Colonial America
William Bradford Colonial American Astronomical Image Woodblock Printing Plate "Half-Eclipse With a Smiling Human Face" as Used for Various Published Illustrations
c. 1717 Colonial Era, American Hand-Engraved Woodblock Illustration Printing Plate of an Astronomical Image, displaying a "Half-Eclipse With a Smiling Human Face", by William Bradford (1663"1752), Choice Very Fine.
Many of these original Colonial prints, almanacs and pamphlets are currently housed at the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts. This early Hand-Engraved Illustration Printing Woodblock measures 1.75" square, 1" thick, displaying a "Half-Eclipse With a Smiling Human Face" (inscribed on it). See: Reilly's #1921, page 474: by Andrew, Cornelia, and William Bradford (1663"1752), apparently used for illustrations in 1716; 1717; 1745. According to Reilly, the various years reflect copies of similar printed illustrations housed in various museum collections and archives. It has a dark yet clearly defined and well detailed inked surface patina from use, minor age crack along the human face. This original woodblock printing plate depict a historic astronomical event, and served as illustrations for almanacs of the period, as indicated by Elizabeth Reilly in "Colonial American Printers' Ornaments & Illustrations" (1975).
William Bradford was a British pioneer printer in the American colonies who emigrated to Philadelphia and set up the first press in 1685. In 1690 Bradford was a founder of the first paper mill in the American 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. Ex: Sotheby's Sale 7683, June 26, 2001.