The Invention of Printing.: A Collection of Facts and Opinions, Descriptive of Early Prints and Playing Cards, the Block-Books of the Fifteenth Century, the Legend of Lourens Janszoon Coster, of Haarlem, and the Work of John Gutenberg and His AssociatesDe Vinne, Theodore Low
History
The Invention of Printing.: A Collection of Facts and Opinions, Descriptive of Early Prints and Playing Cards, the Block-Books of the Fifteenth Century, the Legend of Lourens Janszoon Coster, of Haarlem, and the Work of John Gutenberg and His Associates
De Vinne, Theodore Low
Incunabula -- Bibliography; Printing -- History -- Origin and antecedents
The delays and difficulties which Gutenberg encountered in the printing
of this edition were great, but no part of the work was done hastily
or unadvisedly. He may not have received practical education as a
book-maker, but he had the rare good sense to accept instruction from
those who had. The _Bible of 42 lines_ was obviously planned by an
adept in all the book-making skill of his time. It was laid out in 66
[p420] sections, for the most part of 10 leaves each. To facilitate
the division of the book in parts (so that it could be bound, if
necessary for the convenience of the reader, in ten thin volumes),
some of the sections have but 4, some 11, and some 12 leaves. The book
proper, without the summary of contents, consists of 1282 printed
pages, 2 columns to the page, and, for the most part, with 42 lines to
the column.[263]
A wide margin was allowed for the ornamental borders, without which
no book of that time was complete, and large spaces were also left
in the text for the great initial letters. It was expected that the
purchaser of the book would have the margins and spaces covered with
the fanciful designs and bright colors of the illuminator. In some
copies, this work of illumination was admirably done; in others it was
badly done or entirely neglected. The rubrics were roughly made by
dabbing a brush filled with red ink over a letter printed in black. On
the pages of 40 lines, the summaries of chapters were printed in red
ink; on other pages the summaries were written, sometimes in red and
sometimes in black ink. [p421] It would seem that it was Gutenberg’s
original intention to print all the summaries in red ink, and that he
was obliged, for some unknown reason, to have them written in.
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