Black History
Original Vintage SLAVE HANGING Printing Woodblock
c. 1850, Original Anti-Slavery Use, Hand-Engraved Wooden Printing Block, Depicting a Black Slave Hanging from the Rafters, Choice Very Fine.
This original Hand-engraved, solid wooden Printing Block measures 4.5” x 3” and its type were used to Print Illustrations within a book, pamphlet or newspaper. The scene shows a Black slave hanging by his hands from a rafter in punishment, as a White man looks in the window. This specific Illustration is identified a similar from a Pamphlet titled, “Slavery A System of Inherent Cruelty” published in England about 1850 by the Leeds Antislavery Society, being its Pamphlet number 7.

In 1853 the first 82 of these pamphlets were published in book form, so issue #7 and its printing block must date to the very early 1850’s or perhaps the 1840’s. The engraving on this block is slightly different in some minor details from that shown in the Leeds journal; perhaps due to age this is a replacement woodblock made when the original wore out or cracked. This block is in nice condition with no cracks or significant defects or blemishes. A very rare and historically significant Black History item, engraved for use by an official active “Antislavery” Society.