A History of the Old English Letter Foundries; by Talbot Baines Reed; A Project Gutenberg eBook.

	£	s.	d.
An inventory of the Chattels of Peter De Walpergen, deceased, taken the tenth day of January 1714–5. Being the Moiety of a Fount of Musick.
Two hunderd and two pounds weight of Mettal (? cast type) at four pence per pound his part is	1	13	8
One hunderd fourty seven Matrices at one Shilling per piece his part is	3	13	6
Nine quadrats at two pence per piece his part is	0	0	9
Four moulds at two shillings six pence per piece his part	0	5	0
Sixty three puncheons at five shillings (i.e., for the lot) his part	0	2	6
Four cases at four shillings his part	0	2	0
Two galleys at two shillings his part	0	1	0
A box at sixpence his part	0	0	3

Appraised by us, LEONARD LICHFIELD.
RICHARD GREEN.

The extraordinarily low value of the punches is quite consistent with the esteem in which these now precious steel originals were held at the time, after once being struck.

Walpergen’s music matrices were secured by the University Press, in whose Specimens the type had already figured for some years; but we have, so far, been unable to discover any important works in which the character was used.

SYLVESTER ANDREWS, who succeeded to Walpergen’s foundry before the year 1714, was the son of Robert Andrews, the London founder. His foundry, which, with the exception of one alphabet of Hebrew, consisted entirely of Roman and Italic, was, Rowe Mores informs us, nothing compared with that of his father, and was indeed a part of his father’s. The following is the list of his matrices:—

“MR. SILVESTER ANDREWS’ FOUNDERY; furtim:
- Hebrew.
  - 30 Brevier (at first 33)
- Roman and Italic.
  - 2-line English Capitals ...
  - 125 Great Primer Roman, large face
  - 82 Great Primer Italic
  - 148 English Roman
  - 98 English Italic
  - 153 Pica Roman, large face
  - 148 Pica Roman, small face
  - 110 Pica Italic
  - 27 Pica Roman, lower case
  - 119 Long Primer Roman
  - 102 Long Primer Italic
  - 130 Brevier Roman, large face
  - 135 Brevier Roman, small face
  - 105 Brevier Italic (2 sets of Capitals)
  - 2-line Pica Italic ...
  - 146 Small Pica Roman
  - 28 Small Pica Italic
  - Minion Roman and Italic ...
  - 140 Nonpareil Roman, large face
  - 105 Nonpareil Italic
  - 94 Nonpareil Roman, small face
  - 98 Pearl Roman
  - 38 Pearl Italic

Although his stock of matrices was limited, he appears to have done a considerable business, not only with the University, in whose service he was probably retained, but also with other printers practising in Oxford, notably with John Baskett, the king’s printer, to whom, with two others, the “Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University,” leased their “privilege and interest in printing” for twenty-one years from March 1713.

In the year 1719 Baskett, who had two years previously produced the magnificent “Vinegar” Bible399 at Oxford, mortgaged his stock and privilege at the University to James Brooks, stationer, of London, as security for a loan of £3,000. And in a schedule attached to an indenture, dated May 23, 1720, having reference to this transaction, occurs an inventory of the type at that time in the printer’s possession, which is highly interesting, not only as throwing light on Andrews’ business, but as indicating the contents of a large office of the period, and the extent to which Dutch type at that time competed in this country with English. The schedule is as follows:—

An Account of the Letter Presses and other Stock and Implements of and in the Printing house at Oxford belonging to John Baskett, Citizen and Staconer of London:—
- A Large ffount of Perle Letter Cast by Mr. Andrews.
- A Large ffount of Nonp^l Letter, New-Cast by ditto.
- Another ffount of Nonp^l Letter, Old, the whole standing and Sett up in a Com’on Prayer in 24mo Compleat.
- A large ffount of Minⁿ Letter, New-Cast by Mr. Andrews.
- Another Large ffount of Minⁿ Letter, New-Cast in Holland.
- The whole Testament standing in Brev^r and Minⁿ Letter, Old.
- A Large ffount of Brev^r Letter, New-Cast in Holland.
- A very Large ffount of Lo. Prim^r Letter, New-Cast by Mr. Andrews.
- A Large ffount of Pica Letter, very good, cast by ditto.
- Another Large ffount of ditto, never used, Cast in Holland.
- A small Quantity of English, New-Cast by Mr. Andrews.
- A small Quantity of Great Prim^r, New-Cast by ditto.
- A very Large ffount of Double Pica, New, the largest in England.400
- A Quantity of Two Line English Letters.
- A Quantity of ffrench Cannon.
- Two line Letters of all Sorts and a Sett of Silver Initiall Letters.
- Cases, Stands, etc.
- ffive Printing Presses, very good, with other Appurtenances, etc.

In 1733 Sylvester Andrews’ foundry was purchased, at the same time with that of his father, by Thomas James, and removed to London. His epitaph remains, and gives an amusing glimpse of his character and the reputation he bore at Oxford.

On a Letter-Founder at Oxford.

“Underneath this stone lies honoured Syl

Who died, though much against his will;

Yet, in his fame he will survive—

Learning shall keep his name alive;

For he the parent was of letters,—

He founded, to confound his betters;

Though what those letters should contain

Did never once disturb his brain.

Since, therefore, reader, he is gone,

Pray let him not be trod upon.”402

“MR. SILVESTER ANDREWS’ FOUNDERY; furtim:

An Account of the Letter Presses and other Stock and Implements of and in the Printing house at Oxford belonging to John Baskett, Citizen and Staconer of London:—