How Common were Sign Marker Sets

I’ve a sign marker set, incomplete, that probably dates back to the late 1800s and was sold by a Russell Hogg in Chicago.

I bought it a few years ago, not realizing how hard the rubber stamps were…and they worked terribly on paper.

But I’m still fascinated by the set. How often were these used when letterpress shops were common? I thought store keepers were more likely to keep a proof press in the basement and print signage there. But the proliferation of these sign markers on eBay make me think that entrepreneurs who couldn’t afford a proof press used these rubber stamps sets to make signs. Does anyone know more?

Eager to know because these stamps work great in clay…and now I want to get the missing stamps (mostly vowels and some consonants) along with the manicule. Eager to hear from you historians.

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