The large dabber at left is an ink ball, covered with leather and stuffed with hemp or hair; a pair of these were used to ink formes to be printed. The tray at centre is a "slice galley" with a tied-up quantity of type resting on it; the compositor emptied his "stick" of type onto the galley; then, when his text was completely set in type or the galley was full, he moved the type from the galley to the press bed or an imposing surface, using the sliding bottom of the galley and the projecting handle. The candlestick was used for night and morning work. In the foreground are pieces of furniture: wooden blocking used to fill the frame in which the types was locked; a "bodkin" or small pick used to pry out broken or wrong types from a set line; and types in various sizes.
Courtesy: Messrs. R.W. Bridges and Sons Limited, and Association of British Manufacturers of Printers' Machinery (Proprietory) Limited
