Prior to 1892 there was a large number of independent type foundries producing type and blocks for the letterpress printing industries. Type foundries were companies that designed, manufactured, and distributed typefaces. Typefaces are the various fonts or lettering used in today’s digital age. Many of the original designs from the early type foundries are still distributed electronically today. Each typeface usually included the alphabet, numbers, and punctuation marks. Some also included ideograms and symbols and in some cases the typeface consisted entirely of them. A typeface and a font used to have individual distinctions, however with the digital age the two became interchangeable terms.


In 1892 American Type Founders (ATF) was created and 23 of the early type foundries were merged into the corporation. Other major type foundries were also absorbed into the ATF Corporation soon thereafter. ATF became the dominant metal type manufacturer from 1892 until at least the 1940s. They continued to be influential into the 1960s. With the invention Linotype Machine, profits began to decline in the 1920s and the company went through bankruptcy and reorganization in 1934. The ATF company did continue to operate until 1986 when it was acquired by Kingsley and Kingsley ATF closed it’s doors in 1993.


Pin marks on foundry cast type were originally a “pin like” mark left by the early type casters, as the type was removed from the mold. With the advancement of casting equipment in the 19th century, the pin was no longer required. The pin mark evolved into an identifying mark by the producing foundry. Those unique pin identification marks can be used today to identify exactly where the specific piece of type was produced. The round pin marks were on the metal type and the foundries also used stamp impressions to identify the manufacturer of specific printer’s blocks or letterpress cuts. We host a small assortment of some early pin and foundry markings on our website and you may view those here.

This gorgeous antique printer’s block features the classic Jack Sprat bust framed by the name Jack Sprat, and above the text: Food Store. It is an electrotype copper face mounted on hardwood block. We actually have three of these on our website. Two of them are copper faced, the other is white metal faced. The block shown above measure 2 9/16” x 2 9/16” and is “type-high”. Jack Sprat Food Stores were one of the original Grocery store chains in the USA. There is little information on the significance of Jack Sprat as an advertising character or why he was chosen as a brand name. They were very popular in the 1930 – 40s but history on them seems to be lacking? A classic Jack Sprat Food Stores ad was worded as follows from the Madison Lake Times, June 16, 1938.


At Jack Sprat Food Stores you are certain to find just the thing you are looking for at most reasonable prices. On our shelves this week we are offering our customary Friday and Saturday Specials. If you are looking for meats, groceries, fruits, or vegetables, be sure to stop here and look over the displays in our food stores.


Jack Sprat originated as a nursery rhyme in England somewhere around the 17th century. It became well known when it was made it into “Mother Goose’s Melody” around 1765. The poem is said to have history that relates back to King Charles I (1600-1649) and Henrietta Maria, his Queen (1609-1669). It is said that when King Charles (Jack Sprat) declared war on Spain, parliament refused to finance him, leaving him lean! So his wife imposed an illegal war tax to get some fat, after the angered King (Jack Sprat) dissolved Parliament.


Complete Jack Sprat Nursery Rhyme:


Jack Sprat could eat no fat.
His wife could eat no lean.
And so between them both, you see,
They licked the platter clean.


Jack ate all the lean,
Joan ate all the fat.
The bone they picked it clean,
Then gave it to the cat


Jack Sprat was wheeling,
His wife by the ditch.
The barrow turned over,
And in she did pitch.


Says Jack, "She'll be drowned!"
But Joan did reply,
"I don't think I shall,
For the ditch is quite dry.".

A sampling of the different style Santa Claus graphics on some of our antique printers blocks. They range in size up to 6” and include both metal alloy and electrotype copper face mounted on solid boxwood bases. Used in the past to print Christmas Holiday greeting cards and advertisements. Our Western version of Santa Claus is a mythical character that brings gifts to the homes of the good children on Christmas Eve, December 24th. He is also known as Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, or simply Santa. Belsnickel is the fur-clad Santa of the Palatinate (Pfalz) in northwestern Germany along the Rhine, the Saarland, and the Odenwald region of Baden-Württemberg. In Pennsylvania Dutch communities, it is also a mythical being that visits children at Christmas time. If they have not been good, they will find coal and/or switches in their stockings. The Belsnickel was a scary creature not well loved except by parents wanting to keep their children in line. Among some families of German descent, Belsnickel delivers socks or shoes full of candy to children on the feast day of St. Nicholas, December 6. Enjoy some of the variations depicted on the below cuts / blocks.