Evening star., 1935-11-17

print authorities believe to be the
finest books in all the world. These
are the folio oxford Lectern Bible in
two volumes, presented to the Amer.
lean people by the great artist who
made them-Bruce Rogers Of IN.
diana, typographical expert and
Americas premier designer of books.
These two books, weighing 80
pounds each. were brought by Mr..
Rogers from England, where they
were printed by the oxford University
Press. Accompanied from New York
to Washington by his friend, ], Thil-
man Hendrick, the books were per.
sonally presented to Herbert Putnam,
librarian of Congress.
Beyond the actual making of these
two books, which took six years, lay
the experiences Of 40 years bookmak-
ing on the part of their designer and
the two men associated with him in
practical printing-Harvey D. Best,
president Of the Lanston Monotype
Machine Co. of Philadelphia, and W..
]. Burch, managing director of the
Monotype Corp, Ltd. Of Great Britain.
So perfect is their job that, though 1t
was done by machines, the printing
rivals hand-set type.
Also, these two volumeS-rated as
the rarest of the rare bookshelf
the story OF the American peoples
awakening to the value and beauty
of fine tones. They represent, too,
Englsnd's recognition Of America as
the home land Of the worlds greatest
living book designer.
Though he has hundreds of books
to his credit, and most Of them in
the rare book class. this lectern Bible
Is hailed as the Rogers masterpiece.
Printers say that, aphically, it
never has been equaled. OF cer-
tainty, it compares more than favor
ably with the Bibles of the old mas
terS-the books Of Gutenberg, FUst
and Schoeffer, Plantin and Bodoni.
Naturally, it has mechanical perfec-
ton that Bibles of the old masters
lacked-for this is the supreme prod
uct Of the machine age working hand
In hand with topographic artistry.
THIS achievement is one Of the won-
ders of the age. It means that the
machine which relieves the operator
Of all the drudgery Of hand work
still permits the use of his artistic
ability-without mechanical imita-
tions of any kind. Indeed, expert
printers-masters of the art-have
been baffled by the lectern Bible at
the Library. unable to tell offhand
whether its print was set by machine
or hand.
That it was set by machine is al
most unbelievable.
Yet there 1t is-a living, vibrant
token Of American ingenuity.
Where the books of old masters
were ornate in typographical arrange
ment, with illuminated letters and
fancy curliques, the Bruce Rogers
Bible at the Library of Congress is
severly simple. Unadorned, the type
made by Mr.. Rogers is a modified
form Of his Centaur. a font that won
the approval Of printers the world
over.
Before planning his masterpiece,
Rogers experimental with many kinds
and sizes OF type He finally decided
on Bible Centaur in the large size
which printers call 22-point.
The two volumes at the Library
contain more than 1900 pages OF
type-tall, dignified pages 1914 inches
high, almost the length Of a news
paper column, so lines of type to the
page, minus headings. No decorative
scheme whatsoever presents itself
except capital letters for headings,
upper and lower case letters as sub
heads, and initial letters starting of
the various books and chapters.
Not only will rare book lovers and
collectors Of fine books 60 to see
this monumental work, but those who
know and appreciate good typography
will pay their respects when it be-
comes known throughout the land
that an American has reached the
heights Of fine printing. Here is his
work for all to see.
Already the experts have been over
to see the newcomer to the ranks of
rare books. They pronounce the book
the greatest since Baskerville printed
his Great Bible of 1853, finer by far
than the first and grandest of all
folio editions Of the Authorized Ver-
sion, printed in 1911.
Back in the days of King William
Nv the English were in the habit of
printing a small number of Bibles
for presentation to visiting sovereigns.
Out Of this practice came the Quarto
Bible Of 1857, printed at Cambridge.
No royal command bade Bruce
Rogers. the American. go forth and
do his best. Yet, when the Library
OF Congress honored him and his
humble thistle-down printers mark
by placing it on the golden gates that
lead to the rare book room it is safe
to say the heart Of an American
was stirred to poetic depths. From
that reaction came a desire and an
ambition. Both are fulfilled in the
book Of books, the Bible of Bibles.
IT MAY be called that because it
reverts to the very simplicity Of
the Word Of God. This is the verdict
Of pulpiteers and printers alike.
Here in Washington, where Is To-
Gated the largest print shop in the
world-the Government Printing Of
1ice-the public printer, Augustus E.
Giegengack, and his assistant, Miss
10 Cofin-one of the foremost women
printers in America-and George Ort-
leb, the production manager, have
gone to the library to inspect the new
volumes. Journeymen printers from
the surrounding countryside view this
work with profound awe. They pro-
nounce it practical printing, with the
added attraction of artistic embellish-
ment that comes from its own SIM
plicity. It means, in their eyes, that
other books Of lesser importance can
be treated in the same manner and
form-that printing from now on In