2- Color Calendar Marker listed on Damosel

I am trying to identify the foundry that made this 2 color piece listed on Damosel Printers blocks. It is a Jan 1 calendar marker with songbirds on it.
Here is the link to the picture of the piece:
http://www.damoselsprintersblocks.com/store/index.php?main_page=advanced...
Does anyone have collection of calendar markers and know the history of this one or a good source to find out more information? I am very interested in finding more calendar markers.
Thanks

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This was cast by the American Type Founders company and offered in their 1923 catalog. This was simply listed as one of dozens and dozens of designs offered as Holiday Decorators for the Christmas/New Years holidays.

Rick

Thanks Rick. Do you have a 1923 American Type Founders catalog? I am going to the APA wayzgoose in Two Rivers and really would like to look at the other ones.
Thanks
Marijane

Hi Marijane,

Yes, I have the 1923 ATF book. I assume that someone will have a copy for sale at the Wayzgoose swap meet. I spent about five weeks cleaning and organizing my shop this winter and will probably be overloaded bringing stuff to sell at the swap meet. I have two copies of the 1923 ATF book. I keep one in my library and the other is in the shop.

However, I thought that I might have three or four 1925 BB&S catalogs around. When I finally got everything organized I discovered I actually have SEVEN copies, so I’ll be bringing a couple of those with me to sell. Lots and lots of borders to sell also.

Rick

Rick, seven? I have seen so many nice examples of that at reasonable prices lately, it’s a wonder I don’t have half a dozen myself. I wonder why that one is so abundant?

Thanks, I have a 1912 ATF book, so will now look in it to see if the Calendar markers are in there. Can not wait to see of the stuff at the swap meet.
Marijane

Kimaboe -

I honestly don’t know why that is. I am in Iowa and perhaps BB&S (in Chicago) was the more ‘local’ or regional foundry. ATF did have branches in all the major metropolitan areas around the country and one would think that they probably issued more catalogs than BB&S.

Over the decades, if I ran across a catalog in the $25-30 range it would be a no-brainer to grab it. Those prices dried-up a long time ago.

My CROWN JEWEL is a 1902 Desk Book of Printing Types made by the American Type Founders Company, Boston Branch. I also have an 1898 first edition of this book which is in great shape. The 1902 Third Edition is spectacular.

It is a VIRGIN copy, still in the original printed carton that it was issued in. It has a plane brown paper dustjacket and has a folded letter tucked inside the front cover asking the recipient to acknowledge the receipt of the book. The paperboard box (the top slips over the bottom) is printed on all sides and is mainly advertising the abilities of the Brightwood Automatic Box Machine. The two people I consider to have the best foundry catalog collections in the country (Dave Peat and Steve Saxe) have never seen anything like this. It may well be the only original box still in existance.

I think I paid $125 for that back in the late 70’s. I instantly knew that I would probably never see anything like that again in my lifetime, and so far I was right.

Rick

Rick, I got my first BB&S 25-A for $20, the cover had a tear but the pages were perfect. These days I see a few floating around at $50. I also recently found one of their 1907 specimens for 35.

I picked up my raggedy copy of the 1912 ATF for $5 on eBay last year. Its covers have seen better days, but no damage to the pages themselves, no cutouts etc. I’ve never paid more than $50 for any of my specimens, but I have a feeling I’ll soon have to break that streak if I want the collection to keep growing.

-Kim

I totally understand. I try to keep my best copies in the library and the less than perfect copies in my shop. In reality I simply want to be able to see the contents to look things up and study them.

My original “preliminary edition” (paperback) of Mac McGrew’s book was used by me so much it literally started falling apart. No problem, I simply trimmed off the spine, three-hole punched it and now it resides in a binder (and opens flat because of the rings!).

I also buy reprints of things like American Wood Type and Hamilton’s 1907 Wood Type catalog simply to keep the originals from getting worn-out. In the case of the Hamilton catalog the coated paper is so brittle it tends to fall apart.

I also have an absolutely disgusting-looking copy of a 1909 (?) Inland Type Foundry catalog that had been water damaged in a flood. Once again it is three-hole punched and in a binder so it is a usable reference book.

Rick