Copying Technique, compiled by Frank R. Fraprie and Robert H. Morris.

American Photographic Publishing Co., 1942. Hardcover in blue cloth, fine, with protected near very good dust jacket with some spots on front cover.  Copyright 1940, second printing May 1942.  128 pages.  Thorough treatment of subject. See photo of table of contents that accompanies this listing.  Quite uncommon, especially with dust jacket. Summary: 

Copying Technique (1940, reprinted 1942), compiled by Frank R. Fraprie and Robert H. Morris, is a technical manual published during the "Golden Age" of photographic chemistry. Part of the Practical Photography series, this book was the "bible" for professional and amateur photographers tasked with the forensic reproduction of documents, paintings, and existing photographs before the era of the modern photocopier.

Core Themes and Technical Manual

• The Science of Reproduction: The book focuses on the "perfect copy"—the ability to reproduce a two-dimensional object without loss of detail or tonal distortion. It treats photography not as an art, but as a precise mechanical and chemical science.

• Overcoming Technical Hurdles: A significant portion of the text is dedicated to solving real-world problems: eliminating glare from oil paintings, managing the grain of old paper, and "filtering" out stains or yellowing in historical documents.

• Specialized Equipment: Fraprie and Morris detail the use of specialized "copy stands," bellows cameras, and macro lenses. They emphasize that the quality of a copy depends on the alignment of the optical axis and the uniformity of the light source.

Visual and Procedural Style

• Filter Theory: The book provides a masterclass in the use of color filters to enhance contrast. For example, it explains how using a red filter can "vanish" a red ink stain on a black-and-white document—a critical skill for archival work.

• Chemistry for Contrast: The manual outlines specific developer formulas (often high-contrast "process" developers) designed to render text as sharp, deep black against a pure white background, mimicking the clarity of a printed page.