| Description: |
[London]. [1844]. 8vo, title-page, price-list, advertisement, ff. 286 of specimens (5 folding), price-list dated 1st Jan.1844, a couple of leaves with slight fraying to blank margins, orig. embossed cloth, re-backed. Historically important, as it marks the revival of the famous Caslon old-style typeface which had fallen out of popularity for nearly half a century, during which time they had been replaced by the onslaught of the “modern” Didot and Bodoni typefaces. Credit for reviving Caslon’s types goes to Charles Whittingham and his Chiswick Press. In several books in the 1840s, Whittingham flew in the face of fashion and used the Caslon types on title pages, and in 1844 he published the first new book set entirely in Caslon, ‘The Diary of Lady Willoughby’. Although none of the romans and italics of Wm. Caslon are shown in this book, they were returning to favour as indicated by an advertisement on the leaf following the title: “The printers are respectfully informed, that, in addition to the contents of the following Modern Specimens, this Foundry includes the Works of the justly celebrated William Caslon, by whom it was originally established... Specimens of the original Caslon Foundry may be seen in Chiswell Street; but, being nearly out of print, cannot be generally circulated”. The specimen leaves are are printed on one-side only and are variously marked with the names: Caslon, Son, and Livermore; H. Caslon; Caslon and Livermore; Caslon. The only other copy of this specimen book we have located is that of the Saint Bride Library. |
