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
Two Edinburgh printers may be here conveniently referred to. Messrs. R.
and R. Clark, whose business was started in Hanover Street, Edinburgh,
in 1846, and removed to Brandon Street, in that city, in 1883, are well
known for the excellence of their printing. Mr. Austin Dobson thus
sings, in Mr. Andrew Lang’s Book on “The Library:”
“‘Of making many books,’ ’twas said,
‘There is no end;’ and who thereon
The ever-running ink doth shed
But proves the words of Solomon:
Wherefore we now, for Colophon,
From London’s City drear and dark,
In the year Eighteen-eighty-one,
Reprint them at the press of Clark.”
The accompanying Mark was designed by Mr. Walter Crane, and first used
by Messrs. Clark in 1881. It is used in several sizes. Of the very
handsome Mark of Messrs. T. and A. Constable, the Queen’s Printers, at
the University Press, we may mention that the legend is a hexameter; it
was written by Professor Strong, and contains two puns; the ship is an
old Constable device. The Marks of both Messrs. Chatto and Windus (who
succeeded to the business, started and carried on with such energy by
the late John Camden Hotten) and Messrs. Macmillan and Co. (whose firm
dates from the year 1843) are characterized by the extremest possible
simplicity.
[Illustration: T. FISHER UNWIN.
TFU
VITA SINE LITERIS MORS EST]
[Illustration: T. AND A. CONSTABLE.
FIRMA PERERRAT AQVAS ET CONSTABILITVR EVNDO
T A C]
[Illustration: WILLIAM MORRIS
kelmscott
William Morris]
The finest of the several Marks used by Messrs. George Bell and Sons is
given in two colours on the title-page of the present volume, and is a
play on the surname, the Aldine device being added to the bell. Another
example will be found on page 261.
[Illustration: WILLIAM MORRIS.
Kelmscott]
Messrs. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner and Co., Limited, originally a
branch of the extensive Anglo-Indian firm of H. S. King and Co., first
used the accompanying device in the autumn of 1877; the drawing was
executed by Mrs. Orrinsmith in accordance with Mr. Kegan Paul’s
suggestions. Messrs. Lawrence and Bullen, like Messrs. Clark, called in
the aid of Mr. Walter Crane in designing their charming little Mark.
We give two of the several Marks used by one of the most prolific of the
younger publishers, Mr. T. Fisher Unwin, the one is simply his initials,
and the more elaborate example is a copy of a type not infrequently met
with among the marks of the sixteenth century printers. Mr. David Nutt’s
device is a quaint and effective play on his surname. Through the
courtesy of Mr. William Morris, we are enabled to give examples of both
of the Kelmscott Press Marks, each of which was designed by Mr. Morris.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account