As you can see, printers’ marks can contain beautiful and entertaining designs. They also offer us a window into the past—teaching us how people lived, what they made, and the principles they valued. That’s a lot to get out of one block of wood!
If you would like to learn more about printers’ marks, try William Roberts' Printers' Marks: A Chapter in the History of Typography, Hugh William Davies’ Devices of the Early Printers, 1457-1560: Their History and Development, or Bella C. Landauer’s Printers' Mottoes. You can also browse the University of Barcelona's database of printers' marks or try making your own!
Image Credits: Rare Book Division. New York Public Library. Astor, Lenox, Tilden Foundations.