Customer Reviews

A View of Early Typography: Up to About 1600

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I came across the original edition of this fine book in the Cal Poly SLO library while doing other research, and knew I had to have it, so I got a used copy through abebooks.com. If you're anywhere nearly as obsessed with typography as I am, then you'll be happy to hear it's back in print again.

The text is very good (and much more scholarly than, say, Jan Tschichold's treatement of the field), but what makes the book truly magnificent are the beautiful specimen sheets. You'll find all the usual ones, including Gutenberg's bibles, Conrad Berner's classic Garamond sheet, and Bembo's De Aetna, but also some rare and illuminating ones, such as the Le Be that graces the cover of this reprint. Assuming Princeton Architectural Press hasn't to screw up the reproductions, you'll find this edition to be one of the most prized in your typography collection.

I first read this book thirty years ago, which I found invaluable as a student. Having just purchased and re-read the book I have to say that it is still a classic, a must for any serious student/reader of typography. The publisher has also done a good job with the reproductions of the type specimens at the rear of the book.