Object ID
2008.37.141
Object Name
Block, Wood
Material
Wood
Object Entities
Damianos, John (is related to)
Damianos, Aristotle (is related to)
Object Description
Various blank/space wood blocks, called furniture in the printing business, used letterpress printing There are 6 blocks total. The blocks are narrow and rectangular. They are covered in a black dust. The blocks are in two separate plastic archival bags.
Origin
Donated by John Damianos. Letterpress printing is a technique of relief printing using a printing press. A worker composes and locks movable type into the bed of a press, inks it, and presses paper against it to transfer the ink from the type. In practice, letterpress also includes other forms of relief printing with printing presses, such as wood engravings, photo-etched zinc "cuts" (plates), and linoleum blocks, which can be used alongside metal type in a single operation, as well as stereotypes and electrotypes of type and blocks. With certain letterpress units it is also possible to join movable type with slugs cast using hot metal typesetting. This printing block was used by the Chicago-based, Greek Art Printing Company that was owned and operated by Aristotle Damianos. The Greek Art Printing Company was responsible for the printing of a wide range of materials, including wedding invitations, invoices, flyers, programs, letterhead, etc., for Greek businesses, organizations, institutions, and individuals in the Chicago area, and elsewhere.

Furniture is spacing material placed around the lines of type you've set to fill in the empty spaces in the chase of your press. Furniture is traditionally made from hardwood that's oiled for stability, but is also available in metal and plastic at a higher price. You don't need to have anything fancy for furniture but it must be cut exactly square.
Rights and Reproduction
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Any other use, such as exhibition, publication, or commercial use, is not allowed except by written permission in accordance with the NHM Image Rights and Reproduction Policy.

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Citation
Block, Wood, Greek Art Printing Company Artifact Collection, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/10187. Accessed 04/24/24.