Preliminary identification
Photo reference
3 uploaded photos
Overview
This appears to be a wood-mounted metal printing plate depicting numbered teeth, with both root profiles and chewing-surface views. It is a wonderfully tactile survivor of the machinery behind dental education; a faded paper label remains on the wooden back.
Story
Before digital diagrams, dental illustrations went to press as physical objects. This block turned the hidden anatomy of teeth into an image that could travel through textbooks, catalogs, or teaching sheets.
Maker / Origin
The maker is unidentified, but blocks like this belonged to the specialist trade that translated technical drawings into printable relief plates. Their largely anonymous craftsmanship helped publishers reproduce scientific information consistently.
Condition & Value
The face shows dark residue, surface roughness, and edge wear; the wooden mount is worn and the paper label is faded. Printing usability is untested, and these issues limit value as working equipment. Preliminary resale estimate in USD, based on general market knowledge rather than verified sales.
Full Research
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Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.