format: broadsheet

When one sheet has been printed as a single leaf, rather than folded into smaller leaves; sometimes referred to as a “broadside” or written as 1º

Anatomical fugitive sheet (1573)

Anatomical studies of figures with movable flaps, like this one, were often printed as single sheets, and have come to be referred to as "fugitive" sheets since they stand alone outside of a fixed codex. This fugitive sheet shows a female figure with flaps that can be lifted to reveal her organs and skeleton. To see the flaps lifted, follow this shelmark link.

Anatomical fugitive sheet, flap 1 (1573)

In this view, with the top flap lifted up, you can see some of the interior organs, including lungs, heart, stomach, and intestines.

Anatomical fugitive sheet, flap 2 (1573)

With the second flap lifted, we can now see a layer of reproductive organs.

Anatomical fugitive sheet, flap 3 (1573)

With the final flap lifted, the figure's skeleton is revealed.

Connecticut, Proclamation, 1783

If you look closely at this broadside, you might see that the text at the top and bottom have light shadows---a faint double impression caused by an accidental bounce of the paper on the inked type

Faithorne, A perpetuall ephemeris (1655)

Although engraved and etched plates in books tend to be primarily of images, intaglio techniques can also be used to write text, as in this perpetual calendar. For more on how this calendar works, see Erin Blake's post "Happy New Year's E" in The Collation.

Gianicolo, Type specimen, 1529 (recto)

This specimen sheet features only a font of italic type, but in a visually attractive demonstration of its possibilities.

Gianicolo, Type specimen, 1529 (verso)

There is very little bleed-through apparent on this blank verso, although it's hard to tell if it is due to how this broadsheet was printed or how it was photographed.

Guyot, Type specimen, 1565

Specimen sheets are used by type-casters to show examples of the fonts they have for sale. This one shows work from François Guyot, a type-caster in Antwerp, and was used to sell his wares in England, as evidenced by the manuscript notes in English secretary hand. Careful sleuthing comparing these typefaces to those used in dated texts and to surviving records from the Plantin printing shop identified Guyot and the likely date of 1565. For more on those details, see this post from the Folger's

Indulgence, Augsburg, 1481 (recto)

In addition to the intentional blanks filled in with the date and what may be the names of the recipients of this indulgence (Sigismundo and possibly his wife Anna), there are several corrections interpolated among the lines—they appear to largely be shifts in verb tense and pronouns, maybe to reflect that this indulgence is being presented to two people, rather than one. The interweaving of print and handwriting in this form reflects how in this earliest era of print use in Europe, there was a need for scribes as well as printers.