I guess it is still a little known fact that the Japanese conducted what could best be considered a passive "air" attack on the united states during WWII. Thousands of paper balloons filled with helium and carrying explosive devices that had either altitude or temperature fuses on them. (my facts are foggy) This worked due to the jet stream the balloons would fly depositing them around the mid-north western pacific coast. Ingenious. However, they were either covered up, never made it, or explained away so the unrest it was supposed to cause never materialized. There is a documented story of a small group of picnic-ers who stumbled on one of these balloons that had landed high in a hill. An explosion ensued and the pastors pregnant wife and 2 local boys were killed. Find the the documentary "On Paper Wings" and watch it. You will be amazed truly.
This is kind of freaky...I just had an article published in my local Patch (today) and I did the same item...except the one I posted is mine. But it's the exact same one!
#3 is the closest, though not necessarily a lawyers embosser. This would have been used for voiding checks - the teeth made a permanent mark that was easily noticed when sorting checks by hand. Raised bumps = canceled, cashed check. No Bumps = uh oh! Could be cashed again. 19th century.
I have a more detailed answer but give it to asif #3
http://brookfield.patch.com/articles/the-urban-archeologist-guess-the-gadget
#3 is the closest, though not necessarily a lawyers embosser. This would have been used for voiding checks - the teeth made a permanent mark that was easily noticed when sorting checks by hand. Raised bumps = canceled, cashed check. No Bumps = uh oh! Could be cashed again. 19th century.
I have a more detailed answer but give it to asif #3