inkball

ink +‎ ball

inkball (plural inkballs)

1. The gall of an oak tree, used to produce ink.
   • 1946, William A. Murrill, Familiar trees:

     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.

   • 1975, Jesse Stuart, My world, page 8:

     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.

2. (historical) A 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.
   • 1977, Maurice Annenberg, A Typographic journey through the Inland printer, 1883-1900:

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

   • 2000, Richard L. Saunders, Printing in Deseret:

     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.