Blue Pencil no. 67—Specimens of Wood Type 1803–1899

This is part of a series of posts listing type specimens that have been digitized and placed online. Many of them are downloadable in whole or as individual pages. This is the first part of a list that focuses on specimens of wood type. It includes not only specimens from wood type manufacturers, but also specimens from type foundries that offer either wood type or large sizes of some of their metal types in wood. [1] The second part of the list, which covers the 20th century, can be found at Blue Pencil no. 68.

Warning: accurate dating of type specimens is notoriously complicated. The dates listed here come from the various institutions and organizations that have digitized them. In most cases they have not consulted with a type specialist and thus there are mistakes. Whenever I have noticed such a mistake or when one has been brought to my attention I have included that information here.

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1803

Épreuve et Catalogue des Caractères de l’Imprimerie de la Veuve E.-C. Stryvkwant
Brussels: 1803
Google Books
[The widow Stryvkvant offers “lettres en bois” (pp. 1-4) which are most likely woodcuts and not wood type.]

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1830s–1850s

New Specimen of Cast-Metal Ornaments and Wood Types, Sold by W. Davison…
Alnwick [England]: W. Davison, n.d.
Google Books
[the only wood type appears on the last page; many of the cuts were originally engraved by Thomas Bewick]
[Google Books dates the specimen as 1850, but it is undated. William Davison’s New Specimen of Cast-Metal Ornaments and Wood Types: Introduced with an Account of His Activities as Pharmacist and Printer in Alnwick, 1780–1858 by Peter C.G. Isaac (London: Printing Historical Society, 1990) is a facsimile of the specimen. “Isaac makes a case for the book’s issuance in parts, over some time, probably after 1837; at least one of the pictured ornaments must have come from the 1850s.”—Bartleby’s Books]

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1838

The Specimen Book of Types Cast at the Austin Foundry by Wood and Sharwoods
London: 1838
Hathitrust
[Wood types are shown on PDF pp. 237–249.]

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1840s

Specimen of Leavenworth’s Patent Wood Type, Manufactured by J.M. Debow…
Allentown, New Jersey: n.d.
NYPL Digital Collections
[only four pages are available]

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1841

Nesbitt’s Fourth Specimen of Machinery Cut Wood Type, Manufactured and for Sale by George F. Nesbitt…
New York: 1841
Flickr (Nick Sherman)

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1848

Specimens of Printing Types cast by George Bruce & Co.…
New York: 1848
Internet Archive
[Wood type prices listed on (p. 10), but no specimens are shown.]
[Annenberg, p. 83]

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1849

Specimen of Wood Type, “Cut by Machinery” by Wells & Webb…
New York: 1849
RIT Digital Collections

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1851

Specimens of Printing Types and Ornaments, from the New England Type & Stereotype Foundery Boston: Hobart & Robbins, successors to Geo. A. Curtis, 1851
Harvard Digital Collections
[Includes Specimen of Nesbitt’s Wood Type Cut Entirely from Machinery seq. 89–99.]
[Annenberg, p. 204]

Specimens of Printing Types and Ornaments, from the New England Type & Stereotype Foundery Boston: Hobart & Robbins, successors to Geo. A. Curtis, 1851
RIT Digital Collections
[Includes Specimen of Nesbitt’s Wood Type Cut Entirely from Machinery at (pp. 81–91).]
[Annenberg, p. 204]

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1857

Specimens of Printing Types, Plain and Ornamental… from the Foundry of L. Johnson & Co.
Philadelphia: L. Johnson & Co., 1857
Flickr (Nick Sherman)
[selected pages only; none of them show the wood type that Johnson offered]
[Annenberg p. 164 lists specimens for c.1857, 1857, and 1859 but makes no mention of wood type in any of them. The L. Johnson specimen in the Kemble Collection at the California Historical Society includes wood type. It is listed as 1859, but its title page and introductory letter match the 1857 specimen shown here by Sherman.]

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1858

Specimen Book of Printing Types
New York: Chas. T. White & Co., 1858
Ohio Memory
[Binding dated 1859 with title page and introduction dated September 1, 1858. Wood Type is shown on PDF p. 65]
[Annenberg, p. 238]

Specimen Book of Printing Types
New York: Chas. T. White & Co., 1858
Google Books
[Binding dated 1858 with introduction dated September 1, 1858. One page of Wood Letter is shown. See above entry and 1859 entry.]
[Annenberg, p. 238]

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[between 1859 and 1866]

J.G. Cooley’s Specimens of Wood Type
New York: n.d.
Flickr (Nick Sherman)
[45 photographs]
[See p. 40 in Kelly for a summary of Cooley’s career as a wood type manufacturer.]

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1859? [1870]

Specimens of Wood Type Manufactured by Wm. H. Page & Co.
Greeneville, Connecticut: n.d.
St. Louis Public Library / Nicholas J. Werner Collection
[Dated 1859 by the library; not listed in Kelly; includes an October 1, 1870 price list.]
[Bound with Specimens of Wood Type Manufactured by The Wm H. Page Wood Type Co. Sold by Golding & Co.… (Boston: n.d.) with price list dated 1886.]

The specimen has 43 pages of blackletter types, including several chromatic ones.

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1859

New York Type Foundry: Specimen Book of Printing Types, Made by Chas. T. White & Co.
New York: 1858 [the binding is dated 1859]
Hathitrust
[“We show a few specimens only of Wood Type, but furnish all sizes and varieties. When requested, a separate book of Specimens will be furnished.” See PDF p. 99. And see entries under 1858]
[Annenberg, p. 238]

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1860

Spécimen Poste des Caractères en Bois de la Maison Bonnet & Cie.
Paris: 1860
Bibliothèques Patrimoniales / Bibliothèque Forney
[All of the specimen pages are printed in color, but the type is not chromatic.]

Condensed Specimen Book from the Boston Type Foundry. John K. Rogers & Co.
Boston: 1860
Internet Archive
[(p. 8) has prices for wood type; no wood type is explicitly identified but it is probably the specimens on (pp. 123–127).]
[Annenberg, p. 74]

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1860?

Plakat-schriften. Schriftschneide-Anstalt von Will & Schumacher in Mannheim. Wheeler & Wilson Naeh-Maschinen aus der Näh-Maschinen-Fabrik von Bassermann & Mondt…
Mannheim: J. Schneider, n.d.
Google Books
[all wood type except for Blatt 10 which shows metal type]
[Google Books lists the specimen as 1860, though it is undated. See “The Case of Will & Schumacher” by Pierre Pané-Farré (7 March 2021) on the Klim Typefoundry Blog website for more on this wood type manufacturer. Pané-Farré dates the specimen to 1865–1867.]

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n.d. [after 1860]

Specimen of Printing Types, &c.
Hongkong: A. Shortrede & Co., n.d.
Hathitrust
[Wood type on PDF pp. 39–43.]

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1865

G. DuBosc, Graveur: Caractères en Bois pour l’Impression Typographique Fabriqués…
Paris: Imprimerie de l’Illustration Aug. Marc, 1865
Hathitrust

Specimens from the Montreal Type Foundry, C.T. Palsgrave, Proprietor
Montreal and Toronto: 1865
Internet Archive
[Palsgrave was an agent for Wm. H. Page; the wood type section begins at p. 213]

Specimens from the Montreal Type Foundry, C.T. Palsgrave, Proprietor
Montreal and Toronto: 1865
Numérique / Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
[Palsgrave was an agent for Wm. H. Page; the wood type section is pp. [248]–261 or PDF pp. 213–226]

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1866

The Printer vol. VI, no. 12 (October 1866)
Google Books
[Vanderburgh, Wells & Co. showing of 12 Line Tuscan Condensed, 8 Line Tuscan Condensed, and 4 Line Tuscan Extended following p. 185]

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1867

[Specimen Book Farmer, Little & Co.]
New York: 1867
Hathitrust
[The title page is missing; the introduction is dated 1867, but some specimens are 1871 or later.]
[“Wood Letter Fonts” are offered on PDF pp. 339–365.]
[Annenberg, p. 135]

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1869–1870

Typographic Messenger vols. IV and V (1869–1870)
New York: James Conner’s Sons, 1869–1870
Google Books
IV:6 (November 1869), p. 97 wood
V:1 (January 1870), pp. 6 wood
[The wood type is from Wm. H. Page & Co.]

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1870

The Cincinnati Type Foundry Co’s Specimen and Price-List
Cincinnati: The Office, 1870
Hathitrust
[The Cincinnati Type Foundry says that it is an agent for Wm. H. Page’s wood types, but that wood types are not shown since there are too many of them (see PDF p. 9). However, Eight-Line Pica German Extra Cond. (wood) is shown on PDF p. 169. “Page’s Price List of Wood Type” appears on PDF p. 12.]
[Annenberg, p. 107]

Specimens of Printing Types by John Lindsay, New York
New York: 1870
University of Chicago Library
[PDF p. 9 “orders for wood type are respectfully solicited” but none are shown.]
[Annenberg p. 176]

Campionario dello stabilimento tipografico di Federigo Cappelli…
Rocca San Casciano, Italy: 1870
Hathitrust
[The wood types (Caratteri da Avvisi) are PDF pp. 45–55; some are printed in color.]

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1872

Specimens of Vanderburgh, Wells & Co.’s Wood Type, Borders, Rules, Etc.…
New York: Vandenburgh, Wells & Co., 1872
Harvard Digital Collections
[Not in Kelly who lists an 1877 specimen for the firm at Columbia University Rare Book & Manuscript Library.]

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c.1873

Wood Type Manufactured by Wm. H. Page & Co., Greenville, Conn.
Greenville, Connecticut: [c.1873]
RIT Libraries Digital Collections

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1874

Specimens of Chromatic Wood Type, Borders, Etc. Manufactured by Wm. H. Page & Co.
Greeneville, Connecticut: 1874
Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections

Specimens of Chromatic Wood Type, Borders, Etc. Manufactured by Wm. H. Page & Co.
Greeneville, Connecticut: 1874
RIT Libraries Digital Collections

Specimens of Chromatic Wood Type, Borders, Etc. Manufactured by Wm. H. Page & Co.
Greeneville, Connecticut: 1874
Flickr (Nick Sherman)

Specimens of Plain and Fancy Printing Types, Borders, Corners, Rules, &c.
Montreal: Dominion Type-Founding Co., Ltd., 1874
Google Books
[Wood type is priced on p. 19.]

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n.d. [1875–1876]

Fabrication Mécanique de Caractères en Bois
Ardon, Valais [Switzerland]: A.te Martin & H. Coderey, n.d.
Bibliothèques Patrimoniales / Bibliothèque Forney

The website of Eric Nunes-Carnet includes a “Chronologie des fabricants francophones de caractères en bois” which says this partnership existed 1875–1876.

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1878

Dauchy & Co., Specimens of Wood Type manufactured by the Wm. H. Page Wood Type Co.…
Norwich, Connecticut: 1878
Museum of Wood Types and Ornaments
[Kelly’s 1878 listing for Page does not mention Dauchy; this may be a variant specimen; the title page is a photocopy.]

The Later Specimens of Printing Types, Etc.…
New York: Farmer, Little & Co. , 1878
RIT Libraries Digital Collections
[Prices for wood type on p. 2; but no specimens shown.]
[Annenberg, p. 135.]

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[1879–1897]

Proben der Schrift- und Stereotypen-Giesserei von Trowitzsch & Sohn 
Berlin: n.d.
Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin
[Wood type is found in the Affischen-Schriften section “Auf Mahogany-Holz befestigt a Stuck” as PDF pp. 347–363]

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1880[?]

Hamilton’s Holly Wood Type
Two Rivers, Wisconsin: Hamilton & Katz, n.d.
Hathitrust
[Hathitrust dates this as 1880—annotations in specimen say both “No date” and “1880”; Kelly says c.1881–1885]

Hamilton’s Holly Wood Type
Two Rivers, Wisconsin: Hamilton & Katz, n.d.
Internet Archive
[Internet Archive dates this as 1880—annotations in specimen say both “No date” and “1880”; Kelly says c.1881–1885]

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1881

Golding & Co.’s Improved Presses and Tools and Printing Materials Illustrated and Descriptive Catalogue 1881
Boston: Golding & Co., 1881
RIT Libraries Digital Collections
[Wood type is shown on pp. 66–70.]

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c.1882

Manufactured by the Wm. H. Page Wood Type Co.
Norwich, Connecticut: n.d.
RIT Libraries Digital Collections
[folded broadside that has become separated; RIT dates it as c.1882]

Specimens of Holly Wood Type, Borders, Reglets and Furniture Manufactured by Hamilton & Katz
Two Rivers, Wisconsin: n.d.
RIT Libraries Digital Collections
[RIT dates this as c.1882]

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1882

Fifteenth Book of Specimens [Compact Edition] from the Cincinnati Type Foundry…
Cincinnati: 1882
Hathitrust
[Wood type prices are on pp. 24–25; pp. 127–137 show Page’s Wood Type; and p. 138 shows Page’s Wood Rule.]
[Annenberg, p. 107]

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[1884]

Tubbs Wood Type
South Windham, Connecticut: Tubbs & Co., n.d.
Internet Archive
[Internet Archive dates this as 1884, but several of the typefaces are copies of later metal typefaces indicating it is c.1900 or later; it may be the specimen Kelly lists as c.1900]

Wood Type, Manufactured by the Wm. H. Page Wood Type Co.
Norwich, Connecticut: n.d. [1884]
RIT Libraries Digital Collections
[4 different broadsides; RIT dates them as c.1882 but the first one is clearly 1884]

Specimen of Holly Wood Type
Two Rivers, Wisconsin: Hamilton & Katz, n.d.
University of Wisconsin at Madison / Special Collections Digital Index
[This is a 2011 facsimile; it might be the Hamilton & Katz specimen Kelly lists for 1884.]

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1886

Specimens of Wood Type Manufactured by The Wm H. Page Wood Type Co. Sold by Golding & Co.…
Boston: n.d. [1886]
St. Louis Public Library / Nicholas J. Werner Collection
[undated but with an 1886 price list]
[not in Kelly; bound with Specimens of Wood Type Manufactured by Wm. H. Page & Co. (Greeneville, Connecticut: n.d.) with price list dated 1870—see 1859]

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1887

Palmer & Rey’s Third Revised Specimen Book and Price List of Printing Material
San Francisco: Palmer & Rey, 1887
Internet Archive
[Wood type (“Holly Wood Type”) is shown on (pp. 240–296).]
[Annenberg, p. 208]

Palmer & Rey’s Third Revised Specimen Book and Price List of Printing Material
San Francisco: Palmer & Rey, 1887
Hathitrust
[Wood type (“Holly Wood Type”) is shown on PDF pp. 251–298.]
[Annenberg, p. 208]

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1889

Abridged Specimen Book of Printing Type from Marder, Luse & Co., Type Founders
Chicago: Chicago Type Foundry, 1889
Google Books
[Wood Border and Rule is shown on p. 530; although there is no header wood type is shown on pp. 531–537. The wood type is “of different manufacturers furnished to order.”]

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1890

[Morgans & Wilcox Wood Type Catalog 1890]
Museum of Wood Type and Ornaments
[there is no title page; the wood type specimens begin on p. 36]

Specimens of New Process Wood Type
Norwich, Connecticut: The Wm. H. Page Wood Type Company, 1890
Museum of Wood Type and Ornaments
[entirely borders and ornaments; digitization appears to have been made from microfilm or a photocopy]

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c.1891

Specimen of Printing Types, Borders, Ornaments, Plain and fancy Brass Rules, Etc. [Octavo Edition]
Sheffield: Stephenson, Blake & Co., n.d. [c.1891]
type.org.uk
[p. 17 has prices for “Wood Letter”; but no wood type is shown]

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c.1892–1905

Schriftproben der Schriftgiesserei und mechanischen Werkstätte von J. H. Rust & Co. 
Vienna: n.d.
Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin
[The section Placat-Schriften in Messing von J.H. Rust & Co. Wien, which begins at PDF p. 595, shows large brass types and not wood type.]

Musterbuch der Schriftgieszerei und mechanischen Werkstätte von J. H. Rust in Wien
Vienna: n.d.
Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin
[The section Plakat-Schriften in Messing von J.H. Rust & Co. Wien, which begins at begins at PDF p. 297, shows large brass type and not wood type.]

For more on large brass type letters See Dan Reynold’s essay “Germany’s brass type foundries” on his TypeOff blog.

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1893?

Specimens of Wood Type and Catalogue of Printers’ Wood Goods and Materials
New York: American Type Founders Company, [1893?]
Harvard Digital Collections
[Harvard Digital Collections dates the specimen as c.1885?, but American Type Founders was not created until 1892. The entry in Hollis (the Harvard online catalogue) says 1893 which is more plausible. It is not in Annenberg or Kelly.]

Stephen Coles points out that Harvard has completely mislabeled this specimen. Their website says: “American Wood Type Co., South Windham, Conn.” Both the firm name and location are wrong.

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1894

Muster-Sammlung
Berlin: Wilhelm Woellmer’s Schriftgiesserei und Messinglinienfabrik, 1894
Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin
[Wood type (Holz Schriften) is shown on pp. 471–478.]

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c.1895

Catalogue Spécimen des Lettres en Bois et en Matière pour Affiches de la Fonderie de Caractères A. Bertrand et ses Fils [now Bertrand Frères et Cie.]
Paris: [c.1895]
Bibliothèques Patrimoniales / Bibliothèque Forney
[“Lettres en Bois” are mixed in with metal type.]

Specimens of Type Faces, Stock Cuts, Initials, Logotypes, Etc.
New York: John Polhemus Printing Company, [1895?]
Hathitrust
[Wood type is on pp. 106–124 or PDF pp. 110–128.]

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1895

Hamilton’s Wood Type
Two Rivers, Wisconsin: [1895]
St. Louis Public Library Digital Collections / Nicholas J. Werner Collection
[The introduction says January 1, 1894, but the library dates the specimen as 1895 on the basis of the inclusion of Bradley (pp. 86–87) licensed from the American Type Founders. Also see the 1899 Hamilton specimen below.]

Schriftproben der K. u. K. Hof-Schriftgiesserei Poppelbaum
Vienna: 1895
Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin
[The wood type section (Holzschriften) is PDF pp. 217–234.]

Muestrario de los Tipos y Viñetas de la Imprenta y Encuadernación Barcelona …
Barcelona: 1895
Hathitrust
[The wood type section (Tipos de Madera) is PDF pp. 132–151.]

Catalogue and Book of Specimens of Type Faces and Printing Material and Machinery
Cleveland: Cleveland Type Foundry, 1895
Hathitrust
[Wood type is on PDF pp. 345–366.]
[Annenberg, p. 111]

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1897

Day & Collins, Limited Revised Price List & Catalogue of Patent Hard-Faced Machine-Cut Wood Type, Printing and Bookbinding Materials
London: Atlas Works, 1897
type.org.uk
[“Specimens of Wood Type, Borders, Corners, Rules, &c., &c.” begins at (pp. 44–45).]

Wood Type
Toronto: Toronto Type Foundry Company, 1897
University of Wisconsin at Madison / Silver Buckle Press Collection
[This is actually wood type from American Type Founders; pp. 72–127 from one of their specimen books.]

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1899

Hamilton’s Wood Type
Two Rivers, Wisconsin: 1899–1900
Hathitrust
[The specimen contains an announcement that Hamilton has acquired Wm. H. Page Wood Type Co., S. Simonds & Co., and the Morgans & Wilcox Mfg. Co. with a partially-erased date of 1899-1900. Kelly lists Hamilton specimens with addresses of both Two Rivers, Wisconsin and Middletown, New York for 1900 and 1901, but not for 1899.]

Hamilton’s Wood Type: Catalogue No. 14
Two Rivers, Wisconsin: 1899–1900
Museum of Wood Type and Ornaments
[The specimen contains an announcement that Hamilton has acquired Wm. H. Page Wood Type Co., S. Simonds & Co., and the Morgans & Wilcox Mfg. Co. with a date of 1899-1900. Kelly lists Hamilton specimens with addresses of both Two Rivers, Wisconsin and Middletown, New York for 1900 and 1901, but not for 1899.]

Specimens of Type, Borders and Ornaments, Brass Rule, Etc.…
Chicago: Crescent Type Foundry, 1899
Hathitrust
[wood type is on pp. 495–512 or PDF pp. 289–302.]
[Annenberg, p. 125]

Specimens of Type, Borders and Ornaments, Brass Rule, Etc.…
Chicago: Crescent Type Foundry, 1899
Google Books
[Wood type is on pp. 495–512.]
[Annenberg, p. 125]

Desk Book: Specimens of Type, Borders & Ornaments, Brass Rules & Electrotypes, Etc.…
[Cleveland]: American Type Founders Company, 1899
University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries / Silver Buckle Press Collection
[Wood type is on pp. 793–816; go to section 8.]
[Annenberg, p. 43]

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Notes
1. In 2019 David Shields posted “A (working) hand-list of available wood type specimen catalog facsimiles and digital copies” on his Wood Type Research website. His list is organized by resource (e.g. Internet Archive), but he also included a chronological list. His list can also be found in tabular form as part of the Typographica Libary.