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The Collation

“What manner o’thing is your crocodile?”: April 2020

For April’s Crocodile mystery, take a look at this image and let us know what you think is going on!

As always, leave your comments and we’ll be back next week with more information!

Comments

Recycled paperboard from the platen on the printing press.

Philip — March 31, 2020

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… with traces of the title page of an edition of Ephraim Chambers’ ‘Cyclopaedia’, by the look of it – not the first, because the typeface is different, but it’s an exact match for archive.org images of the 1786 edition.
(Yes, I know that wasn’t really the question.)

Elisabeth Chaghafi — April 1, 2020

Reply

Offset ink! If it was paper that was used during the printing process and then recycled, the type would not be mirror-image.

Elisa Tersigni — April 1, 2020

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Perhaps this cardboard was made from sheets of waste paper pasted together, and with wear the print was exposed.

Alternately, it could be a sheet of waste paper that was dyed, and used as covering material. Through wear and fading, the print was exposed.

Ed — April 7, 2020

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