Aesop's Fables > Aesop's Artifacts > Other Printed Materials > Printer's Blocks and Plates

Printer's Blocks and Plates

1930?  Arts and Crafts Movement Metal Original Printer’s Block ‘Aesop’s Fables’ (or ‘Tables’?).  8.25” x 11.6” x 1”.  $60 from John Briody through Ebay, July, ’25.

Reversing this printer’s block raises a question.  “Fables” or “Tables”?  A quick web search reveals several instances of “Aesop’s Tables.”  And in either case, where might this have come from?  What a curious piece!  I put it with “Printed Material” because that is the closest category I can think of.  The sweep of the calligraphy is lovely!

 

 

 

 

1940? Printer’s Block of George Ade’s “The Fable of The Good People Who Rallied to the Support of the Church.”  Mounted on wood, with a hook for hanging.  9.7” x 2.7”.  Unknown source.

What fun!  Our collection has a number of individual George Ade “Fables in Slang” cut out of newspapers – unfortunately not featuring this one.   We have a number of his books.  For those who do not want to read either forwards or in mirror-fashion, I lay out the text here.  By the way, I was surprised how easy the printer’s block was to read when I flipped it in my computer!

 

 

The Fable of The Good People Who Rallied to the Support of the Church

    A CONGREGATION needed Money for repairing the Church, so the Women got together and decided to hold a Raspberry Festival. Sister Frisbie invited them to come and Carouse on her Front Lawn. Some 22 Members of the Flock flew out and bought a few Things to Wear, the Outlay for washable Finery running to about $8 per Head.

    Mr. Frisbie got $9 worth of Chinese Lanterns and strung them around. He wanted to do the Thing up Brown so as to get a Puff in the Weekly. The Paper came out and said that the Frisbie Front Yard with its Myriad Twinkling Lights was a Veritable Fairy-Land. That kind of a Notice is worth $9 of anybody's Money.

    Mr. Frisbie and three other Pillars of the Church devoted $7 worth of valuable Time to unloading Tables and Camp-Stools.

    The Women Folks ruined $14 worth of Complexion working in the hot Kitchen to make Angel Food and Fig Cake.

    On the Night of the Raspberry Orgy the Public trampled down $45 worth of Shrubbery.

    When it came time to check up the Linen and Silverware it was found that $17 worth of Spoons with Blue Thread tied around them had been lost in the Shuffle.

    The Drip from the Candles ruined $29 worth of Summer Suits and Percale Shirt-Waists.

Four Children gorged themselves and each was tied in a True Lover's Knot with Cholera Morbus before another Sunrise. The Doctor Bills footed up $18.

    After clearing the Wreck, paying the Drayman and settling for the lee Cream and Berries, it was discovered that the Church was $6.80 to the Good. So everybody said it was a Grand Success.

MORAL: Anything to avoid dropping it in the Basket.

 

 

1950?  Metal printer’s block of TH.  1” x 5/8”.  Wooden base.  Unknown source.

Unusual in that the hare seems to be watching the tortoise strain by.  I wonder what a printer’s block like this might be used for. 

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