Printers' Marks: A Chapter in the History of TypographyRoberts, W. (William)
History
Printers' Marks: A Chapter in the History of Typography
Roberts, W. (William)
Printers' marks
bears his imprint is apparently “Geberi philosophi ac alchimistæ maximi,
de Alchimia, libri tres,” March, 1529. Martin Schott’s distinct device
is found in at least three books of the date 1498, including Matheolus’
“Ars memorativa,” and was used by him until 1517. It was also used by
his son, Johann Schott, about 1541, the same printer using seven or
eight other Marks, all more or less distinct, at different periods. The
first book bearing Martin Schott’s name is dated 1491, and he continued
printing until 1499; while his son was in business from 1500 to 1545.
Equally distinct is the accompanying example--one of several--used by
Johann Knoblouch, which is found in the majority of the books printed by
him from about 1521 to 1526, notably several works by Erasmus (_e.g._
“Moriæ Encomium,” 1522, and the “Novum Testamentum,” 1523). The father
started in 1497, and was succeeded by his son, who continued the
business until 1558. The Mark, it may be mentioned, is a somewhat
atrocious pun on the owner’s name, which is the German for “garlic,”
with the seed pods of which the figure emblematically representing
Ignorance ascending from darkness into light is encircled; this Mark is
generally surrounded by mottoes in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.
[Illustration: JOHANN GRÜNINGER.
IOHANNES. SANTVS]
[Illustration: MARTIN SCHOTT.
M S]
[Illustration: JOHANN KNOBLOUCH.]
[Illustration: REINHARD BECK.]
[Illustration: REINHARD BECK.
RB]
Although Reinhard, or Renatus, Beck was only in business for about
eleven years, 1511-1522, he had several Marks, which differed chiefly in
their extraneous ornament, as will be seen from the accompanying
examples. Two books, _sine nota_, which Mr. Quaritch assigns to Beck’s
press, of the date 1490, are remarkable for the large number of woodcuts
which they contain, relating principally to plants, animals, gardening
operations, rural architecture, so that the Mark of “ein wilder Mann” is
so far in keeping with the nature of his publications. Fourteen or
fifteen Marks, several of which are only variations of one type, have
been identified as having been used by Wolfgang Köpfel (whose surname
sometimes appears in its Greek translation of Cephalæus) between 1522
and 1554: the most remarkable, of which we give a reproduction, appears
to have been used very rarely, notably in “Zehn Sermones” of Luther,
1523; a much commoner type is the smaller example, which appeared in
various books issued between 1526-1554. Georg Ullricher von Andlau,
1529-36, confined himself to one type (see p. 1), that of the Cornucopia
or Horn of Plenty, of which there are seven variants. The more elaborate
of the two Marks of Matthias Biener, or Apiarius, 1533-36, appears in
Oecolampadius’ “Commentarius” on the Prophet Ezekiel, 1534, and is an
evident pun on the printer’s surname. Several of the dozen Marks used by
Craft Müller, or Crato Mylius, 1536-62, are exceedingly bold and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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