Thirty decorative shields bearing the “Printers’ Devices” or marks of some of history’s most famous printers are carved in high relief on the stone exterior of Central Library just below the arched second floor windows.
These ornamental emblems, which were typically printed on the title page of a text or the very last page, were devised as a sign of authentication, much like a merchant’s mark or a nobleman’s coat of arms. Similarly, and long before the advent of the printing press, Mesopotamian cylinder seals and Egyptian scarabs were carved to leave unique stamped impressions that could prove ownership or identity.
Although these devices boast masterful woodcut illustrations, for the most part, they were created by unidentified artists. Many early printers had been scribes, calligraphers, and illuminators before printing technology transitioned to the printing press. The fearsome beasts and ornate borders seen in illuminated manuscripts are frequently found in a printer’s mark, along with a monogram and sometimes a motto. The use of the devices peaked in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Johann Gutenberg/Fust & Schoeffer
Gutenberg’s invention of mechanical movable type printing marked the dawning of the Printing Revolution and is widely regarded as the most significant event in the modern era. Johann Fust had financially backed the printing of Gutenberg’s bible, but had a falling out with the inventor. Fust teamed up with Peter Schoefferr, Gutenburg’s accomplished apprentice who was responsible for printing innovations such as typography design and the printer’s mark. This simple woodcut device is notable as the first ever used in a printed book, the Mainz Psalter, produced on August 14, 1457 by Fust and Schoeffer. It was also the first book to include the place and date of printing. Their design, consisting of two printer’s rules on double shields suspended from a branch, was imitated by several other early printers. It is thought that the Greek symbol “X” for Christ is written on the first shield and the Greek letter “A” for logos (word) is on the second.
Erhard Ratdolt was the first publisher of scientific material, including Cardinal Pierre d’Ailly’s Concordantia astronomiae cum theologia, a treatise on theology and astronomy, owned by SLPL. Published in 1490, the book includes geometric diagrams that were a technical challenge to print. Ratdolt’s magnificent mark in red features the Roman God Mercury holding two serpents entwined in a caduceus or staff form. Mercury was the messenger of the Gods and represents communication and the flow of information.
Widely considered England’s first printer, William Caxton developed his somewhat primitive, yet visually effective, device late in his printing career. It first appeared in 1487 on a liturgical missal – Missal Sarum. Caxton’s initials "W" and "C" flank a center symbol that is thought to be the number "74," which possibly represents the year printing began in England. Caxton’s successor, Wynkyn de Worde moved the press to Fleet Street, London and continued to use variations of this device.
The mark of the Unknown Printer of St. Albans is that of a simple circle and the cross motif bearing the name of the town of his origin. The printer is believed to have been a schoolmaster. There are only eight books attributed to the Unknown Printer, and just two display this mark.
St. Albans’ Abbey was an important place of learning in medieval times. It was inhabited by monks who produced magnificent manuscripts in their workshop or scriptorium.
One of the most prolific French bookmakers and sellers, Vérard’s workshop produced both illuminated manuscripts and printed books. His printer’s mark features angels, birds, the royal crest of France and a heart bearing initials. The hellebore plant is seen at the bottom, its name in French - vératre - is thought to be a play on the printer’s name.
The seal of early German printer Martin Schott consists of a cabbage-like tree, complete with roots, with the printer’s initials M and S to the left and right of the trunk. An exceptional example of his mark is found in the Library’s copy of “Philippica Iacobi Vuimpfelingi Sletstatini,” printed in 1498.
German Grüninger printed primarily religious texts over his long career, however, he was also responsible for publishing important Classical texts, including Horace's Opera in 1498 and Virgil's Aeneid in 1502. St. Louis Public Library is fortunate to own a copy of this first illustrated edition of the works of the Roman poet Horace.
French printer and wood engraver Philippe Pigouchet is best known for printing very fine incunabula Book of Hours. Pigouchet’s device features a shield bearing his monogram hanging from a pine tree and supported by a wild man and wild woman. The wild man or woodwose was a popular mythical figure in medieval times.
The marks of the French 15th century printers became quite elaborate and are more ornate than those from other countries from the same time period. Simon Vostre’s mark was no exception. Vostre’s mark features a pomegranate tree and two genets supporting the monogrammed shield. European genets are slender cat-like animals. Vostre was a frequent collaborator of Philippe Piqouchet. The Library owns a copy of Dialogue de consolation entre l’âme et raison, a conversation between the Soul and Reason, in which his device appears.
Although Erhard Ratdolt was the first to employ the Roman God Mercury and the caduceus or staff, a caduceus in greater detail was employed by the printer-publisher Johann Froben. Designed by Hans Holbein the Younger, the emblem appears in a copy of Erasamus’s Apologiae owned by the Library.
Petit’s device includes two formidable lions supporting a fleur-de-lis adorned shield. The fleur-de-lis is a pictorial representation of Petit’s address “at the sign of the lily.” This instance of the device is the central feature on the heavily decorated title page of a classic work from Angelo Poliziano. The copy owned by the Library was printed in 1512.
Richard Pynson’s device features his large monogram on a shield supported by a man and woman on either side. A helmet and an eagle holding a branch with pine cones is above the shield. Pynson was the King's Printer to both Henry VII and Henry VIII.
One of the most productive and prominent early Parisian printers, Thielman Kerver was known as the bookseller located at St. Michael's Bridge, “at the sign of the unicorn.” Kerver’s device features two of the mythical beasts on either side of a shield bearing his initials. An angled four-shaped symbol and cross staff are also present. The unicorn was a popular heraldic element co-opted by the early book printers. Kerver’s wife, Yolande Bonhomme, took over his business after his death in 1522 and continued to employ his mark on her books.
One of the most recognizable of all devices is that of Aldus Manutius’ Aldine Press. The dolphin wrapped around an anchor is a visual representation of his seemingly self-contradictory motto, “festina lente,” meaning hurry up slowly. Manutius was the father of italics and pocket-sized books. His press was known for its printing of classical Greek texts, in addition to those in Latin and Italian. This example of his mark is from a 1503 printing of “Greek Anthology” owned by the Library.
Notary’s mark evolved from a more simple orb and cross motif to that of a helmet over a shield with his earlier trademark and initials below.
Englishman John Scolar’s printer’s device boasts the arms of Oxford University, where he spent time as its official printer. It shows a book with seven open seals and three coronets or crowns on a shield supported by two angels.
Taking a cue from his name - “Frosch" literally meaning “frog” - Froschauer’s whimsical device features a baby sitting side-saddle atop a giant frog in front of a tree surrounded by smaller frogs. Although SLPL does not own any books printed by the first Froschauer or “man from frog meadow,” we do have one printed by his nephew Christoph Froschauer the Younger, who took over the printing shop after his death. The device is toned down a bit, but the frog is still represented.
The leading printer in the golden age of French typography, Robert Estienne used numerous devices, perhaps most famously the olive branch and serpent wound around a spear that appears on the exterior of Central Library. The serpent or snake was often used as a physical embodiment of wisdom. Estienne published many classical texts as well as Latin and Greek translations of the Bible.
Grafton (curiously misspelled Graeton on the Library’s shield) and his associate Edward Whitchurch were responsible for printing and publishing what is known as the Great Bible of 1539. It was the first English language Bible of the Church of England authorized by the King of England, Henry VIII, to be read aloud in the church services. Grafton later served as the King’s Printer under Edward VI. As his device, Grafton used a tun or a large barrel with a grafted fruit-tree growing through it, a play on his name.
Bynneman, a very successful English printer and book seller, used several different devices during his two decades in the book business. His most used was the image of a mermaid rising from the sea looking at her reflection in a mirror with the motto, “Omnia tempus habent,” (To everything there is a season). Central Library’s carved mark appears to be a later mark: a doe and motto, “Cerva charissima et gratissimus hinnulus prod” (a beloved doe and most pleasing fawn).
Best known as the printer of Shakespeare, Jaggard died in 1623, just before the publication of the First Folio. His son Isaac assumed his press. Jaggard's unique device is that of a hand emerging from clouds on the right and holding a staff topped by a portcullis or heavy metal gate. A serpent or snake, the symbol of wisdom, is wrapped around the wrist and the motto, "Prudentia" (also meaning wisdom) hovers on the left.
The famous device of the House of Elzevir, first introduced in 1620, depicts a vine entwining an Elm tree. An old man stands beside the tree which supports a banner on which the Latin motto “Non Solus” (not alone) is written. It is thought that the elm represents the tree of knowledge and the man a wise philosopher. This Dutch family of printers, publishers and booksellers were famous for their pocket-sized publications.
Stephen Daye was the printer of the The Bay Psalm Book, the first existing book published in what is now the United States of America. A locksmith by trade, Daye was pressed into service as the first North American printer after the minister who had brought the press for the young colony died sailing back to England.
William Bradford was a Colonial printer and publisher notable for founding the first presses in Pennsylvania and New York. John Peter Zenger was his apprentice. One one the first cases concerning freedom of the press was a libel case in 1734 against Zenger who published The New York Weekly Journal. He was ultimately acquitted.
Franklin’s work as a printer inspired much of his early work as a writer, which consisted in compiling, editing, and adding filler for his Pennsylvania Gazette and Poor Richard's Almanack. Despite his many other talents and distinguished career as diplomat, Franklin always thought of himself as a printer. His will began, “I Benjamin Franklin, a printer…”
In 1743, Christopher Saur printed the first European language (German) Bible in America. Years later in 1776, His son and namesake printed what is widely known as the “Gun-Wad” Bible. Legend has it this particular German Bible was all but completely destroyed during the Revolutionary War by British soldiers who used unbound pages as cartridge paper for their muskets and bedding for their horses. It was also the first Bible printed from American-manufactured type.
Brothers Robert and Andrew Foulis formed a partnership after learning the book trade in England and France. They later became the University of Glasgow's Printer.
Baskerville made a career as a writing master and headstone engraver before pursuing his passion for typography and printing. His Baskerville font is an enduring example of a transitional typeface, in-between classical styles and high contrast modern designs.
The marks of this 19th century British press were usually variations on the original anchor and dolphin mark created by Aldus Manutius 300 years before. On Central Library, a lion, a heraldic symbol of bravery, holds a shield bearing the mark.
English textile designer, artist and writer, William Morris co-founded Kelmscott Press at Hammersmith, London. The private press shunned Industrial production methods in favor of Renaissance-era technology, creating beautiful books as aesthetically pleasing as hand-written manuscripts. This particular instance of the Kelmscott floral mark is from Thomas More’s “Utopia,” printed in 1893 and owned by the Library.
