Mismatched

The Victorian stamp I spotted on Facebook Marketplace was something I'd been looking for—it locks letterpress type into place to use as a stamp. I thought it would be fun to have another way to use my type collection.  When it arrived, I realized my mistake: it's made for half-size letters, not type-high letters like mine. Type-high is measured at 0.918 inches and is the standard size for letterpress type to ensure even printing. 

Cue disappointment. 

I'd spotted a set of small lead type at my local vintage shop two days earlier, and with faint hope that it would fit. I went back to the store, opened the case, and tested the type in the stamp. Perfect fit. What are the chances?

It wasn’t until I got home that I read the packaging and discovered that the set was made of rubber; rubber so old that it’s dried rock hard with no helpful spongy give for stamping. And it was really, really dirty.

A close-up of my new letters- gross, right?

While the letters fit into the stamp, the set was missing several critical letters, such as more than one letter A. 

I inked it with a stamp pad, and after a few experiments, got a print of my initials—because that's all I could spell.

The fun phrases included in the set could be useful if I were lending out books or having a sale. I could make a tiny For Sale sign for a dollhouse.

I wasn’t ready to give up, so I went into the studio, took out my 5” x 3” gelliplate and some Golden Open Acrylic paint, and started trying to fit my lead type into the stamp, even though it sticks out. After considerable trial and error, I am proud to announce that I can stamp most of my name, just not too well.

Was this worth $80 and the time I spent messaging, waiting, and traveling? Probably not.  

That's part of collecting, especially when your interest is as focused as mine: to appreciate and save bits of the past. I'm sure they're happy to be used rather than taking up space on shelves in different states.

There's excitement in searching for new items to add to your collection and the joy of discovering something special. Even when it works imperfectly.

What vintage tools have surprised you? Share your collection adventures (or misadventures) below.