Strange Blocks of Wood ?

[mojjax]

They both have a piece of leather on top & there are marks on the ends like they were pounded with something . The small one is 3 '' X 1 3/4'' the large one is 6'' X 3 14'' . They look old .

 

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[Anduril]

Maybe for setting type on a manual printing press?

 

[Tony in SC]

I was going to say some type of print blocks.

 

[ticndig]

sanding blocks is my guess

 

[Joe-Dirt]

I like the sanding block theory, but why the leather? I was thinking maybe a jeweler/watch maker/ gunsmith work pad for delicate procedures, other than that, I dunno

 

[ticndig]

I like the sanding block theory, but why the leather? I was thinking maybe a jeweler/watch maker/ gunsmith work pad for delicate procedures, other than that, I dunno

I was thinking the sandpaper edges would go under the leather to hold it in place once gripped with the hand .

 

[Joe-Dirt]

I was thinking the sandpaper edges would go under the leather to hold it in place once gripped with the hand .

That makes sense

 

[mojjax]

when I enlarged the last picture , I saw words , so I got out my loop . It looks like it says - HAMILTON
TWG?
RIVER

 

[Anduril]

Ticndig, sanding block was my 2nd choice.
I decided against it because it just looked too small.

 

[mojjax]

I googled Hamilton print blocks and this came up - https://woodtype.org/

 

[Anduril]

when I enlarged the last picture , I saw words , so I got out my loop . It looks like it says - HAMILTON TWG?
RIVER

Thanks to Mojjax's observation, it's probably this:
https://woodtype.org/pages/history

Edit: I see you beat me by about 4 minutes.
The thing is, I think I can barely recall seeing something like this back in 8th grade shop class. That year, we had drafting (silkscreening), photography, and printing (using a manual type-set platen-style roller printer). I liked the printing so much I somehow managed to talk the teacher into letting me do the printing twice instead of doing the photography thing. The photography was about making your own pin-hole camera, and then doing all the chemical development, etc...

Now, many years later, I must have $40k+ in professional photography equipment and if I need anything printed, I just whip it up in Word/Photoshop and have it printed online. (www.thebookpatch.com) - shameless plug, they don't pay me to say that.

Life is weird. It never really turns out like you expect when you're 14.

 

[huntsman53]

when I enlarged the last picture , I saw words , so I got out my loop . It looks like it says - HAMILTON
TWG?
RIVER

It actually reads "HAMILTON TWO RIVERS, WIS". The wood blocks were definitely made for type setting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._E._Hamilton

https://woodtype.org/pages/history

 

[huntsman53]

I googled Hamilton print blocks and this came up - https://woodtype.org/

Thanks to Mojjax's observation, it's probably this:
https://woodtype.org/pages/history

You all beat me to it.

 

[Rum Tide]

I agree with Anduril. This photo came up when I internet searched "antique typesetting block". The link associated with the search engine was expired. They may have tapped on the side to align the block, then tapped down on the block to set/seat the type. The leather would protect the type in setting. Setting type was very important because if all the type was not set at the same level, there would be missing letters during the printing process.

* Possibly even just an old fashioned space (the spacebar) used in typesetting.

 

[mojjax]

I was reading about the Hamilton mfg co. in google books and apparently they also made drafting tables , chalkboards , etc . So maybe they are chalk erasers , missing the felt . The big one a teacher would use & the small one was used by a child , on their slate Ipad . And that would explain the bang marks on the ends - when I was in grade school , It was an honor to be chosen by the teacher to take the erasers outside at the end of the day and bang them together or against the building to get the chalk dust out .
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&sou...aw1nVfNzMLFKAKKUO1o-RSQW&ust=1561402899858953

 

[mojjax]

And I got them at the same sale I got these - http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/garage-sale-finds/610367-antique-ipads.html

 

[A2coins]

Cool find sanding blocks time to restain the deck lol

 

[mojjax]

It is now officially an eraser . I found some old felt in the barn and I made it be an eraser .

 

[mojjax]

I put the eraser and the slate on ebay and they only sold for $12.00 , but , it's going to a good cause -

Note to seller[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I really love these items; $12.00 was a very low price. They will be donated to the Underground Railroad Society of Cass County, Michigan. The Society, a 501c3 organization, recently received a one room school house believed to be the first integrated school in Cass County, perhaps in Michigan. The Society hosts an UR festival July 13 - 14. If possible, I would love to have the items by July 12 to use in a display about the acquisition/restoration of the school house. Sincerely, J. Ray[/FONT]

 

[A2coins]

Awesome home for it. Good job