English printers' ornaments

An illustrated study traces the introduction and development of decorative elements used by English printers from the fifteenth century through the nineteenth and into modern practice. It defines printers' ornaments—head and tail pieces, initial letters, borders, and decorative blocks—distinguishes them from printers' devices, and follows their origins in manuscript illumination, early adoption on title-pages and first pages, and gradual growth into complex borders and small ornaments. Organized by topic, the text surveys notable English craftsmen, catalogs representative examples, and concludes with a chapter on contemporary presswork accompanied by plates and a descriptive catalogue.