the title PRINTING.
The most important use of the word in con nection with the arts is the name given to trial impressions from an engraved wood block or plate. (See PRINT.) It is customary to take these proof impressions at different tittles as the plate approaches completion. ;Ind such hnpres sions are called engravers' proofs, and, in spite of their showing an incomplete state of the plate, are sure to command high prices in the ease of an engraving of any importance. The engravers' proofs. taken as the plate approaches completion, are extremely brilliant and effective, because they are taken one by one, by hand, and with great care; the same brilliancy is preserved in the earliest proofs which are printed off ex pressly for sale. These are often classified in some special way. It is customary in the case of a large and important engraving for the artist to etch upon the margin of the plate some very small design. as a head, a figure of a bird or beast, or even a sketched incident with two figures, and this little picture is printed with the large composition which occupies the greater part of the plate. impressions so taken are
called remarque proofs, and are recognized as being the earliest. The ronarque being planed away or the plate cut down, the proofs next taken are known as artists' proofs. All this time the intended lettering on the edge of the plate. that is to say. the title of the picture and the name of the engravcr,and of the artist of whose original work the engraving, is a copy in so many cases, have not been added. Proofs made from the unlettered plate are called gen erally proofs before the letter or proofs before any fetter. lf, now, the names of the original artist, if any, and of the engraver are added just below the edge of the picture, proofs taken at this stage are called proofs before the title, or by some such name invented for the purpose. What is said here of the engraver's or artist's name does not refer to the appearance of any artist's signature within the boundaries of the picture itself ; for in many etchings and similar works the signature is almost a part of the design. The proofs with open letters are those in which the large capital letters of the title are inserted, hut left in outline. After these letters are completed, the ordinary prints are taken.
There are still to be noted the proofs of artistic engravings, which are never lettered on the margin. which are not intended to have any title, or any name of artist or publisher, or any number or letter whatever on the margin. A conscientious etcher is Very careful in noting, the number of editions printed from any plate thus unsigned. flue plate may he changed after any given printing; new effects may be produced, worn lines strengthened.
From this it will be seen what is the real im portance of first state and second state, and the like, in artistic engravings. (See ETC11 1 NG ; LINE ENGRAVING; :MEZZOTINT.) The first state is apt to be preferred, because there is certainty that the plate has not been worn at this stage of its existence. It may he. however, that the second state is preferred for many reasons. There are some of the fiber Studiorion in which the second state is admittedly finer. An impres sion on vellum of the second stale of an etching may be better than an impression on paper of the first state, because prints on vellum are care fully taken and because of the exceptional beauty of a print upon this particular material. Again, the first state may 'be only known from the second state or other subsequent states by some very slight and hardly noticeable modification.