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Search results for: Gutenberg

Book of the Week – A Leaf from the Gutenberg Bible

31 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by rarebooks in Book of the Week

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Tags

Bible, Bruce Rogers, Centaur, fine press, font, Grolier Club, Gutenberg Bible, Johann Gutenberg, medieval manuscript, moveable metal type, Niclas Jenson, printed, printer, Riverside Press, textura, type, typeface, typographer, William Edwin Rudge

Gutenberg Bible, 1450-1455
Gutenberg Bible, 1450-1455

A Noble Fragment, Being a Leaf of the Gutenberg Bible 1450-1455; With a Bibliographical Essay by A. Edward Newton
New York: Gabriel Wells, 1921
Z241 B581 1921, oversize

A leaf from the Old Testament, Samuel, 2nd, xxii-xxiii, from a Latin translation dating to about 380. The first book printed from moveable metal type, the Biblia Latina or 42-line Bible (in reference to the number of lines in a column) was based on medieval manuscript design. The typeface was developed after a book-hand used in western Germany during the fifteenth century for liturgical works. Known as “textura,” this formal upright and angular hand features letters that have pointed feet and almost no curvature. The first font of type, made by goldsmith Johann Gutenberg, consisted of nearly three hundred characters, including variant forms of letters, ligatures, and abbreviations to simulate as much as possible manuscript conventions. Gutenberg’s choice of the Bible as his first printed publication was a good business decision. All copies (approximately one hundred and eighty) had sold before they were off the press. Forty-eight full copies are known to exist today, thirty-six on paper and twelve on vellum. A. Edward Newton’s bibliographical essay for this leaf book was printed under the direction of Bruce Rogers at the shop of William Edwin Rudge. Bruce Rogers (1870-1957), the distinguished American printer and typographer, is widely recognized as one of the most talented book designers of all time. He spent his earliest years as a designer with Riverside Press, then as a freelance artist during which time he worked with the printing house of W.E. Rudge of Mt. Vernon, New York, the Grolier Club, and the Limited Editions Club of New York. Rogers established American fine press standards, insisting that the design of a book – its type, illustrations, and format should reflect and enhance the author’s text. He designed more than seven hundred books. Rogers also designed Centaur type for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1914. Released by Monotype in 1929, Centaur is modeled on letters cut by the fifteenth-century French printer Nicolas Jenson. Centaur has a beauty of line and a proportion that has been widely acclaimed since its release. An attractive typeface for books in particular, it is effective for shorter texts. Bound in black morocco, lettered in gold on front cover.

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Rare Books Goes to Warsaw!

11 Tuesday Jul 2017

Posted by rarebooks in Journal Articles, Publication

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Tags

Analecta Papyrologica, Arabic, Arabic Papyrus, bilingualism, Cairo Geniza, Classical Studies, contracts, Coptic, Egypt, estate manager, European Research Council, Fatamid, Free Universtiy of Brussels, Greek, Heroninus, Johannes Gutenberg University, Journal of Juristic Papyrology, legal documents, Mainz, Marina Rustow, Modern Languages and Literatures - Arabic Language and Literature, multilingualism, Naïm Vanthieghem, Near Easter Studies, paper fragments, papyrus, Princeton University, Ramadan, Rare Books Department, slaves, Special Collections, The Cairo Geniza as a Source for the History of Institutions and Documentary Practices in the Medieval Middle East, University of Zurich, Utah

#60-Front
P. Utah inv. 6o
end of ninth century
papyrus

“J’ai pu y decouvrir une trentaine de documents juridiques arabes inedits de toutes epoques, parmi lesquels quelques beaux specimens de contrat de vente d’esclaves.” (I have discovered thirty legal documents in Arabic…, including some fine specimens of contracts for the sale of slaves.) — Naïm Vanthieghem

Five pieces from the Arabic Papyrus, Parchment, and Paper Collection were published by Naïm Vanthieghem in The Journal of Juristic Papyrology, vol. XLIV (2014), pp. 163-187 (Warsaw). The article is titled “Quelques Contrats de vente d’Esclaves.” Unfortunately, the J. Willard Marriott Library does not hold this journal. Mr. Vanthieghem graciously sent us a pdf of his article, which we have had cataloged. It may be found under the call number HT1317 V36 2014 when requested at the Special Collections Reference Desk, Level 4. The papyrus and paper are also available for review.

Naïm Vanthieghem obtained his MA in Classical Studies (2009) and in Modern Languages and Literatures – Arabic Language and Literature (2010) at the Free University of Brussels (ULB). He then specialised in the field of Arabic papyrology at the University of Zurich (2010–11) and at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz (2011–12). He received his PhD at the Free University of Brussels with a dissertation devoted to the archive of an estate manager called Heroninus, who was in charge of a large estate in mid-third-century Egypt (2015).

Naïm Vanthieghem has written several articles and reviews in the fields of Greek, Coptic and Arabic papyrology. He has a special interest in the study of multilingualism in medieval Egypt, and in several contributions he highlighted the existence of an Arabic-Coptic bilingualism that emerged in Egypt in the ninth century and disappeared in the late Fatimid period (twelfth century). He has also worked for several years on Arabic legal documents, for the project “Islamic Law Materialized” funded by the European Research Council. In the framework of the project “The Cairo Geniza as a Source for the History of Institutions and Documentary Practices in the Medieval Middle East” led by Prof. Marina Rustow, he is studying Fatimid Arabic documents of the Cairo Geniza. He is currently a post-doctoral research associate with the department of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University.

Among his publications is “Les archives d’un maquignon d’Égypte médiévale ?” Analecta papyrologica 26 (2014), for which he also used pieces from the Rare Books Department Arabic Papyrus, Parchment and Paper collection.

Below are the papyrus and paper fragments of legal contracts for the sale of slaves in Egypt dating from end of the third century to the 16th century, as identified by Mr. Vanthieghem.

#427-Front
P. Utah inv. 427 recto
end of third century
papyrus

#1356-Front
P. Utah inv. 1356 recto
paper
26 ramadan 325 (tenth century)

#949-Front
P. Utah inv. 949 recto
paper
1 ramadan 326

#949-Back
P. Utah inv. 949 verso
paper
1 ramadan 326

#839-Front
P. Utah inv. 839 recto
paper
6 Dec 1497
Cairo?

 

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Rare Books Exhibition — Love Letters: A Gallery of Type

21 Thursday Jul 2016

Posted by rarebooks in Physical Exhibitions

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American, book design, book designers, Bruce Rogers, Johan Gutenberg, Marriott Library, movable type, Pablo Neruda (1904-1973), printers, printing, rare books, type, typographers, typography

Posterfinal(jpegforblog)

Love Letters: A Gallery of Type

Love Letters celebrates type, typographers, and printers – from Johann Gutenberg (c.1398-1468), who developed printing with movable type, to Bruce Rogers (1870-1957), an American typographer and book designer. Type is designed to be both functional and evocative. Type has personality, flair, and style, inspired by time and place. It can age quickly or become classic. Good type grabs our attention. Great type keeps our attention.

On display are books and printed ephemera, dating from 1482 to the first decade of the 21st century, from the J. Willard Marriott’s rare book collections – examples of the development of typography and printing and why we love type.

July 22, 2016 — September 30, 2016
Marriott Library, Levels 1, 4, & 5

This exhibition is free and open to the public.

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Her Campus at Utah — Its Time to Visit the Fourth Floor

16 Monday Nov 2015

Posted by rarebooks in Newspaper Articles

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Alice's Adventures in Wonderand, American Institutions, Common Sense, Gutenberg Bible, Her Campus at Utah, Kristen Woicek, Lewis Carroll, Luise Poulton, Marie Curie, Marriott Library, rare books, Reformation, Revolutionary War, Thomas Paine, Traite de Radioactivite, Uncle Tom's Cabin

Its Time to Visit the Fourth Floor

Kristen Woicek posted this advice today on “Her Campus at Utah,”
“While there I met Luise Poulton, the Managing Curator of Rare Books, she is anything but intimidating. She loves what she does and I strongly encourage collegiettes to make time and their way up to the Rare Books office and talk to her.”

Kristen mentions several pieces from the rare book collections:

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Title page

Marie Curie’s Traite de Radioactivite
QC721-C98-1910-v.1-title

A leaf from the Gutenberg Bible
Gutenberg Bible, 1450-1455

Common Sense
Common Sense, 1776 Cover

Come see these and many others.

Thanks for the shout out, Kristen!

alluNeedSingleLine

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Meet the Treasures that Inspired the Art

26 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by rarebooks in Chronicle

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Andreas Vesalius, Chinese, Daily Utah Chronicle, De Humani Corporis Fabrica, Dialog di Galileo Galilei, Gutenberg Bible, Kylee Ehmann, Special Collections, University of Utah, Zhao Suikang

“The U’s campus is a treasure map dotted with small monuments, pieces of artwork and spaces tucked away from plain sight. These objects and places offer a glimpse into local and international history, which students can access for little or no cost.”

KYLEE EHMANN, of the Daily Utah Chronicle, shines a spotlight on the “Hidden Treasures” at the University of Utah.

HIDDEN TREASURES ABOUND ON THE U’S CAMPUS

“Students may have noticed the bronze and acrylic book statues around the library. Chinese artist Zhao Suikang created these sculptures…The pieces reflect his experiences with the U’s book arts and special collections…”

Just as Zhao Suikang’s sculptures are available for all to enjoy, everyone is welcome to Special Collections to see the treasures that inspired the art.

A Leaf from the Gutenberg Bible

Gutenberg Bible, 1450-1455
Gutenberg Bible, 1450-1455


Andreas Vesalius’, De humani corporis fabrica (1555)


Dialogo di Galileo Galilei

Dialogo di Galileo Galilei, 1632, Frontispiece

alluNeedSingleLine

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“Time travel exists” – University of Utah student Mary Royal writes about Rare Books impact

22 Friday May 2015

Posted by rarebooks in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

1790, Alison Conner, America, American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin, Civil War, Euclid, First Acts of the First Session of Congress of the United States, Gutenberg Bible, history, John Locke, Luise Poulton, Marriott Library, Mary Alicia Royal, Nathaniel Rochester, New York, printing, rare books, Reformation, Rochester, S. J. Quinney College of Law, Special Collections, University of Utah, War of 1812

Time travel exists. On the fourth floor of the Marriott Library I have sat with the founding fathers as they pondered the questions facing the new nation on the heels of the American Revolution, been astounded at the invention of movable type in the revolution of the printing process, and solved mathematical principles with Euclid. While the famous people who turned the wheels of history are not miraculously hiding out on the U’s campus, the works they created are.

QA31-E86-E5-1482-FirstPage

The rare books collection holds treasures from all corners of the globe that are available to anyone who wishes to uncover the magical milestones in history that helped to shape our present reality. A simple trip to the rare books will undoubtedly inspire and present questions that will lead to more trips back to the collection.

My freshman year at the U I took a class on the Reformation. The syllabus for the course dictated that on a certain day we would gather at the rare books collection at the library. At the time I didn’t know what to expect, and I certainly didn’t realize that this one time excursion out of the classroom and into the library would forever change my experience at the U and my understanding and passion for the study of history.

My class filed into the special collections classroom and were told to wipe our hands with baby wipes. As we cleaned our hands a large hardbound book was set before us. The book was obviously old and as the cover was opened to reveal the pages inside, it was clear it was not of this era. The thickness of the pages, paired with the indentation of the lettering on the page served as clues into a past that was far richer than any normal book in the shelves standing in the library below.

As I stared at the pages, completely enamored by their coloration, markings and engravings, the curator explained that the page sitting before us was an original leaflet of the Gutenberg Bible. Yes, that Gutenberg Bible, the first book printed after the invention of movable type. My heart started racing. I was standing in the same room, feet away from one of the most influential pieces of history in the world. This excitement I felt was multiplied when we were informed that we could come forward and hold it in our hands.


I think I partly expected to have to put on special gloves and admire the copy under glass. But as I moved up in the line, it became clear that I could hold the copy, no gloves, no glass, just me and the book. When the curator put the book in my hands, it was a feeling that I had never felt before. I can only explain it as a mixture of admiration, gratitude, and awe. For those brief moments that I held the leaflet of the Gutenberg Bible in my bare hands, the past and present collided. I was touching the same pages that came off the press nearly 550 years earlier.

I ran my hand over the page and could feel the indentations of the letters, and smell the old fibers of the paper. From this point on my experience at the U was forever changed. It wasn’t long after that trip to the rare books that I made the decision to declare my academic major in history. Every history class I took from that moment until my graduation I would find myself returning to the rare books.

Walking through the doors of the collection, for me, was like taking a step outside of the busy world we live in, to spend a few unadulterated moments with my historical friends. There have been times over the years that I have admittedly been moved to tears at the sight of certain books, and have felt completely unworthy to be in their presence. This happened recently during a project for my Worlds of Benjamin Franklin class.

As a requirement of the course we had to pick a book in the rare books to study and report on. After meeting with Luise Poulton, who was more than willing to sit down with me and explore options for the project, I decided upon the First Acts of the First Session of Congress of the United States. The cover of the book had completely separated from the spine of the book and the pages were old, some of them bent, with writing and notes filling the inside.


As I carefully turned the pages, I was overcome with the sense that I was holding a piece of America. This book is a first edition that was printed in 1790. As I researched the book, I discovered that this particular one was once the property of Nathaniel Rochester, a veteran of the Revolutionary War and the founder of Rochester, New York. As I began to unveil the history lurking behind the signatures on the inside cover I discovered that the book had also gone through the hands of veterans of the War of 1812 and the Civil War as well as influential legal minds in our country’s formative years. And finally, as I sat in the rare books reading room, I became the next person in the storied line of individuals who had the fortune of being part of this book’s history.

As a new graduate of the University of Utah’s History department I’ve spent recent days reflecting on my time at the U. During this reflection I have pondered on both the people that shaped my experiences as well as places that aided in the enrichment of educational pursuits. Although I have encountered multiple people and places that influenced the completion of my degree, I can say, without hesitation, that the rare books collection had the greatest impact on my desire to study history.

While my time in undergrad has come to an end, my relationship with the rare books collection is far from over. As I begin my legal studies at the U’s SJ Quinney College of Law this fall, I know I will find myself visiting a new set of historical friends. I’m confident the writings of John Locke have untold stories and lessons to teach me as I pursue my juris doctorate.


I have told Luise Poulton and Alison Conner, curators in the rare books department, on multiple occasions that I wish I could spend all day in the collection, going through the pages of history that the U has been charged with the immense responsibility of caring for. My wish for future generations of students at the U is that they have the opportunity, to visit the collection and experience the unparalleled feeling and emotion that accompany the opportunity to hold history in your hands. How lucky we are, as students past and present of the U, to have access to such a resource!

Mary Alicia Royal, BA, Class of 2015

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