Dingbat

The term "Dingbat" has been discussed in a recent post. "Do-hickey" was also mentioned. Would some one please post a closeup photo of a "Dingbat"? Are there different varieties? I believe "Do-hickey" was discredited as the correct term.
The devil is in the details. I'm going straight to my safe to look at the markings on some revolvers. Now where is my magnefier?
Scott

I don't have photos of dingbats but I do get P.M.'s and emails from them constantly.

Take a look at the right side barrel photo in Zmot's post in the Antique category. You will see the "Dingbats" before and after the .38 S&W Special Ctg. stamping. Ed.

Most of them on the early roll marks look like a cross between an asterisk and a plus sign. I had a 'roll mark' laser etched on a stainless barrel and I had the guy use asterisks since they were the closest I could find to simulate early the early stamp.

From wiki:

"In typography, a dingbat (sometimes more formally known as a printer's ornament or printer's character) is an ornament, character, or spacer used in typesetting, often employed for the creation of box frames. The term continues to be used in the computer industry to describe fonts that have symbols and shapes in the positions designated for alphabetical or numeric characters."

And I thought this was going to go political.......

Archie's wife, Edith.

Here's a ding bat:

Hello Warren, OOOH! what a pic of a young man. Im sure he grew out of that stage. Quite unique!

Although I suggested do-hickey in another thread and have no attachment to the term, I do-like 'dingbat'. The dingbats on Model 28 Highway Patrolman are very distinguished.

What... You want me to post a picture of my sister????

The Maltese Cross (not to be mistaken for famous Falcon of the same Country)

I had been taught that these emblems on a S&W were a "Maltese Cross" and never gave it a second thought for it to be anything other than a Maltese Cross.

I just realized, while considering this topic and the rant (and joking) we all participated in about "do-hickeys" (I agree, not a valid term), a ding-bat (i will reserve decisions), but I've always thought the emblems for and aft were a Maltese Cross.

The picture of a Maltese Cross, in my mind and how I expect to see it, was not the same at those exhibited by members in the post to compare with the the 1926 .44 Military's that is "sans" (French for the word "without") the emblems (dingbats, do-hickeys or whatever).

Good old reliable internet search revealed on Wikipedia that there is more than one style of Maltese Cross. I had envisioned more like the German Iron Cross (medals of valor) sort of shape, but, take a look here. Those emblems, we cannot properly name, may very well be a legitimate variant of the Maltese Cross. Looks like the cross with the inward 1/4 section (toward the lettering of the roll stamp) removed.

Or the variations could be artistic license of certain periods, e.g. Roman / Deco .. etc. What worries me is when I look at them hard enough I think I see a sideways captial " I " on one, a " H " or " T " or " N " on another ... seemingly the most forward mark has the significant difference ... or ... I've been staring at them too hard, like one of those psychological test pictures that the shrinks have patients stare at it for awhile and it seems to be something other than what had previously appeared to be or appears animated, etc. ! LOL !

Then look at "ding bats" here: Dingbat - Wikipedia to note ding bat #U-2720 is a Maltese Cross.

Confused yet ? Wait, there's more. The ding-bats listed are in UNICODE. Surely the S&W Ding-bat / Maltese Cross pre-dates UNICODE bout about a Century or more. What we need to find is an old time "printer's" or printing engineer's code book of the turn of the century time frame.

On Snap-On tools there is a key to the lettering of the part number on each tool. Each year with a variance in font / artistic style to determine year of manufacture. Some of those are really weird looking fonts with most, also, pre-dating UNICODE.

See here: Maltese cross - Wikipedia

Wow, thank you okiegtrider for the photos. I have had a bunch of classic Smiths over the years but I've never noticed any of those.

Live and learn. I guess I need a few more nice old Smiths, right?
Scott

… from a previous post:

~
… referred to as 'Dingbats', or other clever names.
Long used by printers {think newspaper} as a separation symbol, or an attention getter.
S&W has used them off and on throughout their existence.
~
This from Wikipedia:
A dingbat is an ornament, character, or spacer used in typesetting, sometimes more formally known as a printer's ornament or printer's character often employed for the creation of box frames. The term continues to be used in the computer industry to describe fonts that have symbols and shapes in the positions designated for alphabetical or numeric characters.
~
-Donald

All those pics right here on the board.

Necropost:

Is there any company the membership knows of that can cut new Pre-War dingbats and font into a refinished barrel that's bare?

SouthNarc said:

Necropost:

Is there any company the membership knows of that can cut new Pre-War dingbats and font into a refinished barrel that's bare?

Click to expand...

Craig, Accurate Plating & Weaponry | Gunsmith In Newville, Alabama uses a laser to restore barrel stamps. You'll have to ask if they have a template for the dingbats and fonts, especially the lazy ampersand. They might be able to replicate a barrel stamp from another barrel with the stampings you want transferred.

Wiregrassguy said:

Craig, Accurate Plating & Weaponry | Gunsmith In Newville, Alabama uses a laser to restore barrel stamps. You'll have to ask if they have a template for the dingbats and fonts, especially the lazy ampersand. They might be able to replicate a barrel stamp from another barrel with the stampings you want transferred.

Click to expand...

Thank you sir!

This one is big enough for a template.

When anyone mentions Dingbat, I think of Edith Bunker.