Abstract: A narrow gap printing plate mounting apparatus includes a printing plate (10) with a substantially curved, preferably involute tail member (24) at one end of a printing plate body (12) which is received through a narrow mating gap (20) in a rotary cylinder (18) and held against correspondingly curved cavity wall (28) by means of a resilient locking member (30). The locking member (30) presses the curved tail member (24) against the curved wall (28) in a direction which is substantially normal thereto to reduce longitudinal strain on the tail member (24). Another tail member (22) is inserted at the leading edge (20A) of the gap (20) while the curved tail member (24) presses against the lagging edge (20B) of the slot (24). When removing the plate from the cylinder (18), the curved tail member (24) at the lagging edge (20B) is removed first.