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Hand-Engraved Wooden Print Block: Map of Fortress

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Colonial America

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Colonial Wood Printing Block Engraved Map Of A Fortress

c. 1720, Hand-Engraved Wooden Printing Block, depicting a Map of a Colonial Era Fortress, Extremely Fine.
This is a most handsome, hand-engraved, wooden printing block, measuring 3.25" x 4," which is a map of an unidentified Period fortress. The fortress is roughly square in shape with three arrowhead-shaped corners and one irregularly shaped corner, in which there is a four story tower, possibly hexagonal in shape. There is a smaller, irregular wall outside what would be the north and west sides of the fortress. The only apparent clue to the identity of this fortress is the direction indicator, which consists of a cross inside a circle, with a fleur de lis on top, indicating north. This is a thin clue, but suggests the fortress may be French or in one of the French colonies, perhaps in North America or the Caribbean. The printing surface of this block is in excellent condition, despite a .75 edge crack at the central top. The lower right corner has been shaved off, apparently as made or as to be used, as perhaps this block was slightly too large for its space on the page, and the corner had to be removed. A little additional research should reveal the identity of this fortress. This is a wonderful piece of early Colonial Era Military, Mapping and Printing History.

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