misc: tailpiece

A tailpiece is a decorative relief cut (sometimes metal, sometimes wood) used to mark the end of section of text.

Alciati, Emblemata, 1589 (Z6v)

The tailpiece here, as it often does, serves both to mark the end of a section of text (the end of an emblem, in this case) and to provide some support for the platen when the sheet is pressed.

Bible, Church Slavic, 1581 (fol. 78v)

The colophon identifies Ivan Fedorov of Moscow as the printer (his device appears just above the colophon) and that it was completed in 1581 on August 12 in Ostroh. Like the text above it, the colophon is in parallel columns of Greek and Church Slavic.

Patousas, Aesop, 1644 (sig. L5r)

A modern Greek translation of Aesop's fable of the fox and the crow; there is an accompanying illustration on the facing page

Shakespeare, First Folio, 1623 (I2v)

Since this play ends part-way down the page, the remainder of the space is taken up with ruling and a decorative tailpiece.