Printing technique

The map was originally printed in one colour using gravure printing presses; this continued until 1939.
The engravings and incisions in the copper are visible on the printed page.

Relief is indicated by using hachures with the light coming from the Northwest, which makes the map stand out particularly well. The Topographical Bureau won several international awards with this so-called «Swiss touch», and even a gold medal at the1855 World Exhibition in Paris.
In copperplate printing the very runny printing ink is spread over the plate, which is then carefully wiped clean so that ink only remains in the recesses formed by the lines of the engraving. The plate is then pressed with considerable force against a sheet of humid paper, which absorbs the ink in the recesses.

Between 1908 and 1910 a second colour, namely blue, was used to show water. Green was later introduced for showing woods, and red for distances in kilometres.