Book Artifacts Collection

45 Pages·2015·0.24 MB·English

http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/hb6d5nb8db
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Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993 A.D. (bulk
circa 1510-1976)
Regena Rosati
The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
© 2012
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts BART 1 1
Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993
A.D. (bulk circa 1510-1976)
Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993 A.D. (bulk circa
1510-1976)
Collection number: BART 1
The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
Finding Aid Author(s):
Regena Rosati
Date Completed:
August 2012
Finding Aid Encoded By:
GenX
© 2014 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Collection Summary
Collection Title: Book Artifacts Collection
Date (inclusive): circa 2345 B.C.-1993 A.D.
Date (bulk): circa 1510-1976
Collection Number: BART 1
Extent: ca. 1360 items(4 selected digital objects)
Repository: The Bancroft Library.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
Abstract: The Book Artifacts Collection contains material relating to the development of writing, the history of printing,
and the book arts (circa 2345 B.C.-1993 A.D.). This collection of artifacts and other realia illustrates various aspects of book
production and design, from early cuneiform clay tablets, papyri, seals, and other writing materials, book curiosities and
miniature books to the 20th century book, including printing presses and later 20th century printing devices. The bulk of
the collection deals with hand and machine printing and binding. The collection includes specimens of various types of
binding, binder's tools and equipment; illustration, relief, photographic and photomechanical processes; paper-making;
practical pressroom and composing room equipment and presses; type design, type founding, and type-setting; music
engraving; cartography; and specialty printing.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in Multiple languages
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use.
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Access Information
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of
some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions,
Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts BART 1 2
Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993
A.D. (bulk circa 1510-1976)
privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright
beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility
for any use rests exclusively with the user.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the
Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See:
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], The book : artifacts related to the development of writing and the production of books, [ca. 2345
B.C.-ca. 1993 A.D.] (bulk ca. 1510-1976 A.D.), BART 1, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley
Removed or Separated Material
BART 1 A5087 is located in the Center for Tebtunis Papyri (O.Berkeley 1).
BART 1 A5088 is located in the Center for Tebtunis Papyri (No. 1-30 in O.Tebt (3, 5, 14, 16, and 18 are recorded as
missing)).
BART 1 A5P27 is unaccessioned currently but held by the Center for Tebtunis Papyri.
BART 1 A5S86, No. 2 is located in the Center for Tebtunis Papyri (labeled Egyptian Stone Writing).
BART 1 A5W66 is located in the Center for Tebtunis Papyri (T.Tebt. 1).
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog
Binding finishing hardware
Bookbinding equipment
Computers
Cutting tools
Electrotypes (printing plates/blocks)
Flong
Galleys (type composition equipment)
Imposition (Printing)
Matrices (copper molds)
Miniature books (Publishing)
Molds (papermaking)
Movable type
Octavo format (Printing)
Papermaking tools and equipment
Papyri
Photoengravings (prints)
Printers' devices (Printing)
Printing press components
Printing presses
Proofs (Printing)
Quarto format (Printing)
Seals (artifacts)
Stereotypes (printing plates/blocks)
Tablets
Type specimens
Typewriters
Wood blocks (printing blocks)
Items from various sources, including gifts to the library.
Scope and Content Note
The Book Artifacts Collection contains material relating to the development of writing, the history of printing, and the book
arts (circa 2345 B.C.-1993 A.D.). This collection of artifacts and other realia illustrates various aspects of book production
Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts BART 1 3
Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993
A.D. (bulk circa 1510-1976)
and design, from early cuneiform clay tablets, papyri, seals, and other writing materials, to book curiosities, miniature
books, and the 20th century book, including printing presses and later 20th century printing devices. The bulk of the
collection consists of hand and machine printing and binding. The collection includes specimens of various types of binding,
binder's tools and equipment; illustration, relief, photographic and photomechanical processes; paper-making; practical
pressroom and composing room equipment and presses; type design, type founding, and type-setting; music engraving;
cartography; and specialty printing.
The collection comprises materials that have come from a variety of sources, mostly through gifts and donations. Leslie
Clark, who was in charge of rare books and book artifacts until her death in 1979, devised the original classification
scheme, which is composed of nineteen series that are alphanumerically ordered from A5 to Z(0-6). The Guide to the Book
Artifacts Collection (Flora Elizabeth Reynolds, 2nd, 1999) (the “Guide”) provides an overview of the collection at a series
level and cursory overview at the item level. The series level descriptions from the Guide are included in this finding aid.
The Register for the Book Artifacts Collection (the “Register”) is composed of four volumes and provides a complete
description of the collection at an item level and detailed subject and name index for the collection circa 1986; the Guide
includes additional updates to the collection between 1986-1999. This finding aid references both the Register and the
Guide to provide for the most comprehensive and consistent series, sub-series and item level descriptions of the artifacts in
the collection. The Register has been transcribed into this finding aid to the extent that it could be copied. Therefore, pages
that include decorations or hand-written notes were not transcribed. However, the Register has been digitized and is
available in four searchable PDF documents (one PDF document per volume) with this finding aid.
The majority of this collection consists of artifacts that relate to the processes of hand and machine printing and binding.
Series B5 and Series B6 include materials relating to case, or commercial bookbinding and the hand binding of books,
respectively. Series B6 is a large collection that includes sewing supplies, nipping presses, finishing tools, and illustrations
of the hand binding process. Series D4 is the Cheri Archive, which includes Peter Koch’s records and working papers for the
production of an English translation of Colette’s novel Cheri. Series F6, Format, Imposition, Register and Folding, includes a
series of imposition examples, which represent the important pre-press process of arranging the printed book’s pages on a
printer’s sheet to allow for faster printing and easier binding. Series I4 and I5, Design, Decoration, and Illustration, contain
artifacts and examples of design, decoration and illustration in books. Series I4, Hand Illumination, includes an example of
hand illumination. Series I5, Intaglio and Relief Processes, consists of woodblocks, woodcuts, wood engravings, etching and
linocuts. Series I52, Electrotyping and Stereotyping, includes electrotyping and stereotyping plates for the reproduction of
illustrations and other printed matter. Series I53, Photographic Processes, consists of halftone photoengravings and
lithography. Series I54, Photochemical Processes, relates to photochemical processes such as photopolymer printing. Series
I55, Prints, Proofs and Drawings, includes examples of various printing processes such as woodblocks, woodcuts, wood
engravings, and photoengravings. Series P2, Papermaking and Trade, Handmade Paper and Machine-Made Paper, includes
equipment for papermaking and samples of hand-made and machine-made paper. Series P7, Practical Printing, Pressroom
and Composing Equipment, contains printing tools, types and equipment. Many of these items are in the Press Room of The
Bancroft Library and are used for demonstrations on the principles of hand printing. Series T8, Typography, consists of
specimens of movable type, matrices, punches and counterpunches. Subseries T86, Casting and setting by machine,
includes displays that illustrate the principles of casting type by machine, a collection of typecast ornaments from the
Merrymount Press and John Henry Nash, assembled matrices and examples of forms on monotype and linotype machines,
and, finally, examples of stereotyping plates.
The remaining portion of the collection consists of the following Series: Alphabets, Writing Materials, and Writings in Various
Forms (Series A5); Music Engraving (Series V2); Map printing (Series V3); Specialty printing (Series W2); and
Supplementary Collections (Series Z). Series A5 includes hieroglyphic inscriptions on a fragment of limestone (ca.
2345-2330 B.C.), Sumerian Cuneiform writing on clay tablets from the third millennium B.C., examples of alphabets and
letterforms, pens, and book curiosities such as miniature and microscopic books. The music engraving collection, Series V2,
belonged to one of the last music engravers in the United States, Richard B. Pettit. Series W2 includes specialty printing
from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Series Z includes historical artifacts, the Beulah Mitchell Clute Collection,
seals, book arts medals, materials relating to the printing the guide, and commemorative postage stamps.
Note
The Guide of the Book Artifacts Collection, by Flora Elizabeth Reynolds is located in the Main (Gardner) Stacks and in The
Bancroft Library Reference Collection under the call number Z116.A3 R49 1999. The Register and Index to the BART
Collection is located in The Bancroft Library reference desk under the call number E13.B23 R44 1986.

Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts BART 1 4
Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993
A.D. (bulk circa 1510-1976)
Container Listing
The book : artifacts related to the development of writing and the production of books : register and index. 1986
E13.B23 R44 1986
Physical Description: 4 volumes

The book : artifacts related to the development of writing and the production of books : register and index (Volume 1)
1986 E13.B23 R44 1986 v. 1 ark:/28722/bk0010z3p1b
Creator/Collector: Flora Elizabeth ReynoldsBancroft Library
Physical Description: 388 pages
Language of Material: English
Indexing Terms
Book design -- Library resources
Graphic arts -- Library resources
Printing -- Library resources
Writing -- Library resources

The book : artifacts related to the development of writing and the production of books : register and index (Volume 2)
1986 E13.B23 R44 1986 v. 2 ark:/28722/bk0010z3p2w
Creator/Collector: Flora Elizabeth ReynoldsBancroft Library
Physical Description: 336 pages
Language of Material: English
Indexing Terms
Book design -- Library resources
Graphic arts -- Library resources
Printing -- Library resources
Writing -- Library resources

The book : artifacts related to the development of writing and the production of books : register and index (Volume 3)
1986 E13.B23 R44 1986 v. 3 ark:/28722/bk0010z3p3f
Creator/Collector: Flora Elizabeth ReynoldsBancroft Library
Physical Description: 204 pages
Language of Material: English
Indexing Terms
Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts BART 1 5
Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993
A.D. (bulk circa 1510-1976)
Container Listing
Book design -- Library resources
Graphic arts -- Library resources
Printing -- Library resources
Writing -- Library resources

The book : artifacts related to the development of writing and the production of books : register and index (Volume 4)
1986 E13.B23 R44 1986 v. 4 ark:/28722/bk0010z3p40
Creator/Collector: Flora Elizabeth ReynoldsBancroft Library
Physical Description: 267 pages
Language of Material: English
Indexing Terms
Book design -- Library resources
Graphic arts -- Library resources
Printing -- Library resources
Writing -- Library resources

Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts BART 1 6
Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993
A.D. (bulk circa 1510-1976)
Alphabets, Writing Materials, and Writings in Various Forms A5
Alphabets: Letterforms A5A57
  Alphabets, Writing Materials, and Writings in Various Forms A5
Arrangement
Internal Classification System
Scope and Content Note
One of the most striking examples of ancient writing in The Bancroft Library is a hieroglyphic
inscription (ca. 2345-2330 B.C.) that includes the cartouche of the Pharaoh Teti and part of
an offering-list of clothes and oils. The inscription is in sunken relief on a fragment of
limestone, probably from a false door in the tomb of a court official at Saqqara. Over the
centuries Egyptian hieroglyphics changed greatly, eventually becoming conventionalized in
the demotic script shown on the ostracon, or pottery fragment, of the 1st century B.C. It
contains a list of the work-days of a man and oxen and a report of food and compensation
for the oxen.
Cuneiform, or wedge-shaped, writing of the third millennium B.C. appears on three clay
tablets from Sumer: one, given in memory of Regent Theodore R. Meyer, has been described
in Bancroftiana, No. 59 (Oct. 1974); another given by Dr. and Mrs. John Barr Tompkins,
records a consignment of wine, bread, and oil in the city of Nippur; and a third, notes the
issue of bread and beer to an individual in the city of Umma. A fourth tablet, also in
Sumerian characters, belongs to the second millennium B.C. and celebrates the building of
the palace of King Sin-Kashid, “The Mighty Governor-King of Uruk.” The last two tablets as
well as the limestone fragment and the ostracon described earlier are the gift of Charlotte
and Norman H. Strouse.
The runic alphabet used among the Germanic peoples of the Christian era is represented by
a facsimile of the 10th century stone on which the Danish King Harold Bluetooth honored his
father and mother. Nearer our own time are a 19th century parchment phylactery fragment
and an early 20th century Chinese chop, the latter probably a date stamp used in a business
office.
Distinguished English letterforms may be seen on a facsimile, prepared by Adrian Wilson, of
the slate on which John Baskerville, 18th century “writing master,” offers “to cut grave
stones in any hand” (original in Birmingham, England). And a printing plate handcut in relief
by August Rosenberger reproduces an alphabet of rustic capitals designed by the modern
calligrapher and type designer Hermann Zapf.
Pens include a goose quill of the kind used during the American Revolution, several 19th
century pens, the gold pen with which President Taft signed the Congressional resolution
permitting him to invite foreign countries to participate in the Panama-Pacific International
Exposition, and the wooden pen President Coolidge used to sign the Boulder Dam
authorization.
Among book curiosities are a few examples of miniature and microscopic books, chiefly
religious texts.

  Alphabets: Letterforms A5A57

  Baskerville slate (facsimile) A5A57, No. 1
  Hermann Zapf plate: alphabet in rustic capitals A5A57, No. 2
  Cuneiform Writing on Clay A5C53

  Sumerian [ca. 2028 B.C.] A5C53, No. 1
  Sumerian [ca. 2300-2100 B.C.] A5C53, No. 2
  Sumerian [ca. 2033 B.C.] A5C53, No. 3
  Sumerian [ca. 1860-1830 B.C.] A5C53, No. 4
  Sumerian [ca. 2038-2030 B.C.] A5C53, No. 5
  Ink A5I35

Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts BART 1 7
Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993
A.D. (bulk circa 1510-1976)
Alphabets, Writing Materials, and Writings in Various Forms A5
Ink A5I35
  Iron gall ink (modern recreation) A5I35, No. 1
  Book Curiosities: Microscopic and Miniature Books A5M53

  Ostracon A5087

  Demotic hierogylphic [Egyptian] inscription [75-100 B.C.] A5087, No. 1
  Ostraca A5088

  Varied Pieces A5088, No. 1-26
  Papyrus A5P27

  Fragments (for students to touch) A5P27, No. 1
  Modern examples A5P27, No. 2-3
  Parchment A5P28

  Phylactery fragment A5P28, No. 1
  Sample A5P28, No. 2
  Pens A5P36

  Goose quill A5P36, No. 1
  Pen-holder and pen: red wood and steel-plated brass [188?] A5P36, No. 2
  Pen-holder and pen: mother-of-pearl inlay A5P36, No. 3
  President Coolidge Boulder Dam pen A5P36, No. 4
  Seals A5S39
Scope and Content Note
See also BART Z2 and BART Z3

  Chinese [1910] A5S39, No. 1
  Stone A5S86

  Rune stone: Harald Bluetooth, ca. 950 A.D. (facsimile) A5S86, No. 1
  Limestone fragment: [Egyptian] hieroglyphic inscription [ca. 2345-2330 B.C.]
A5S86, No. 2
  Vellum A5V35

  Samples A5V35, No. 1-3
  Wax A5W28

  Roman tablet (facsimile) A5W28, No. 1
  Wood A5W66

  Mummy docket [ca. 200 B.C.-200 A.D.] A5W66, No. 1
Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts BART 1 8
Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993
A.D. (bulk circa 1510-1976)
Bookbinding Equipment: Case Binding B5
[Case binding (miscellaneous)] B5C2
  Bookbinding Equipment: Case Binding B5
Arrangement
Internal Classification System
Scope and Content Note
The bookbinding collection in two main divisions: B5, Case, or Commercial, Binding: and B6,
Hand Binding. Case binding procedures are shown in bookbinders’ dummies, paste-ups,
press proof, and several bindings in progressive states of manufacture. Finished cases typify
ornate 19th century commercial styles.

  [Case binding (miscellaneous)] B5C2

  Cased book in component parts B5C2, No. 1
  Case binding with unsewn signatures B5C2, No. 2
  Cased book partially dissected to show details of construction B5C2, No. 3
  Book in parts, with illustrations tipped-in B5C2, No. 4
  Advance sheets folded and collated for publisher's approval B5C2, No. 5
  Unbound signatures with prospectus B5C2, No. 6
  Book ready for case B5C2, No. 7
  Unbound signatures: Cowan's Bibliography of California B5C2, No. 8
  Unbound signature: Grabhorn King Lear B5C2, No. 9
  Cases: specimens B5C3

  Embroidered B5C3, No. 1
  Wood: carved B5C3, No. 2
  Calf: tooled B5C3, No. 3
  Cloth B5C3, No. 4
  Calf: tooled B5C3, No. 5
  Pigskin: Byzantine style B5C3, No. 6
  Pigskin: blind stamp B5C3, No. 7
  Calf: Mottled B5C3, No. 8
  Bookbinders' dummies B5D8

  Oregon Historical Society, Portland B5D8, No. 1
  Cross, Ralph Herbert B5D8, No. 2
  Shirk, David Lawson B5D8, No. 3
  Cloth binding: title-label pasteup and press proof B5E2

  Godfrey, Edward Settle B5E2, No. 1
  Electrotypes, Bookbinder's B5E5

  Tommasini, Amadee R. B5E5, No. 1
  Merrymount Press Collection B5E5 M38
  [Bookbinding equipment miscellaneous] B5E6

  Brass Die B5E6, No. 1
  Merrymount Press Collection B5E6 M38
Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts BART 1 9
Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993
A.D. (bulk circa 1510-1976)
Bookbinding Equipment: Hand Binding B6
[Display of Hand Binding Process by Stella Patri] B6A5
  Bookbinding Equipment: Hand Binding B6
Arrangement
Internal Classification System
Scope and Content Note
The second division of the Bookbinding Equipment collection is Hand Binding (B6). The
handing binding collection, far larger and more complex than the Case Binding collection
(B5), would supply a very complete shop. Much of it came to the University from the Blake
House, now the President’s residence, formerly the home of Anita D. S. Blake (Mrs. Anson
Blake), an amateur binder. There are all kinds of sewing supplies, a sewing stick, a sewing
frame, and an array of such necessities as backing boards, hammers, pressing tins, weights,
stoves, glue pots, paring knives, skiving blades, polishing irons, and burnishing tools. One of
the nipping presses belonged to Frederick Folger Thomas, Jr.; the other Valenti Angelo
constructed for his own use. The lying press, with two handmade ploughs, and the tall
standing press were made in France, as were many of the tools. For finishing, or decorating
book covers, brass fillets, pallets, tools, and stamps, mounted in handles, offer curves, lines,
hearts, stars, circles, and fleurs-de-lys, virtually limitless in design possibilities. Sets of
alphabets and numerals, also mounted in handles, and a bookbinder’s cabinet of binder’s
type afford a choice of letterform styles for titles.
Examples of materials include modern pulp-board, marbled paper swatches, booklets of
cloth and cover-board samples, a series of carefully labeled leather samples, the last
assembled and given by Stephen Gale Herrick.
The whole process of hand binding is illustrated in a series of laminated panels prepared by
the distinguished binder Stella Patri for exhibition at the Golden Gate International
Exposition in San Francisco in 1939.

  [Display of Hand Binding Process by Stella Patri] B6A5

  Display Set: Stella Patri B6A5, No. 1-16
  Gluing Equipment B6B24

  Double iron glue pot B6B24, No. 1
  Glue B6B24, No. 2
  Patterns and examples of trial tooling B6D3

  Patterns B6D3, No. 1
  Patterns B6D3, No. 2
  Trial tooling with black morocco B6D3, No. 3
  Trial tooling on brown calf B6D3, No. 4
  Trial tooling on blue morocco B6D3, No. 5
  Trial tooling on blue morocco B6D3, No. 6
  Forwarding and finishing equipment B6F5

  Burnishing tools B6F51, No. 1-3
  Gilding Material B6F512
  Gilding Boards B6F513, No. 1-3
  Letterforms (alphabets) mounted in handles B6F52, No. 1-8
  Gouges (curved lines) mounted in handles B6F54, No. 1-5
  Line pallets mounted in handles B6F55, No. 1-4
  Numerals and punctuation marks mounted in handles B6F56, No. 1-8
  Ornaments mounted in handles B6F57, No. 1-8
  Merrymount Press B6F575, M1-M24
Finding Aid for the Book Artifacts BART 1 10
Collection, circa 2345 B.C.-1993
A.D. (bulk circa 1510-1976)