Printers' Marks Part 11

Although not the first printer either at Cremona, where he started in 1492, or at Brescia, where he was printing from 1492 to 1502, Bernardino de Missintis deserves mention among the typographers of the fifteenth century. So far as regards the latter place, the Mark of Giammaria Rizzardi, who was established in this city during the latter half of the last century, is one of the most distinct, and was probably designed by Turbini. Bonino de Boninis of Ragusa, was printing at Venice, 1478-1480, at Verona, 1481-3, and afterwards removed to Brescia, where he was printing until about 1491. The earliest known book printed at Modena (or Mutine) is an edition of Virgil, executed by Johannes Vurster de Campidona, 1475; but one of the best known printers of this city is Dominico Rocociolo, or Richizola, 1481-1504, who was in partners.h.i.+p with Antonio Miscomini, 1487-89.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE BROTHERS SABIO.

IO ANT ET FRES DE SABIO BRASICA]

Printing was introduced into Milan (Mediolanum) in 1469 or in the year following, and from the numerous presses established in this city before the end of the fifteenth century very many beautiful books were issued.

Gian Giacomo di Legnano and his brothers, whose highly decorative Mark we reproduce, were working in this city from 1503-33; one of their most interesting books is a Latin translation of the first edition (Vicenza, 1507) of the "Paesi novamente retrovati, et Novo Mondo da Alberico Vesputio Florentino int.i.tulato." Bologna was also a busy printing centre from 1470 onwards; but it must suffice us to give the monograms of three of the more noteworthy, namely, Hercules Nanni, 1492-4; Giovanni Antonio de Benedetti (or Johannes Antonius Platonides de Benedictis), 1499, and Justinian de Ruberia, 1495-9 (see p. 25).

[Ill.u.s.tration: GIAN GIACOMO DI LEGNANO.

IHS IO IACOMO E FRAT D LEGNANO IHS IOL IOL]

[Ill.u.s.tration: GIAMMARIA RIZZARDI.

Non solum n.o.bis Cagnoni sculp]

The Printers' Marks of Spain (including Portugal) need not detain us long. They cannot in any case be described as other than archaic, and they are for the most part striking on account of the coa.r.s.eness of their design. A few examples are given in Fray Francisco Mendez's "Tipografica Espanola," of which the first and only volume appeared at Madrid in 1796; and of which a second edition, corrected and enlarged by Dionisio Hidalgo, was published at the same city in 1861. As the latter writer clearly points out "los del siglo XV., y aun hasta la mitad del XVI. los mas eran estranjeros, como lo demuestran sus nombres y apellidos, y algunos lo declaran espresamente en sus notas y escudos."

These "estranjeros" were almost without exception Germans.

Valencia (or Valentia Edetanorum) was the first place in Spain into which the art of printing was introduced; the earliest printers being Alfonso Fernandez de Cordova and Lambert Palomar (or Palmart) a German, whose names however do not appear on any publication (according to Cotton) antecedent to the year 1478. Although not the earliest of the Seville printers the four "alemanes, y companeros," Paulo de Colonia, Juan Pegnicer de Nuremberga, Magno y Thomas, their composite Mark is one of the first which appears on books printed in Spain. It is of the cross type, with two circles, one within another, the smaller divided into four compartments, each of which encircles the initials of the four printers, "P" (the lower part of which is continued so as to form an "L"), "I M T." Among other books which they printed is the "Vidas de los Varones il.u.s.tres de Plutarco." In 1495, Paulo de Colonia appears to have left the partners.h.i.+p, for the Mark appeared with its inner circle divided into three compartments in which the initials "I M" and "T" only appear. This firm continued printing at Seville until the commencement of the sixteenth century. Federico de Basilea (or, as his name appears in the imprints of his books, Fadrique Aleman de Basilea) was busy printing books at Burgos from the end of the fourteenth to the second decade of the fifteenth century; his Mark, a cross resting on a V-shaped ground, is a poor one, the motto being "sine causa nihil." "En mushos libros de los que imprimio puso su escudo," observes Mendez; this printer possesses an historic interest from the fact that he issued the first edition the unabridged "Chronicle of the Cid," 1512--"Cronica del Famoso Cauallero Cid Ruy Diez Campeador," a book of the greatest rarity.

One of the early printers of Barcelona, Pedro Miguel, had a Mark, also of the cross type, the circle surrounding the bottom of which is divided into three compartments, in two of which occur his initials "P M."

[Ill.u.s.tration: JUAN ROSEMBACH.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: V. FERNANDEZ.]

One of the most noteworthy names in the early annals of Spanish printing is that of Juan de Rosembach de Haydellerich, who printed books in Barcelona, 1493-8, and again at the beginning of the sixteenth century; in Perpignan, 1500; in Tarragona, 1490, and in Montserrat. In 1499 he printed at Tarragona the famous "Missal de aquel Arzobispado," which Mendez declares to be "muy recomendable por varias circ.u.mstancias." At Barcelona he printed in 1526 an edition of the "Oficias de Cicero." The Marks of this printer vary considerably, but the example here reproduced may be regarded as a representative one. Of the early Lisbon printers, Valentin Fernandez "de la Provincia de Moravia" was probably the first to use a Mark (here reproduced), one of his publications being the "Glosa sobre las Coplas" of Jorge Manrique, 1501.

[Ill.u.s.tration:

1. ZACHARIAS KALLIERGOS.

2. J. A. DE LEGNANO.

3. J. DE VINGLE, OF PICARDY.

4. M. HUGUNT.]

[Ill.u.s.tration:

A good book is a true friend a wise author a public benefactor.

1726]

SOME MODERN EXAMPLES.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE STATIONERS' COMPANY.

VERb.u.m DOMINI MANET IN aeTERNUM]

During the past few years there has been a very evident revival in the Printer's Mark as a modern device, but the interest has much more largely obtained among publishers than among printers. We propose, therefore, to include in this chapter a few of the more interesting examples of each cla.s.s. On the score of antiquity the Stationers'

Company may be first mentioned. Founded in 1403--nearly three-quarters of a century before the introduction of printing--its first charter was not received until May 4th, 1557, during the reign of Mary. The number of "seditious and heretical books, both in prose and verse," that were daily issued for the propagation of "very great and detestable heresies against the faith and sound Catholic doctrine of Holy Mother the Church," became so numerous, that the government were only too glad to "recognize" the Company, and to intrust it with the most absolute power.

The charter was to "provide a proper remedy," or, in other words, to check the fast-increasing number of publications so bitter in their opposition to the Court religion. But, stringent and emphatic as was this proclamation, its effect was almost _nil_. On June 6th, 1558, another rigorous act was published from "our manor of St. James," and will be found in Strype's "Ecclesiastical Memorials" (ed. 1822, iii.

part 2, pp. 130, 131). It had specific reference to the illegality of seditious books imported, and others "covertly printed within this realm," whereby "not only G.o.d is dishonoured, but also encouragement is given to disobey lawful princes and governors." This proclamation declared that not only those who possessed such books, but also those who, on finding them, do not forthwith report the same, should be dealt with as rebels. It will be seen, therefore, how easy it was, in the absence of any fine definition, for books of whatever character to be proscribed. There was no appeal against the decision of the Stationers'

Hall representatives, who had the power entirely in their own hands.

A few months after Mary's futile attempt at checking the freedom of the press, a diametrically objective change occurred, and with Elizabeth's accession to the throne in November, 1558, the licensed stationers conveniently veered around and were as industrious in suppressing Catholic books as they had been a few weeks previously in endeavouring to stamp out those of the new religion. The history of the Stationers'

Company however has been so frequently told that it need not be further entered upon here, and it must suffice us to say that, after many vicissitudes, all the privileges and monopolies had become neutralized by the end of the last century, till it had nothing left but the right to publish a common Latin primer and almanacks, and the right to the latter monopoly was annulled after a memorable speech of Erksine. The Company still continues to publish almanacks, and uses the two Marks or Arms here reproduced. The larger example is the older, and is used on the County almanacks; whilst the smaller one is used on circulars and notices.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE STATIONERS' COMPANY.

VERb.u.m DOMINI MANET IN ETERNUM.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE RIVINGTONS.

Fear G.o.d Honour the King]

Of the existing firms of publishers and printers, that of Messrs.

Longmans is the most memorable; _vice_ the firm of Messrs. Rivingtons, which has now become joined to that of the Longmans. This gives us the opportunity to consider briefly the Marks of the two firms together. In the year 1711, Richard Chiswell, the printer of much of Dryden's poetry, died, and his business pa.s.sed into the hands of Charles Rivington, a native of Chesterfield, Derbys.h.i.+re. Thoughtful and pious himself, Charles Rivington threw himself with ardour into the trade for religious manuals, and not only succeeding in persuading John Wesley to translate "a Kempis" for him, but also in publis.h.i.+ng the saintly Bishop Thomas Wilson's "Short and Plain Introduction to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper," the first edition of which bears Charles Rivington's name on the imprint, and which is still popular. To the novelist Richardson, he suggested "Pamela." Dying in 1742, he left Samuel Richardson as one of the executors of his six children, but his sons, John and James, continued to conduct the business. A few years later, it was deemed advisable for the brothers to separate, and while John remained at the "Bible and Crown," St. Paul's Churchyard, James joined a Mr. Fletcher in the same locality, and started afresh. One especially fortunate venture was the publication of Smollett's continuation of Hume, which brought its lucky publishers upwards of 10,000, a larger profit than had previously been made on any one book. However, Newmarket had attractions for James, and eventually disaster set in; he died in New York in 1802 or 1803. His brother, meanwhile, had plodded on steadily at home, and admitting his two sons, Francis and Charles, into partners.h.i.+p. About this time there were numerous editions of the cla.s.sics, the common property of a syndicate of publishers, and it says much for Mr. John Rivington that he was appointed managing partner. About 1760 he obtained the appointment of publisher to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, a lucrative post, held by the firm for upwards of two generations. By the year 1889, the two representatives of this ancient firm were Messrs. Francis Hansard Rivington and Septimus Rivington; in this year the partners.h.i.+p was dissolved, and the goodwill and stock were acquired by Messrs. Longmans. They used at various periods no less than eight Marks, the design of which was in most cases based upon the ancient sign of their shop, "The Bible and Sun."

[Ill.u.s.tration: LONGMAN AND CO.

ERRABANT MARIA OMNIA CIRc.u.m 1726]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CLARENDON PRESS.

DOMINVS ILLUMINATIO MEA]

The history of Messrs. Longmans may be said to commence with the birth of Thomas Longman in 1699. The son of a Bristol gentleman, he lost his father in 1708, and, eight years later, was apprenticed, on June 9, 1716, to Mr. John Osborn of Lombard Street, London. His apprentices.h.i.+p expiring (he had come into the possession of his property two years earlier), we find him, in 1724, purchasing from his master, John Osborn (acting with William Innys as executors), the stock in trade of William Taylor, of the s.h.i.+p and Black Swan in Paternoster Row. Readers of _Longman's Magazine_ turn to Mr. Andrew Lang's genial gossip, "At the Sign of the s.h.i.+p," without recalling the origin of the t.i.tle.

Henceforward the s.h.i.+p carried the Longman fortunes as cargo, and the prosperity of the vessel is not yet ended. Messrs. Longmans have used nearly a dozen Marks, all of which have been suggested, like those of the Rivingtons, by the sign of their shop, which has now grown into a very imposing pile of buildings. Of these Marks we give two of the most artistic and interesting. As taking us back into a comparatively remote period in the history of printing and publis.h.i.+ng in England, the Mark of the Clarendon Press, or, in other words, the arms of the University of Oxford, may be here cited.

[Ill.u.s.trations: WILLIAM PICKERING.

ALDI DISCIP. ANGL.

ALDI DISCIP. ANGL.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BASIL MONTAGU PICKERING.

B M Pickering Aldi Discipulus Anglus]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CHISWICK PRESS.

HOPE WELL AND HAVE WELL CW]

The "Chiswick Press" of Messrs. Whittingham and Co., is in several respects a link with the long past, and, having been in existence for more than a century, is one of the oldest offices in London. It has attained a world-wide celebrity for the excellence of its work, the careful reading and correction of proofs, and the appropriate application of its varied collection of ornaments and initial letters.

The Chiswick Press was the first to revive the use of antique type in 1843, for the printing of "Lady Willoughby's Diary," published by Messrs. Longmans. Since that time its use has become universal. The founder, Charles Whittingham, was born on June 16th, 1767, at Calledon, in Warwick, and was apprenticed at Coventry in 1779, working subsequently at Birmingham, and then in London. He commenced business on his own account in Fetter Lane in 1790; and in 1810 he had removed to Chiswick, and since that period the firm has always been known as "The Chiswick Press." In 1828 he began to execute work for William Pickering, the publisher, and his press quickly acquired an unrivalled reputation for its collection of ornamental borders, head and tail pieces. The publisher Pickering, and the printer Whittingham, had employed about two dozen marks in their various books: the former justly calling himself a disciple of Aldus, and using a large number of variations on the original Anchor and Dolphin Mark of the great Venetian printer. Of these we give two examples, one with, and one without a cartouche; and also the mark of Basil Montagu Pickering, the son and successor of William Pickering. We also reproduce three of the more striking Marks of the Chiswick Press, the s.h.i.+eld on one of which, it will be observed, carries the Aldine Anchor and Dolphin.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CHISWICK PRESS.]