The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-29
HEAD AND TAIL PIECES.
A Branch of Art That Requires Much
Study and Special Talent.

washington Times.
The designing of head and tail pieces for
books as q branch of art Is often over
looked or forgotten, possibly because the
general public have become as accus-
toned to seeing these little sketches at the
beginning and end of a volume as the
words preface and 'fnis." But, like
every other branch of art. head and tail
pieces have a history. To the initiated the
masters of this branch of art and their
work are as well known as the famous
artists in the more conspicuous fields.
rectly from the Illuminated manuscripts of
the old monks Many of these manuscripts
show sketches more or less elaborate, at
their beginnings and ends. The earliest
printing shows the lack of these pieces
which gives them peculiar, bald appear
ance. This fact must soon have been no.
ticed after the printing of books began
the typefOunders were the first to at
tempt to supply the need. The earliest ex-
ampes were used by the famous Paris
bookbinders. and consist of simple though
clumsy crowns of roses, myrtles and bay
leaves or of harps, miters. etc. The most
famous tail and head pieces of this period,
possibly q little later. were those Of Louis
Luce, typefounoer to Louis XIV. These
designs. which are without exception ex-
Luce to be perfect in every respect and
e never lost an opportunity to boast of
them.
The best examples of early English head
and tail pieces can be seen in the Caxton
books. While of German artists. those of
Albert Duer rank first These are less
hapS the first to show any direct connection
with the text they were used to ornament.
Early in the eighteenth century hollow
initial letters came into favor along with
head and tail pieces, and were used in sets.
These initials consisted of ornamented Dor
ders whose letters could be changed at
will The head and tail pieces were de-
signed to match the borders of the letters
and give to the text a uniformity though
no artistic beauty.
Charles Whittingham seems to have been
among the first to fully appreciate the
capabilities of head and tail pieces as ex-
amples of taste and art To appreciate the
fact that while they should be decorative
they should not be illustrative, though they
should in a. measure have some significant
connection with the text they were de-
signed to ornament. He saw the difference
between appropriate decoration and illus
tration. His selections of the Tory borders
and of the HOlbem and Duer designs in the
Queen Elizabeth prayer-book show an en-
lightenment of taste and appreciation of
the text ne sought to decorate. Charlotte
Whittingham designs, engraved by Mary
Byfeld, are among the most famous OF TINS
period. Many of them were first used In
Bell and Daldys ElzeVir and pocket vol
ume series. Hundreds of these early head
and tail pieces can be seen in the Plantin-
Moretus Museum and in the collection of
the oxford University press.
For modern illustrations Of the art per-
haps the best may be seen in the publica-
tions of Copeland & Day. These head and
tail pieces are all of them works of art in
their way, and many of them show the
initials of some of our best-known artists,
both English ana American. The publica-
tons of the Grolier Club also show fine IL
lustrations of the work. many of their
head and tail pieces, together with their
accompanying initials, being designed by
members of this famous club.
The best work of American artists are
shown in the books of Howard and Kathe-
rine Pyle, who illustrated and ornamented
their own writings. For works of Boston
designers, who have a particular school of
their own, Mr.. Berkeley Updike's publica-
lions in the Merry Mount Press perhaps
give the finest examples. While the best
designers of head and tail pieces among liv-
ing women artists are Margaret and Helen
Armstrong and Amy Richards. all Of them
American women. who make a speciality of
this branch Of the art.
For pamphlets and the cheaper classes of
magazines and books dies of head and tail
pieces are furnished by the type foun-
dries These. of course, have no con-
nec.iOn with the books or articles they are
used TO ornament, and are frequently used
merely as space filers-as for instance.
when an article in one of these shoddy
ma gaZines does not fill page In preference
to leaving z blank space tail piece, more
or less elaborate. is used There is 40 con-
nection between the design of the tail piece
and the text of the article. the only object
being to fiji a blank space. With the high
class publications. Of course. such Is not
the case. as the head and tail pieces used
are especially designed for the article and
have an indirect connection with the text.