A device for facilitating sublistatic printing which includes an elastic member for covering an arcuate article surface to be imprinted in a stretched condition, holding a sublistatic transfer sheet against the article surface, and exerting a uniform pressure against the transfer sheet and article surface to achieve intimate contact therebetween; and an installing apparatus, one form of which includes a frame, band receiving means supported by the frame, two operating arms rotatably mounted to the frame, an article receiving member carried by the frame, and means associated with the arms to hold the elastic member. The arms are selectively movable from an elastic member receiving position to a transfer sheet receiving position to an article surface covering position. The elastic member is stretched prior to placement around the article surface to be imprinted and is provided with appropriate means to be releasably secured around the article. The article with the covering elastic member can be removed from the article receiving member, subjected to heat and sublistatically imprinted with the design or intelligence carried by the transfer sheet.