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Lot of 3 Colonial Era Printers WOODBLOCK PRINTING PLATES, c. 1712-69

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,800.00 USD Estimated At:2,400.00 - 3,200.00 USD
Lot of 3 Colonial Era Printers WOODBLOCK PRINTING PLATES, c. 1712-69
Colonial America
Colonial Woodblock Printing Plates of Astronomical Images by William Bradford, Samuel Kneeland & Bartholomew Green
c. 1712-1769, Lot of 3, Woodblock Printing Plates of Astronomical Images by various Colonial Era Printers, William Bradford, Samuel Kneeland, Bartholomew Green, Very Fine.
These woodblock printing plates depict astronomical events, and served as illustrations for almanacs of the period, as indicated by Elizabeth Reilly in “Colonial American Printers’ Ornaments & Illustrations” (1975). Each of these woodblocks were used to create illustrations similar to those reproduced in Reilly’s book--the original colonial prints, almanacs or pamphlets are housed at collections of the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, and the New York Public Library.

1. The first woodblock depicts a dark moon against a shaded half-circle, subtended by a line with initials at either end: “E” & “B”. Kneeland & Adams, Boston, 1769, Reilly #1896, p. 470. The woodblock measures nearly 3” long, 3/4” wide, and 1” thick, with dark-ink surface patina. Samuel Kneeland, 1696-1769, was the printer to whom postmaster Philip Musgrave gave the order to print the Boston Gazette, when he took it away from James Franklin. He was born in Boston and apprenticed with Bartholomew Green before going into business for himself.

2. A banded eclipse with a sunburst filling half of the moon. It measures 1” square, 3/4” thick, with slight age cracking and clean surface. Produced by William Bradford (1738) or William Weyman, 1761, New York; Reilly #1922, p. 474.

3. A thick crescent and partial eclipse of a moon, bisected by two lines. The woodblock is 1.25” square, 1” thick, with dark-ink surface patina and hairline age crack. Produced by Bartholomew Green, of Boston, 1712; similar to an image reproduced by Reilly #1898, p. 471.

Ex-Sotheby’s Sale 7683, June 26, 2001. (3 items)
Samuel Kneeland (1696-1769) was born in Boston and apprenticed with Bartholomew Green. c. 1718 went into business by himself in Boston. Also published New England Weekly Journal, 1727-1741, before combining it with the Boston Gazette. He became Printer to the Governor and Council, and printed the laws, acts and journals of the House of Representatives. He left four sons, all of whom were printers.

William Bradford (1663–1752) was a British pioneer printer in the American colonies who emigrated to Philadelphia and set up the first press in 1685. In 1690 he was a founder of the first paper mill in the colonies. Bradford moved to New York City (c. 1693) where he became royal printer and issued some 400 items over the next 50 years, including the first American Book of Common Prayer (1710), some of the earliest American almanacs and many pamphlets and political writings. In 1725 he founded the New York Gazette, the first New York newspaper. Many of his descendants, including Andrew Bradford and William Bradford, became printers.

Bartholomew Green (1666–1732) was the son of Samuel Green. He inherited his father's press in Cambridge in 1692 and moved it to Boston. He had the patronage of the government and of Harvard and became the foremost printer in New England. Except for four years Green printed the Boston News-Letter, the first American newspaper, from its inception in 1704 until his death. In 1722 he became its publisher also.