Comic Strip plate

[mastereagle22]

This one is driving me CRAZY. Found it last night and have been trying to do a search but my searching ability is about as good as a granite rock....

I have found a plate made of lead at 14-15 inches deep! Yes I am not exagerating it was really that deep.

Can anyone help me out here? If I could find a copy of this I would frame it and give it to the home owner even though this is one of the coolest things I have ever found.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Cynangyl]

woah! That is too cool!!

 

[PBK]

It appears to be Merrill Blosser's "Freckles and His Friends" comic strip. Note the name "Tag" (short for Tagalong, Freckles' sidekick or kid brother) in one of the panels. More info:

http://www.barnaclepress.com/list.php?directory=Freckles

http://www.toonopedia.com/freckles.htm

 

[bradgny]

Maybe Im just a little confused .If it were a plate for printing ,wouldnt it be backwards?

 

[PBK]

Maybe Im just a little confused .If it were a plate for printing ,wouldnt it be backwards?

I'm guessing that ME22 reversed the images for readability.

 

[warsawdaddy]

Terrific find ME!That explains why you have been MIA for awhile,it took you that long to dig that deep.Way to go,buddy.

 

[dozer dan]

are ya sure its not the katzenjammer kids from the funnypapers?

 

[PBK]

are ya sure its not the katzenjammer kids from the funnypapers?

Yep!

"The Katzenjammer Kids" strip was drawn by Rudolph Dirks, not Merrill Blosser.

Compare the signature on the plate posted by ME22 with this one (second pic) from another 1925 "Freckles and His Friends" panel.

​

​

​

 

[Cynangyl]

sheesh that PBK knows everything!

 

[Angelo]

I think PBK had a subscription to the comics when he was a teenager.

Let's see.....Freckles was being published in 1925....That would make PBK about 100 years old.

Great memory! And Great ID!

Tony

 

[PBK]

Let's see.....Freckles was being published in 1925....That would make PBK about 100 years old.

Gee, thanks, Tony!



I used to read it to my great-grandson back then!

 

[nhbenz]

Very cool item there ME22! Nice identification PBK!

 

[DD-777]

Awesome find ME - wonder how in the world it got so deep...

 

[tomted62]

Great find..I would go back and search for the front portion of this printing plate. The comic ran in a 4 panel 2 plate format. This one is from 1925 so finding the actual copy of the strip shouldn't be too hard. I'll do a little more research to see if I can find the actual date that it ran.

 

[stefen]

That is a great find, however, since the toon was syndicated, it appeared in numerous newspapers across the states. What you have represents only one paper's printing press comic panel.

It might be possible to connect it to a local paper which would add to its provenance.

From personal experience in researching several originals I own, I know there are web sites that list each cartoonist, statistics and publications...you could possibly tie it down to a specific publication date and which papers published.

I have a Sunday and several daily original panel inked art works for Dolly Dripple by cartoonist Buford Tune and spent many hours doing the research. Buford also was the artist for the Ripley's Beleive It or Not panels that ran from the 1930's thru the mid 70's when he retired.

 

[mastereagle22]

Maybe Im just a little confused .If it were a plate for printing ,wouldnt it be backwards?

I'm guessing that ME22 reversed the images for readability.

Sorry all. I did invert the image and change the coloring to read it easier. The actual plate is backwards.

Thanks to everyone for replying. I haven't really been on the forum much lately. I have some more stuff to post maybe tonight or tomorrow.

For the last hunt of the year it turned out GREAT. 4 Wheats, one a 1909 (no SVDB) darn! a 1930 Buff, a 48 quarter and this plate. Not too bad. Missed my Indian Head by one year! Oh well 2009 starts tomorrow.

 

[pegleglooker]

hey gang,
I'd be back there trying to see if there are more comic plates.... ASAP!!! They got to be worth a few bucks

PLL

 

[mastereagle22]

The Southeast Missourian is within two blocks of this location. I cannot find information on when the Southeast Missourian was formed but I am pretty sure it has been around for a LONG time. It is the local newspaper here in Cape.

Baldingboy found part of the a different plate. I felt sorry for him he dug this really cool part of the printing plate and I said to him, "Dude that is great for you but it sucks for me because I have NEVER found a piece of a printing plate and you have a lot of different pieces." Not 10 minutes later I dug this up. I don't think is talking to me yet......

 

[Cynangyl]

lol he will be soon enough

 

[EdleBrock]

Based on PBKs ID, I tried finding the original strip and located this site:

http://www.barnaclepress.com/list.php?directory=Freckles

They don't have the whole 1925 collection but I did find this time appropriate strip...Happy New Year everyone...