main printed feature: signature mark

Signature marks were used by printers to denote gatherings and leaves of a text so that they knew that the work was being printed and bound in the correct order. We typically use signature marks as a way of locating where something is in a book (e.g. “sig. B4v” indicates the verso side of the 4th leaf of the B gathering). But the style of a signature mark can also indicate where the book was printed.

Alciati, Emblemata, 1661 (2E1r)

This is the first of five full pages of commentary on Alciati's emblem "In astrologus"---a marked expansion from its first appearance in print in 1531.

Ames, Typographical antiquities, 1749 (a1r)

Appropriately for a book about the history of printing, this list of subscribers marks out the two Caslons as letter-founders.

Beaumont and Fletcher, Scornfull Lady, 1651 (B1r)

In the upper right corner of this page is an odd blank space that cuts off some words---probably the result of a misplaced frisket or a stray piece of paper that got between the blank sheet of paper and the inked type.

Bible, English, 1611 (A1r)

The King James Bible uses a complex typography to signal which words or phrases are not from the source material but have been added in translation (those in roman type), printed notes in roman type for cross referencing between different books, printed notes in italic for translation notes, and headnotes for each chapter providing summaries to help with quick navigation.

Bible, Massachuset, 1663 (A1r)

Though not credited, several Indigenous people were involved in the translation and production of the book, including James Printer, the first Indigenous American to work in a print shop. Eliot believed the Masschusett people would be more receptive to conversion if it was presented in their own language. In this way, the Eliot Bible was a physical tool of colonialism: a way to overcome the language barrier so that Indigenous people could receive the colonizer’s values, but not vice versa. On this page, one of the fleurons in the lower right section of the headpiece is upside-down, perhaps an error made in haste.

Bijns, Refereyn, 1611 (A4v-A5r)

In this densely printed opening, you can see printed marginal notes used as references to the Bible.

Boethius, Consolatione, 1497 (d1r)

Boethius's De consolatione philosophiae, a popular medieval text, was often circulated with commentary. Here, Boethius's text is printed in a larger size, with the commentary surrounding it.

Catalogue of the Faculty of Advocates, 1742 (K1r)

This was a working catalog for the Advocates' library, and the shelfmarks for the books were added and updated throughout its active life.

Cato, Moral distichs, 1735 (A1v-A2r)

On the blank page shown here, you can see the raised letters from the impression of the type used for the title page.

Colloques ou dialogues, 1616 (A4v-A5r)

The odd shape of this book (little and oblong) comes from its contents (seven columns of dialogues in different languages) and its use (a pocket-sized volume for travelers).