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English printers' ornaments

Chapter 13: HEAD-PIECES
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About This Book

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.

HEAD-PIECES

37. Kingston & Sutton. Missale ad usum Sarisburiensis. Flowers and figures. 1555
38. Oswen. Exhortation to the Sicke. Triangular design with fox in centre. 1548
39. Printer unidentified. The Treasury of Health. Flowers and foliage. 1585
40. Denham. School of Skill. Conventional design: flowers. 1581
41. Denham. Footepath of Felicitie. Conventional flowers. 1581
42. Denham. Guide to Godlinesse. Conventional design, showing rose. 1581
43. Head-piece from Philip Sidney. Twisted ribbon design. 1580–90
44. Denham. Head-piece from Holinshed’s Chronicles, vol. i. Bear holding sprays. Men and dogs. Conventional foliage. 1579
45. Holinshed’s Chronicles of Ireland. Conventional sprays: satyrs, animals, insects, etc. 1579
46. Field. History of Guicciardini. Conventional design: sprays and flowers, two winged figures playing on flutes. 1599
47. Waldegrave. Basilikon Doron. Arabesque design. 1599
48. Bynneman. Morelius. Conventional design, with two archers. 1583
49. Vautrollier. De Rep. Anglorum. Head with cornucopia of fruit. 1579
50. Vautrollier. De Rep. Anglorum. Composite design: spirals resembling letter A. Boys with bowl of fruit and flowers, animals and grotesques. 1579
51. The Journall or Daily Register. Similar design to foregoing, but smaller. 1601
52. Eliots Court Press. Copy of a Letter. Composite design: spirals of foliage, grotesque fish, winged snakes, winged figures with javelins. 1606
53. Eliots Court Press. Spirals of foliage. National emblems: lion and unicorn. 1606
54. Eliots Court Press. National emblems, crowned and separate. 1606
55. Eliots Court Press. Fleur-de-lys with figures and scrolls. 1606
56. Eliots Court Press. Cherubs blowing horns, from which issue spirals of fruit and flowers. Copy of French block. 1606
57. Macham. Homer, Prince of Poets. Composite design: two cornucopiæ. National emblems: lion and unicorn. 1610
58. Printer not known. A Pilgrime’s Solace. Zig-zag ribbon, with national emblems. 1612
59. Haviland. Fruit and flowers issuing from a jar. 1634
60. Macham. Homer, Prince of Poets. Architectural, with royal arms. 1610
61. Macham. Homer, Prince of Poets. Composite design: spirals of fruit and flowers with insects. 1610
62. Macham. Homer, Prince of Poets. Composite design: four horsemen. 1610
63. Barker. Architectural, with royal arms. c. 1620
64. Printer unknown. Book of Prayers. Urns with flower ornaments. 1662
65. Printer unknown. Double row of national emblems and fleur-de-lys. c. 1680
66. For Busbie. O per se O. Fleurons arranged as headpiece. 1612
67. Printer unknown. Double row of acorns. 1620
68. Printer unknown. Double row of fleurons. 1630
69. Oxford University Press. Head-piece by Burghers of Oxford, designed for Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion. 1702
70.  Do.  do.  do. 1702
71. Bowyer. Atkyn’s Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire. Head-piece signed J. L. Basket of fruit, spirals of flowers and foliage. 1712
72. Printer unknown. The Compleat History of Cornwall, Part II., printed at Truro. Spirals of flowers and foliage, two eagles. 1750
73. Crownfield, Cambridge. Fruit and flowers in basket, four birds and conventional ornament. c. 1730
74. Knapton. Works of Farquhar. Head-piece signed F. H. and M. H. 1728
75. Printed for Dodsley. Irene, A Tragedy. Spirals of foliage, squirrel in centre. 1749
76. Silver of Sandwich. Lovers’ Manual. Fleurons arranged in geometrical form. 1753
77. Printer unknown. Ode of Horace. 1719

TAIL-PIECES

78. Middleton. Statutes II. Henry VI. Long narrow architectural block, formerly De Worde’s. c. 1540
79. Kingston & Sutton. Missale ad usum Sarisburiensis. Design: human figure, sprays of flowers, animal and bird. Criblé. Probably French. 1555
80. Redman. Year Book II. Henry VI. Seven lozenge ornaments. c. 1540
81. Oswen, Ipswich. Exhortation to the Sicke. Two figures with stars. 1549
82. Berthelet. Castle of Health. Ornament on dark background from French sources. 1539
83. Printer unknown. Treasury of Health. Flower and bird. 1585
84. Redman. Year Book II. Henry VI. Half fleur-de-lys and half feathers divided by zigzag white lines. c. 1540
85. Denham. Holinshed, vol. iii., Chronicles of Ireland. Boy beating two drums. 1579
86. Jugge. Book of Common Prayer. Elaborate fleuron border in four sections, showing three designs. 1573
87. Griffith. Caveat or Warneing. Arabesque design. 1567
88. Griffith. Caveat or Warneing. Virgin and child in circle surrounded by floral borders. 1567
89. Wolfe. Sophocles, Antigone. A fleuron tail-piece. 1581
90. Vautrollier. De Rep. Anglorum. Arabesque design. Single block. 1579
91. E. Allde. Bodenham’s Garden of the Muses. Arabesque design with architectural detail. 1610
92. W. W. for Cuthbert Burby. Love’s Labours Lost. Arabesque design. Single block. 1598
93. E. Allde. Basilikon Doron. Fleuron ornament. 1603
94. John Day. Ascham, Scholemaster. Circular arabesque design. Single block. 1579
95. Islip. Wit’s Miserie. Square arabesque design. Single block. 1596
96. An arabesque tail-piece from Shakespeare’s Pericles. c. 1615
97. Vautrollier. Ciceronis Epistolæ. Gorgon’s head. 1579
98. Printer uncertain. Cambridge. Tail-piece of seven rows of fleurons arranged as reversed triangle. Reproduced by courtesy of Messrs Bowes & Bowes. c. 1700
99. Wolfe. Sophocles, Antigone. A fleuron tail-piece showing a different design from No. 89. 1581
100. Printed for B. Lintott. Odes of Horace. Tail-piece to Book IV. Ornate design: cherubs holding birds, sprays of foliage. 1719
101. Printed for Knapton. Works of Farquhar. Tail-piece of florid design, showing bird in centre flanked by baskets of flowers. 1728
102. Tonson & Watts. Lucretius, De rerum natura. A specially designed tail-piece to Book IV. 1713
103. Tonson & Watts. Lucretius, De rerum natura. A specially designed tail-piece to Dedication. 1713
104. Crownfield, Cambridge. Bird with outstretched wings. Reproduced by courtesy of Messrs Bowes & Bowes of Cambridge. c. 1730
105. Clarendon Press, Oxford. Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion. Tail-piece designed and engraved by M. Burghers. 1702
106. Clarendon Press, Oxford. Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion. Tail-piece designed and engraved by M. Burghers. 1702
107. Welsh Bible. Architectural design with crowned rose and cherubs in centre. 1620
108. Odes of Horace. Fountain and mermaids. Sprays of foliage. 1743
109. Crownfield, Cambridge. Tail-piece. Two cornucopiæ with fruit and flowers. Tied together with ribbon and with bunch of flowers suspended from them. Reproduced by courtesy of Messrs Bowes & Bowes of Cambridge. c. 1730
110. Printer unknown. Truro. History of Cornwall. Figure of Mercury in frame with conventional sprays of foliage and arch. Flanked with long-tailed birds holding flowers in their beaks. 1750

ORNAMENTS

111. Pynson & De Worde. Chain ornament. 1500–30
112. Pynson & De Worde. Three designs used to fill up spaces in the text. 1500–30
113. Printer unknown. Song of Solomon. Three acorns. 1620
114. Printer unknown. A Declaration of Favourable Dealing of Her Majestie’s Commission. Arabesque design. 1583
115. Printer unknown. History of London. N.D.
116. Field. E. Nicholas, Apologia. Fifteen fleuron units and acorn arranged as reversed triangles. 1649
117. Grafton. Actes of Edward VI. Early form of fleuron arranged on either side of word “Finis.” 1560–70
118. Allde (Eliz.). Greene’s Euphues, His Censure to Philautus. Female head. Sprays of foliage. Woman’s head in centre. 1634
119. Printed for R. Dodsley. Irene: A Tragedy, by Saml. Johnson. Basket of flowers. Sprays of foliage. Two birds. Could be used as tail-piece if desired. 1749
120. For Stepneth & Redmer. Atheist’s Tragedie, by Cyril Tourneur. Small ornament. Conventional sprays, with head in centre. 1611
121. Lownes. Description of New England. Small ornament. Lion’s head in centre. Festoons of flowers. Mark at either end. 1616
122. Buck, Cambridge. Locustæ. Small ornament. Conventional sprays and flowers. 1627
123. Stafford, for John Wright. King Leir. Small ornament. Conventional sprays and flowers. Differing from preceding. 1605
124. Cotes, for Bellamie. Wm. Wood’s New England’s Prospect. Small ornament. Crowned rose. Conventional sprays. 1634
125. Jones. Gerald Malynes’ Center of Circle of Commerce. Small ornament. Fleur-de-lys centre. Conventional sprays. 1623
126. E. A., i.e. Edward Allde, for John Tap. Bodenham’s Garden of the Muses. Very beautiful arabesque ornament. Reproduced by kind permission of Messrs Maggs Bros. 1610
127. Adlard & Browne. A flower ornament of unusual design, reproduced from Luckombe’s History of Printing. c. 1770
128.  Do.  do.  do.
129–134. Caslon. Six of the border designs used on the first specimen sheet issued by this famous type-foundry. They were more delicate and graceful than those used in England by his predecessors and are still in vogue. Compare the modern specimens manufactured by the same firm. 1734
135–148. Baskerville. Fourteen single line ornaments and flowers designed by John Baskerville. Reproduced from John Baskerville by R. Straus and K. Dent, by kind permission of Mr R. Straus and the courtesy of the Cambridge University Press. c. 1750

INITIALS

149. T De Worde. The Golden Legend. Large ornamental letter of ecclesiastical design with decorative sprays. 1493
150. P Whitchurch. Great Bible. Black with white strap ornament. Bird in centre. With printer’s initials. 1540
151. S Redman. Statuta. In imitation of script. Probably of French origin. 1540
152. F Middleton. Year Book of Henry VI. 1540
153. H De Worde. Reproduced by kind permission from Mr Sayle’s article, Nov. 1902 (Bibliographical Society). 1519
154. Q Faques. Manuale Sarum. Reproduced by kind permission from Mr Sayle’s article, Nov. 1902 (Bibliographical Society). 1530
155. A Notary. Chronicles of England. Obtained from Bocard of Paris. 1504
156. H Pynson. Libello huic regio hæc insunt. White on black ground, criblé. 1521
157. P Notary. Golden Legend. Obtained from Bocard of Paris. Reproduced by kind permission from Mr Sayle’s article, Nov. 1902 (Bibliographical Society). 1503
158. T H. Middleton. Apostle series. 1584
159. F Barker. Prayer Book. Arabesque design with Walsingham Crest. 1580
160. T Barker. Prayer Book. Arabesque design with printer’s initials. 1580
161. F Eliots Court Press. Plutarch. Apostle series. Seated figure. 1603
162. V Redman. Year Books, Edward III. White on dead black ground. 1540
163. H Eliots Court Press. Plutarch. Apostle series. Figure with nimbus. Staff in left hand; book in right. 1603
164. S Berthelet. Bibl. Eliotæ. Classical. Two figures and satyr. 1559
165. H Printer unknown. Philip Sydney. Factotum. Arabesque design. c. 1596
166. W Waldegrave. Factotum from Basilikon Doron. Two figures plucking thistles. 1599
167. S Morley Canzonets. Pictorial. Previously in the hands of John Day. 1600
168. T Eliots Court Press. Especially used by Bradwood. Decorative sprays. 1603–27
169. T Denham. Footepathe to Felicitie. Conventional sprays. 1577
170. I Eliots Court Press. Especially used by Bradwood. Rose and thistle crowned. 1603–27
171. E Vautrollier. Ciceronis Epistolæ. Outline letter. Conventional sprays. 1579
172. D Barker. Prayer Book. Arabesque design. 1580
173. D Newberrie. Bullinger’s Sermons. Outline letter. Pictorial. Probably scene from Bible. 1577
174. S Siberch. Erasmus. De conscribendis epistolis. Reproduced by kind permission of Messrs Bowes & Bowes of Cambridge. 1521
175. C Day. Fox, Book of Martyrs. Outline letter. Conventional sprays. Bird with outstretched wings. Two grotesque figures. 1562
176. A Siberch. Erasmus. De conscribendis epistolis. Reproduced by kind permission of Messrs Bowes & Bowes of Cambridge. White on black. Ecclesiastical with decorative sprays. 1521

MODERN WORK

177–187. H. W. Caslon & Co., Ltd. Old English borders. 18th century
188. The Morland Press, Ltd. Border design by Claud Lovat Fraser. Reproduced from the title-page re-arranged by Haldane Macfall for The Lovat Book. 1890–1921
189. The Morland Press, Ltd. Tail-piece by Frank Brangwyn, R.A., representing an initial F rising from tulip design. c. 1920
190. The Morland Press, Ltd. Head-piece basket of flowers from design by Frank Brangwyn, R.A. c. 1920
191. The Morland Press, Ltd. Initials M. P. Design by Ludovic Rodo. c. 1920
192–197. Chiswick Press. Six head-pieces. Conventional designs. 1830–1923
198–200. Chiswick Press. Three head-pieces, floral. 1830–1923
201–202. Chiswick Press. Two tail-pieces. 1830–1923
203–214. Chiswick Press. Twelve initials. Various designs. 1830–1923
215. University Press, Oxford. Phœnix ornament reproduced from Hart’s Century of Typography. 17th century
216. University Press, Oxford. B. Blooming initial reproduced from Hart’s Century of Typography. 17th century
217. University Press, Oxford. I. Initial reproduced from Hart’s Century of Typography. 17th century
218. University Press, Oxford. Head-piece reproduced from Hart’s Century of Typography. 17th century
219. P. M. Shanks & Sons, Ltd. Border design. 1920
220.  Do.  do.  do. 1920
221. University Press, Oxford. Circular ornament, floral design. 18th century
222. P. M. Shanks & Sons, Ltd. Border design, same as 220. 18th century
223. University Press, Oxford. Fleuron tail-piece. 18th century
224. University Press, Oxford. Fleuron tail-piece of a different design. 18th century
225. P. M. Shanks & Sons, Ltd. Bold foliage design for border. 1920
226. P. M. Shanks & Sons, Ltd. B. White initial on black background. 1920
227. P. M. Shanks & Sons, Ltd. T. White initial with foliage on black background. 1920
228. P. M. Shanks & Sons, Ltd. Bold foliage design for border same as 225. 1920
229. P. M. Shanks & Sons, Ltd. Head-piece, spirals of foliage. White on black ground. 1920
230. R. & R. Clark, Ltd., Edinburgh. Decorative head-piece designed by Walter Crane. 1875
231. P. M. Shanks & Sons, Ltd. Tail-piece, triangular, white on black ground. 1920
232. Pelican Press. Border design with centre ornament. Copy of early arabesque design. 1920
233–240. Pelican Press. English flowers, seven designs. 1920
241. Pelican Press. Border design after Geoffrey Tory. 1923
242. Kelmscott Press. Design from Godefroy of Boulogne. 1893
243–251. Curwen Press. Nine decorations designed by Claud Lovat Fraser. 1920
252–260. Curwen Press. Nine flowers and decorations designed by Percy J. Smith. 1922
261–273. Stephenson, Blake & Co., Ltd. Fourteen designs of delicate flower borders, ornaments, and the famous rose border. c. 1790
274–284. Stephenson, Blake & Co., Ltd. Various designs for borders, and initial S and two fine tail-pieces designed and executed by Bewick. c. 1780