PRINTERS' MARKS. Cum tfcnetffe 3fmp:effum ID Printers' Marks A Chapter in the History of Typography by W. Roberts Editor of " The Bookworm ' London : George Bell & Sons, York Street, Covent Garden, & New York. Mdcccxciij. CHISWICK PRESS: C. WHITTINGHAM AND CO., TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE. TO T. B. BOLITHO, ESQ., M.P., THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. 2040060 PREFACE. JHERE are few phases of typography open to the charge of being neglected. An unquestionable exception occurs, L^j however, in relation to Printers' Marks. This subject is in many respects one of the most interesting in connection with the early printers, who, using devices at first purely as trade marks for the protection of their books against the pirate, soon began to discern their ornamental value, and, consequently, employed the best available artists to design them. Many of these examples are of the greatest bibliographical and general interest, as well as of considerable value in supplementing an important class of illustrations to the printed books, and showing the origin of several typical classes of Book-plates (Ex-Libris). The present Handbook has been written with a view to sup- plying a readable but accurate account of this neglected chapter in the history of art and bib- liography ; and it appeals with equal force to the artist or collector. Only one book on the subject, Berjeau's " Early Dutch, German, and English Printers' Marks," has appeared in this viii Preface. country, and this, besides being out of print and expensive, is destitute of descriptive letterpress. The principle which determined the selection of the illustrations is of a threefold character : first, the importance of the printer ; secondly, the artistic value or interest of the Mark itself; and thirdly, the geographical importance of the city or town in which the Mark first appeared. Since the text of this book was printed, however, two additions have been made to the literature of its subject : Dr. Paul Kristeller's " Die Italie- nischen Buchdrucker- und Verlegerzeichen, bis 1525," a very handsome work, worthy to rank with the " Elsassische Biichermarken bis Anfang des 1 8. Jahrhunderts" of Herr Paul Heitz and Dr. Karl A. Barack (to whom I am indebted for much valuable information as well as for nearly thirty illustrations in the chapter on German Printers' Marks); and Mr. Alfred Pollard's " Early Illustrated Books," an admirable volume which, however, only deals incidentally with the Printer's Mark as a side issue in the history of the decora- tion and illustration of books in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Mr. Pollard reproduces seven blocks from Dr. Kristeller's monograph on the Devices of the Italian Printers. In reference to the statement on p. 116 of this volume that the Mark of Bade " is the earliest picture of a printing press," Mr. Pollard refers to an unique copy of an edition of the " Danse Macabre " printed anonymously at Lyons in February, 1499, eight years earlier, which contains cuts of the shops of a printer and a bookseller. Preface. ix That this volume has considerably exceeded its intended limit must be my excuse for not including, with a very few exceptions, any modern examples from the Continent. Nearly every French printer and publisher of any note indulges in the luxury of a Mark of some sort, and an interesting volume might be written concerning modern continental examples. The practice of using a Printer's Mark is an extremely commendable one, not merely as a relic of antiquity, but from an aesthetic point of view. Nearly every tradesman of importance in this country has some sort of trade mark ; but most printers agree in regarding it as a wholly unnecessary superfluity. As the few exceptions indicated in the last chapter prove that the fashion has an artistic as well as a utilitarian side, I hope that it will again become more general as time goes on. As regards my authorities : I have freely availed myself of nearly all the works named in the " Biblio- graphy " at the end, besides such invaluable works as Brunet's " Manual," Mr. Quaritch's Catalogues, and the monographs on the various printers, Plantin, Elzevir, Aldus, and the rest. From Messrs. Dickson and Edmonds' "Annals of Scottish Printing " I have obtained not only some useful information regarding the Printer's Mark in Scotland, but, through the courtesy of Messrs. Mac- millan and Bowes of Cambridge, the loan of several blocks from the foregoing work, as well as that of John Siberch, the first Cambridge printer. I have also to thank M. Martinus Nijhoff, of the Hague, Herr Karl W. Hiersemann, of Leipzig, Herr J. H. x Preface. Ed. Heitz, Strassburg, Mr. Elliot Stock, Mr. Robert Hilton, Editor of the " British Printer," and the Editor of the "American Bookmaker," for the loan either of blocks or of original examples of Printers' Marks ; and Mr. C. T. Jacobi for several useful works on typography. Mr. G. P. Johnston, of Edinburgh, kindly lent me the reduced facsimile on p. 252, which arrived too late to be included in its proper place. The publishers whose Marks are included in the chapter on " Modern Examples " are also thanked for the courtesy and readiness with which they placed electros at my disposal. The original idea of this book is due to my friend, Mr. Gleeson White, the general editor of the series in which it appears ; but my thanks are especially due to Mr. G. R. Dennis for the great care with which he has gone through the whole work. W. R. 86, Grosvenor Road, S.W., October, 1893. CONTENTS. PAGE PREFACE vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii INTRODUCTION i SOME GENERAL ASPECTS OF THE PRINTER'S MARK . . 40 THE PRINTER'S MARK IN ENGLAND 52 SOME FRENCH PRINTERS' MARKS 100 PRINTERS' MARKS OF GERMANY AND SWITZERLAND . . 139 SOME DUTCH AND FLEMISH PRINTERS' MARKS .... 178 PRINTERS' MARKS IN ITALY AND SPAIN 209 SOME MODERN EXAMPLES 233 BIBLIOGRAPHY 253 INDEX 255 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Liechtenstein, Petrus. Frontispiece Bell, George, and Sons. Title-page Andlau, G. U. Von ... I Couteau, Gillet .... 4 Du Pre, Galliot .... 5 Lecoq, Jehan 7 Petit and Kerver .... 9 Du Puys, Jacques ... II Pavier, T 12 j Janot, Denys 15 Faques, William .... 16 Steels, J 19 Ve'rard, Antoine .... 21 Plate of thirty Marks used chiefly by the Italian Printers 25 Chaudiere, Guillaume . . 28 Roflfet, Jacques .... 30 Tournes, Jean de ... 31 Breuille, Mathurin ... 33 Snellaert, C 35 Rastell, John 37 Leeu, Gerard . . . . 39, 185 Fust and Schoeffer ... 40 Froben, J 43 Cratander's Mark (attri- buted to Holbein) . . 45 Cox, T 46 Dulssecker, Johann Rein- hold .... 47, 153, 154 Beck, Reinhard . 50, 143, 144 Goltz, Hubert 51 Lynne, Walter .... 52 Caxton, William .... 55 St. Albans Printer, The . 56 De Worde, Wynkyn . . 58 Pynson, R 59. 60 Notary, Julian .... 61 Fawkes, R 63 Treveris, Peter .... 64 Scott, John 65 Copland, Robert ... 66, 68 Wyer, Robert 69 Hester, Andrew .... 70 Berthelet, Thomas ... 71 Byddell, John 72 Vautrollier, Thomas . . 74 Grafton, Richard ... 75 Middleton, William . . 76 Wolfe, John 78 Day, John 79 Arbuthnot, A 81 Singleton, Hugh .... 83 Wight, John 84 Hall, Rowland .... 85 Bynneman, Henry ... 86 Woodcock, Thomas . . 87 Jaggard, William ... 88 Kingston, Felix .... 89 Creede, Thomas .... 90 Walthoe, John .... 91 Ware, R 92 Scolar, John 93 Siberch, John ...... 95 My liar, Andro 96 Chepman, Walter ... 97 XIV List of Illustrations. Davidson, Thomas ... 98 Charteris, H 99 Estienne, F loo Rembolt, B 102 Vostre, Simon .... 103 Regnault, Francois . . . 104 Regnault, Pierre .... 105 Marchant, Guy .... 106 De Marnef 107 Uu Pre", J 108 Le Rouge, Pierre . . . 109 Le Noir, Philippe ... no Kerver, Thielman . . . 1 1 1 Pigouchet, Philippe . . . 113 Petit, Jehan 114 Bade, J 115 Hardouyn, Gillet . ... 116 Tory, Geoffrey . . . . 117 De Colines, Simon . . . 119 Estienne, Robert . . 120, 121 Vidoue, P 124 Cyaneus, Louis . . . . 125 We*chel, Andre" .... 126 Wechel, Chrestien . . . 127 Nivelle, Se"bastien . . . 128 Merlin, Desboys and Nivelle 130 Topic, M 131 Treschel, J 132 Dolet, E 133 Hughes de la Porte and A. Vincent 134 Gryphe, Sebastien ... 135 Colomies, Jacques . . . 136 Morin, M 137 Le Chandelier, Pierre . . 138 Thanner, Jacobi .... 139 Griininger, Johann . . . 140 Schott, Martin .... 141 Knoblouch, Johann . . . 142 Kopfel, Wolfgang . . 145, 146 Miiller, Craft (Crato My- Hus) 147, 149 Biener, Matthias (Apiarius) 148 Rihel, Theodosius ; Rihel, Josias(undDerenErben) 150 Zetzner, Lazarus . . . . 151 Berger, Thiebold . . . 151 Scher, Conrad .... 152 Hauth, David 152 Anshelm, Thomas . . . 155 Kobian, Valentin ... 156 Hoernen, A. Ther . . . 157 Bumgart, Herman ... 158 Koelhoff, Johann . . . 160 Cassar, Nicholas .... 161 Soter, J 162 Birckmann, Arnold . . . 163 Oglin, Erhard 164 Pfortzheim, Jacobus de . 165 Henricpetri 166 Endter's, Wilhelm Moritz, Daughter 167 Weissenburger, J. . . . 168 Lotter, Melchior .... 169 Schumann, V 170 Baumgarten, Conrad . . 171 Feyrabend, J 172 Gueibin, L 172 Stadelberger, Jacob . . . 173 Girard, Jehan 174 Rivery, J 174 Froschover, C 175 Brylinger, N 176 Le Preux, F 177 Veldener, J 178 Johann of Westphalia . . 179 Martens, Theodoric . . 180 Mansion, Colard . . . . 181 The Brothers of Common Life 182 Paffraej, Albertus . . . 183 Van der Meer, Jacob Jacobzoon 186 Van der Goes, Mathias . 187 Van den Dorp, R. . . . 188 Back, Godefroy . . . 188, 190 Caesaris, A 191 Hillenius, Michael . . . 192 Bellaert, J 193 Henrici, H 194 Destresius, Jodocus . . . 195 List of Illustrations* xv Van der Noot, Thomas . 196 Grapheus, J 197 Van den Keere, Henri. . 198 Waesberghe, J 199 Hamont, Michel de . . . 200 Velpius, Rutger .... 201 Hovii, J. M 202 Plantin, C 203, 204 Elzevir Sage, The . . . 206 Elzevir Sphere, The . . 207 Janssens, Guislain . . . 208 Fritag, A 209 Riessinger, Sixtus . . . 210 Besicken, J 211 Martens, Thierry . . . 211 Ratdolt, Erhardus . . . 212 Scotto, Ottaviano . . . 214 Sessa, Melchior . . . . 216 Meietos, P. and A. . . . 217 Aldine Anchor, The First 218 Torresano, Andrea . . . 219 Aldine Anchor, 1502-15 . 220 1546-54 221 1555-74 . 222 1575-81 223 Giunta, P 224 Giunta, L 225 Giunta, F. de 225 Sabio, The Brothers . . 226 Legnano, Gian Giacomodi 227 Rizzardi, Giammaria . . 228 Rosembach, Juan . . . 230 Fernandex, V 231 Kalliergos, Zacharias . . 232 Legnano, J. A. de . . . 232 Vingle, J. de, of Picardy . 232 Hugunt, M 232 Longman and Co. . . 233, 237 Stationers' Company, The 233 2 34 Rivingtons, The .... 235 Clarendon Press, The . . 238 Pickering, William . . . 239 Pickering, Basil Montagu. 239 Chiswick Press . . .240,241 Chatto and Windus . . . 243 Nutt, David 243 Cassell and Co 243 Macmillan and Co. . . . 243 Umvin, T. Fisher . . 243, 245 Lawrence and Bullen . . 243 Kegan Paul and Co. . . 243 Clark, R. and R 244 Constable, T. and A. . . 246 Morris, William . . . 247, 248 Appleton, D., and Co. . . 250 Gushing, J. S., and Co. . 250 Harper Brothers . . . . 250 Lockwood, H., and Co. . 250 Berwick and Smith . . . 251 De Vinne, Theodore L., and Co 251 Lippincott, J. B., Co. . . 251 Nijhoff, M 251 Norton, William .... 252 Bell, George, and Sons . 261 PRINTERS' MARKS. INTRODUCTION. SHORN of all the romance and glamour which seem inevitably to surround every early phase of typographic art, a Printer's Device may be described as nothing more or less than a trade mark. It is usually a sufficient proof that the book in which it occurs is the work of a particular craftsman. Its origin is essen- tially unromantic, and its em- ployment, in the earlier stages of its history at all events, was merely an attempt to prevent the inevitable pirate from reaping where he had not sown. At one time a copy, or more correctly a forgery, of a Printer's Mark could be detected with comparative ease, even if the body of the book had all the appearance of genuineness. This self-protection was necessary on many grounds. First of all, the privileges of impression G. U. VON AND LA U. 2 Printers Marks, which were granted by kings, princes, and supreme pontiffs, were usually obtained only by circuitous routes and after the expenditure of much time and money. Moreover, the counterfeit book was rarely either typographically or textually correct, and was more often than not abridged and mutilated almost beyond recognition, to the serious detriment of the printer whose name appeared on the title- page. Places as well as individualities suffered, for very many books were sold as printed in Venice, without having the least claim to that distinction. The Lyons printers were most un- blushing sinners in this respect, and Renouard cites a Memorial drawn up by Aldus himself on the subject, and published at Venice in 1503. But apart from the foregoing reasons, it must be remembered that many of the earliest monuments of typographic art appeared not only without the name of the printer but also without that of the locality in which they were printed. Although in such cases various extraneous circumstances have enabled bibliographers to " place " these books, the Mark of the printer has almost invariably been the chief aid in this direction. The Psalter of 1457 is the first book which has the name of the place where it was printed, besides that of the printers as well as the date of the year in which it was executed. But for a long time after that date books appeared without one or the other of these attributes, and sometimes without either, so that the importance of the Printer's Mark holds good. A very natural question now suggests itself, "Who invented these Marks?" Laire, "Index Introduction. 3 Librorum" (Saec. xv.), ii. 146, in speaking of a Greek Psalter says : " Habet signaturas, registrmn ac custodes, sed non mmicrantur folia. Litter & principals ligno incises sunt, sicut et in principle cujuslibct psalmi viticulce quillet being easy and explaining the presence of a pink in flower, and secondly on his surname by the three open knives, in one of which the end of the blade is broken. It was almost inevitable that both Denis Roce or Ross, a Paris bookseller, 1490, and Germain Rose, of Lyons, 1 538, should employ a rose in their marks, Introduction. 5 and this they did, one of the latter's examples having a dolphin twining around the stem. Jacques and Estienne Maillet, whose works at Lyons ex- tended from the last eleven years of the fifteenth GKLLIOT'WPRE GALLIOT I)U PRK. in century to the middle of the sixteenth, give the centre of their shield a picture of a mallet. One of the boldest of the early sixteenth century examples is that employed by Galliot Du Pre, Paris, and in this we have a picture of a galley propelled with the aid of sails and oars, and with the motto " Vogue la gualee." This device (with 6 Printers Marks. several variations) was used by both father and son, and possesses an interest beyond the subject of Printers' Marks, for it gives us a very clear idea of the different boats employed during the first three quarters of the sixteenth century. Another striking Mark of about the same time and covering as nearly as possible the same period, was that of the family De La Porte. The earlier example used in Paris about 1508 was a simple doorway; but the elder Hugues de la Porte, Lyons, and the successors of Aymon De La Porte of the same place, used several exceedingly bold designs in which Samson is represented carrying away the gates of Gaza, the motto on one door or gate being "libertatem meam," and on the other "me- cum porto." The two printers of the same name, Jehan Lecoq, who were practising the art con- tinuously during nearly the whole of the sixteenth century at Troyes, employed a Mark on the shield of which appears the figure of a cock ; whilst an equally appropriate if much more ugly design, was employed by the eminent Lyons family of Sebastien Gryphe or Gryphius : he had at least eight "griffin" Marks, which differed slightly from one another. Francois Gryphe, who worked in Paris, had one Mark which was original to the extent of the griffin being supported by a tortoise. J. Du Moulin, Rouen, employed a little picture of a windmill on his Mark, as did Scotland's first printer, Andro Myllar; but Jehan Petit, a prolific fifteenth century printer of Paris, confined his punning to the words " Petit a Petit,'' as is seen in the reduced facsimile title, given on p. 9, of a Introduction. 7 book printed by him for T. Kerver. Mathias Apiarius, Strassburg, used at least two Marks ex- pressing the same idea, namely, a bear discovering a bee's nest in the hollow of a tree an obvious pun on his surname. The latter part of the sixteenth century is not nearly so fruitful in really good JEHAN LECOQ. or striking devices. Guillaume Bichon, Paris, employed a realistic picture of a lap-dog (in allu- sion to his surname) chasing a hare, with the motto " Nunc fugiens, olim pugnabo"; and equally rea- listic in another way is the Mark of P. Chandelier, Caen, in which effective use is made of a candle- stick with seven holders, the motto being " Lucernis 8 Printers Marks. fideliter ministro." Antoine Tardif, Lyons, em- ployed the Aldine anchor and dolphin, and also a motto, " Festina tarde," which is identical in meaning, if not in the exact words, of that of Aldus. Guillaume De La Riviere, Arras, used a charmingly vivid little scene of a winding river, with the motto " Madenta flumine valles " ; and it is not difficult to distinguish the appropriateness of the sprig of barley in the Mark of Hugues Barbon, Limoges. The Mark of Jacques Du Puys, Paris, was possibly suggested by the word puits (or well), and of which Puys is perhaps only a form : the picture at all events is a representation of Christ at the well. In the case of Adam Du Mont, Orange, the Christian name, is " taken off" in a picture of Adam and Eve at the tree of for- bidden fruit ; and exactly the same idea occurs with equal appropriateness in the Mark of N. Eve, Paris, the sign of whose shop was Adam and Eve. Michel Jove naturally went to profane history for the subject of his Mark, and with a considerable amount of success. Among the numerous other examples with mottoes derived from sacred history, special men- tion, as showing the connection between the sign of the shop and its incorporation in the Mark, may be made to the following printers of Paris : D. De La Noue, who not only had "Jesus" as the sign of his shop, but also as his Mark ; J. Gueffier had the " Amateur Divin " as his sign, and an allegorical interpretation of the device, " Pert tacitus, vivit, vincit divinus amator," as a Mark ; Guillaume Julian, or Julien, had " Amitie" SuSit fofumt Jiaunm* faittj oitx br maiwrr f. ait pirmirt ttanom^(vf