inkball

plural inkballs · alternative ink-ball · alternative ink ball

1. The gall of an oak tree, used to produce ink.

   The first tree I knew was an oak under which I played as a small child and gathered large inkballs that I used as marbles.

   1946, William A. Murrill, Familiar trees

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   I said that ink made from pokeberries was better than that made from inkballs. I said that inkballs on oak trees were scarce. All the other students laughed. They bought commercial ink at the stores.

   1975, Jesse Stuart, My world, page 8

2. historicalmediaA leather-covered dauber, stuffed with soft, resilient wadding, with a wooden handle, used to ink type forms for printing. A predecessor of brayers and self-inking presses.

   […]consider that this perfect work was done on a wooden press, that the form was inked by hand with inkballs or "daubers,"[…]

   1977, Maurice Annenberg, A Typographic journey through the Inland printer, 1883-1900

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   He turns to the inkstone and picks up by the handles the two inkballs, rolling the leather facings together to freshen the ink. […] As the pressman returns the inkballs to the inkstone, the journeyman closes the frisket and tympan.

   2000, Richard L. Saunders, Printing in Deseret