The Washington times., 1901-10-06
QUAINT old BOOK MARKS.
Odd Devices Employed by the
Printers of BygOne Days.

1t is probable that the emblem or de-
vice occasionally seen on the title-page
of book escapes the notice, or at all
events. the attention Of the casual read
er. These ornaments of the topographic
art are now comparatively rare, al
though their use dates from the earliest
stages of printing. In those early times
they were used by the printers as a
species of trademark, but are now en-
ployed only by the publishers. who still
preserve the very patent emblems of
The students lamp, the book, the pen,
and similar designs. During the period
of their popularity much ingenuity was
lavished upon their construction, and
especially upon those quaint medieval
illusions, which constitute, in them
selves. school of humor.
The use of these devices was contem-
poraneous with the very birth of the
art of printing. for the great Mentz
Bible is adorned with an emblem con-
sisting Of two shields linked together
by, and suspended from, a tree branch;
upon these shields is displayed the
printers rule, chosen both by Faust
and Schoeffer as the symbol most sig
nificant of the new art which they
We're exhibiting to a wondering world
1t is said that the Emperor Frederick
III of Germany. a man of learning and
a liberal patron of art himself designed
the coat-of-arnls which he granted to
the German printers, and which is still
used by them. as well as by typogra-
piers in other countries as the heraldic
arms appropriate TO the art This es-
cutcheon bears the imperial eagle, hold
ing in its right claw the copyholder !
with copy. ana in the left a composing |
stick; above which is a large helmet |
surmounted by a crown. from which !
rises a griffin bearing the mixing balls. |
The antiquity Of this coat-nf-arms may |
be gathered from the fact that Fred |
erfck died in 1893, or one year after this |
continent was discovered by Columbus. |
The first printers emblems were sim
pie, and often very rude, frequently |
being merely a circle crossed or divided !
in some special fashion, and containing /
the initials of the artist. The arms of |
cities ana counties were also used, and |
varied according to the taste or necessi- |
ties OF the artist, as expressing his |
place Of residence, or in compliment 10 |
some powerful patron Coats-of-arms |
were especially common in law books, |
Where the printer often waived ..is |
fivilege of using his own device. as in
case of Wynkyn de Worde. With
j growing taste for such decorations, !
5huch skill and fancy were displayed |
In their invention; and it has been sup
posed that in certain instances the
play upon words Incorporated in the de-
vices was intended as a screen, or
species OF secret sign by which the
printer of anonymous publications
might escape the dangers Of the penal
code, while his handiwork would be
by the brethren of the craft
The emblems were generally merely /
fasciful creations Of the typographers,
but when the Emperor Maximilian
granted a coat-of-arms to the son of
it furnished enc of the first
examples of the pictured puns, which
were later so abundantly employed.
This coat-of arms, embracing the orig
nal device of the printers rule, added
D shepherd (Schoeffer) with his sheep. |
q the illustration of the family name.
bat these devices were accepted as a
demark is evident from memorial
elished by Aldus in 1903, complain
that the printers of Lyons counter
ed his famous anchor and dolphin
facilitate the ssle of their produc-
is; while the preface to the Aldine
~ of 1913 ridicules the clumsy ef-
OF imitators.
elegant simplicity Of the dolphin
nm3ed around the anchor,
Eropriate device Of the
iutius. and many other
|graphers followed in the
The celebrated printer,
tcok as his emblem hard and
s. with the motto, Labor and
ancy." Froben, another famous
er of the art preservative," en-
as trademark a crowned cadu-
surrnounted by a dove, which in
Erasmus to say that the typo
er did indeed join the wisdom
serpent to the simplicity Of the
The palm tree was a popular de-
with the early printers, and is
1
er family of Marnef assumed the
IN tearing her breast TO nourish
roung. and Destresius used the
emblem. with the motto, With
he shedding of blood there is no
slon Of sins"
early devices seem TO have been
ed with an eye to quaintness
than grace. Nevertheless, there
lceptions. as in the emblem of
nus. Here the buoyant figure of
poised upon the dolphin. seems
upon the wind, and admirably
onizes with the spirit of the mot
|Valor and virtue surmount all
rs" The Saturn of Colinaeus is an
sIlent design, as is the eagle of Clio
proudly facing the sun. with the
10. Ever the Same" a curious de-
is that OF Jerome Scot, picturing
male figure resting upon the globe.
n seems to obey the slightest touch
the reins held in her grasp.
ong the largest Of the devices IS
of the three crowned figures of
ace, probably intended to signify
pope. the Emperor, and the King of
&c. Gigantic, too, is the savage
Mylius Of Strasburg. The Cere-
Brylinger; the huge lion of Con
which rests peacefully upon a
Of flowers; the cupid OF De Tour
hielding his eyes from the sun.
e Hercules rescuing Dejanira |
he Centaurs. are all noteworthy
les of the taste Of the period.
English fancy appears to have