General Information

Serial #

B.17.

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Black printed text and graphics appear on buff-colour background on smooth stone faces; stone [possibly limestone] is light grey in colour- rough texture is visible on short side surfaces.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

33.1 cm

Width

27.9 cm

Height

7.3 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

15.0

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Printing

Category

Printed specimens

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

Unknown

Canada

Many of the plates, proofs, labels and posters were produced for Canada's growing number of manufacturers in everything from farm implements to preserved food, pharmaceuticals and musical instruments. Some of these, like Massey Harris, were once giants. Others may have left no other traces than the plate and proof for a cheque, receipt or letterhead. The artifacts and print specimens represent the output of one of the fastest growing industries in this period: printing and graphic arts. Not only was printing growing rapidly as a sector, it was also subdividing into specialized segments. The engraving and lithography trades, whose processes excelled at reproducing creative imagery, colour, and decorative calligraphy, commanded the market for stationery, packaging, posters, promotional calendars and catalogue covers. The collection attests to the emergence of a new market, consumer goods, and a new industry, advertising. During this period, the role of the household as a centre of production was steadily weakened as its members became implicated in the labour market. As members became increasingly dependent on cash employment, household needs like clothing and food had to be met by purchasing goods. At the same time manufacturers, pressed by competition, continually sought both to expand their markets and reduce their costs through mass production. National markets for consumer goods thus emerged. The printing and publishing industry played a key role in this process through advertising and packaging. This stone carried images and/or text for companies including Rolph Clark Stone Co., lithographers Barclay, Clark & Co., Toronto, ON and The Davies Brewing & Malting Co., all of Toronto, ON.

Function

Used in off-set printing to carry the image to be printed.

Technical

An example of an engraved stone used as an original in printing. Because transfers could be cheaply made from the original engraved stone, lithography was the preferred process for printing large numbers of a given form or format, for many years. From Acquisition Proposal:These are stones used in the production of labels, packages, certificates, cheques, etc. We selected them either because they bore labels or label details or because their contents were relevant to the Printing, Agriculture, or other collection subject areas. [Ref. 1]

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Marked on one face of stone "HELIOTROPE"; "MANUFACTURED/ ONLY AT/ the MORSE/ SOAP CO."; "5 1/2/ POUNDS"; WARM/ BEFORE/ USING"; "3 POUNDS"; "KEEP THESE BISCUITS IN A DRY PLACE AND DO NOT EXPOSE THEM TO THE SUN OR ATMOSPHERE./ CHRISTIE'S/ GRAHAM/ WAFERS/ TRADE/ MARK/REGISTERED."; "PALE ALE"; "DAVIES BREWING COy/ GILT EDGE"; [tiny square document resembling diploma or certificate is largely illegible:["DAVIES BREWING & MALTING CO.; [tiny oval document resembling diploma or certificate is largely illegible] NOTICE/ [illegible]/ THE DAVIES/ CRYSTAL ALE./ TORONTO"; "DAVIES/ Brewing &/ Malting Co./ CREAM/ ALE./ TORONTO,/ ONTARIO."; "KEEP THESE BISCUITS IN A DRY PLACE AND DO NOT EXPOSE THEM TO THE SUN OR THE ATMOSPHERE./ CHRISTIE'S/ SODA/ BISCUITS/ TRADE MARK REGISTERED."; "Metropole/ Hotel/ JOHN McGRORY/ PROP./ SPECIAL RATES TO. THE THEATRICAL PROFESSION./ KING & YORK STREETS/ TORONTO."; "G.H. LEIGH."; "2 1/2/ POUNDS"; "REINHARDT & CO./ TORONTO./ LAGER/ BEER./ BOTTLED BY/ THE/ VENDOR/ EAST END BAVARIAN BREWERY." and "26, 28 & 30/ 38 to 42 Lombard St. Toronto/ 18 ..../ - Statement - / M .../ In account with - .../ Barclay, Clark & Co./ Terms/ 26, 28 & 30". NB: Each image identified by a small hand printed number, prefaced "B17": "B.17." printed by hand on one edge of stone. On opposite face: "$1000" and "NO./ NO./ INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE/ Dominion of Canada/ ROLPH - CLARK - STONE,/ LIMITED/ 4% FIRST MORTGAGE SINKING FUND BOND". "68" [or "89"] printed by hand in black ink on adhesive-backed label applied to stone edge.

Missing

Unknown.

Finish

Black printed text and graphics appear on buff-colour background on smooth stone faces; stone [possibly limestone] is light grey in colour- rough texture is visible on short side surfaces.

Decoration

Stylized floral motifs, scrollwork and geometric patterns decorate stone faces.