Tailpiece

This ornamental tailpiece by Homer Wayland Colby exemplifies the decorative typography and border designs that punctuated early twentieth-century newspaper pages. The symmetrical composition—a central shield with geometric patterning flanked by curving scrolls—served practical and aesthetic functions in print layout, marking section breaks or story endings. Such graphic elements were essential to newspaper design before the standardization of modern layout. Colby, an American illustrator and designer, contributed regularly to publications throughout his career, helping establish the visual conventions that shaped newspaper presentation during the golden age of print illustration.