A wooden printing block with Chinese characters, labelled “Block from which a page of a book has been printed viz. part of the Ten Commandments”.

Name: A wooden printing block with Chinese characters, labelled “Block from which a page of a book has been printed viz. part of the Ten Commandments”.
Author: [China. Printing.] [Henry Joseph Moule.]

Book Description

A wooden block, approx. 21 x 16 x 2 cm., carved Chinese characters to one side, a small section of carved characters to the verso, paper labels to both sides partially obscuring the characters, label to verso lettered by hand “1. (Chinese) H. J. Moule Dorchester”, later handwritten lettering to verso in blue pencil; slight chipping and soiling to labels, else in good condition. Price not including VAT

Dealer Notes

The provenance of this nineteenth century example of a Chinese printing block is unclear save for the caption on one label: “H. J. Moule Dorchester”. This is likely to be Henry Joseph Moule (1825-1904), from 1883 first curator of the Dorset County Museum. His brothers included George Moule, who from 1880 became first bishop of the new diocese of mid-China, and Arthur Moule, like George a missionary in China; one of these may well be the source of the printing block. The label identifying the block reads in full “Block from which a page of a book has been printed viz. part of the Ten Commandments. Printing is a much older art in China than in Europe, but always was, & is, performed as by the pre-Gutenberg European press viz. from wood-cut blocks. A rough bloc, with wood-engraving tools, accompanies this block [not present here]; & also an inking brush and a printing pad [also not present]. No press is used. (China.)”.

Author [China. Printing.] [Henry Joseph Moule.]

Date N.d., possibly mid-19th c.

Publisher Not known.

Condition See description

Price: £1250.00

Offered by Meridian Rare Books

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A wooden printing block with Chinese characters, labelled “Block from which a page of a book has been printed viz. part of the Ten Commandments”.

Book Description

Dealer Notes

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Important Information

A wooden printing block with Chinese characters, labelled “Block from which a page of a book has been printed viz. part of the Ten Commandments”.

Book Description

Dealer Notes

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