typography of the day his ideas may have seemed radical. What he really
offered was the good things found in the works of the old masters of
Venice and Nuremberg—typography and decoration that had well stood the
test of centuries. Book pages produced fifty years ago by Pickering and
Whittingham look well today; not because they are old, but because they
were in good taste then, and are in good taste now. Pages set by their
contemporaries in condensed roman look abominable now, because they were
contrary to true art principles then.
* * * * *
The book industry in America is tremendous—so much so that because of
its magnitude quality in typography is likely to be lost sight of. In
New York City in one year eight million books are read or consulted thru
its public library system! Could the monk, with his mere score of books
chained to shelves, have had a vision of this, what would have been his
thoughts? Or, Benjamin Franklin, as he founded the first circulating
library? Andrew Carnegie, ridiculed when announcing his intention to use
his wealth in providing buildings for public libraries, lived to see
himself acknowledged a benefactor of mankind.
Next to providing books is the necessity of providing good books and of
printing them according to the laws of art and good taste. Continual
association develops a taste for the things associated with. If the
majority of books are poorly composed or poorly printed, they will
unconsciously be taken as standards of book style by the reading public.
The style of book typography, averaged in this way, is today far from
flattering. It is rarely that the reading pages, title-page and cover
harmonize in style and motive. On the average volume the text-pages seem
to have been set in any face that chanced to be on the composing machine
at the time; the title-page is in some type foreign in style and design
to the face used on the body of the book, and the cover (usually the
only part of the work given artistic attention) is designed without
regard to what is on the inside. The whole effect reminds one of a box
of berries with only the healthy members of the family in view. Many a
time I have picked up a book in artistic binding, only to lay it down
disappointed at the typographical treatment of the inside pages. Even a
book should be honestly what it seems, and not a wooden nutmeg.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 132
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 133
Two pages of composite Colonial and modern typography. Relation is
established between the title-page and text-page thru use of the
same kind of decoration
]
* * * * *
The book-page reproductions used in connection with this chapter may
prove more valuable if each is considered separately in the order of its
appearance.
EXAMPLES 126 AND 127 (Insert).—The title-page and an inside page of a
book which in its way is a model. From the viewpoints of art,
legibility, good taste, typography, printing, and binding, the book is
very satisfactory. The classic restraint of the Italian school and the
human interest of the Gothic are here blended harmoniously. These pages
will please the lover of lower-case letters, as from the label-title on
the cover to the last paragraph of this volume not a line has been set
in capitals. The type-face is a handsome old-style roman based upon the
Caslon model, and in the book itself is printed upon a hard hand-made
paper in a dense and clear black ink. The only decoration used in the
book is found in the chapter initials, altho decoration is suggested in
the use of brackets on each side of the page numbers. Only two sizes of
type are on the title-page, and the chapter headings cling to the
type-page in a manner that helps the tone effect of the whole. The
reproduced pages are shown in the actual positions of the originals. The
margins of a full reading page measure five picas at the fold, six picas
at the head, seven-and-a-half picas at the outer edge, and eleven picas
at the foot. The type-page covers slightly more than one-third of the
surface of the leaf upon which it is printed. The type-page in
proportion measures diagonally twice its width, a point illustrated in
Example 50 of a previous article.
EXAMPLE 128.—A reduced facsimile of the title-page of a limited edition
of classic poems, produced at the Riverside Press under the supervision
of Bruce Rogers. This typographer stands among those in America who are
giving themselves to the work of steering the printing craft back to the
waters in which it sailed in the days of Aldus Manutius. Bruce Rogers
came from Indiana with no technical knowledge of typography, but
artistic talent soon enabled him to gather the details, and for a number
of years he designed books for the Riverside Press that brought him fame
and helped to raise the standard of printing in America.
EXAMPLE 129.—There is one feature of Bruce Rogers’ work which stands out
prominently, and that is his regard for the appropriate. The literary
motive of a book gives the cue for its typographic treatment, and he
prints as if he were living in the period so presented, and influenced
by its tastes. The “John Greenleaf Whittier” title-page suggests a
product of the middle nineteenth century, when Whittier lived, and
Example 128 is imbued with the spirit of the Greek Theocritus. But two
sizes of type are used in the Whittier page, and these are apportioned
according to the importance of the wording.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 134
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 135
Two pages, the typography of which shows unusual care and
consideration for detail. Typography by J. H. Nash
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 136
A text-page in modern roman. By Colonial Press
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 137
A text-page in old-style type-faces. By Colonial Press
]
EXAMPLES 130 AND 131.—Two pages from a book issued by a prominent
publishing house and printed by a prominent press. They are reproduced
for the purpose of pointing out a fault common to a majority of books of
the present day—inharmonious typography. While the text pages are
consistent in the use of plain modern roman, the title-page with no
regard for the face used on the text pages is composed in Caslon roman
and modernized old-style. It would seem that, true to the title, the
printer had aimed to present three representative type-faces used during
a hundred years. And, to make matters worse, the cover contains an
elaborate twentieth century design. Why do not publishers realize that
these things are wrong? Why do not printers realize it? After the six
hundred pages of this book had been set in modern roman, the cost of
setting a title-page also in modern roman would have been ridiculously
small. Printers doing work for publishers should provide display faces
to match their machine letters, or else when buying matrices of a body
face, assure themselves that display faces may also be had. Artists,
too, should be cautioned to make their design not only after the motive
suggested by the literary contents of the book, but also after the
typography (which should of course be based upon the literary motive).
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 138
Title-page with an Italian motive. By Oswald Press, New York
]
EXAMPLES 132 AND 133.—Two pages in style composite Colonial and modern.
Relation between the reading pages and the title-page is established
thru use of type of the same series and also by adapting the flower
decoration to the running head. Certain books lend themselves to
decoration; this is one of them, because it is of the entertaining sort.
Serious books, such as those on the subjects of law, medicine and
science, should have no decoration. The wise book typographer will not
use decoration unless he comprehends just what he is doing.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 139
Page from a children’s book, designed and written by Will Bradley
]
EXAMPLES 134 AND 135.—J. H. Nash, who designed the typography of the
book of which these two pages are a part, produced results that are
exceptionally good from a typographic point of view. The border as seen
in Example 134 was used on the title, introduction and contents pages,
and the border in Example 135 was used thruout the text pages. The
crossed-line border effect was even adapted to the frontispiece. The
title-page is an excellent example of consistent typography; not a line
of lower-case is to be found on the page, and prominence is
proportionately given the title of the book and the names of author and
publishers. The reading matter is set within six points of the rule
border, that the page should have but one margin. If the space between
type and border were larger it would give the appearance of another
margin. The initial letters assist the reader in locating the beginning
of each story.
EXAMPLE 136.—This page is in a style associated with the modern novel
and was set on the linotype in eleven-point Scotch Roman; the lines
twenty picas wide, leaded with two-point leads. The running head is in
capitals of the body letter, separated from the reading page by a
half-point rule, and the page number is centered at the foot.
EXAMPLE 137.—A good example of modern book composition, set on the
linotype in twelve-point Caslon Old Style, the lines twenty picas wide,
separated by four points. The running head is in a black text letter
suited to a book of this kind. An amount of space equal to a line of
type and the leading following it, has been placed between the running
head and the reading page.
EXAMPLE 138.—No style of typography is in such good taste as that which
is based on the old Italian, in which but one style of type-face,
usually the Caslon, is used, and the capitals letterspaced a trifle.
This style has been worked into a symmetrical page and an ornament
included that because of its Italian treatment blends neatly with the
typography. It might be interesting to note that the illustrations in
this book were in line, and where emphasis was needed in side headings
small capitals were used and the letters separated by slight spacing.
EXAMPLE 139.—A page from a book for children, written and illustrated by
Will Bradley. The type-face is a wide, legible letter and was specially
designed by Mr. Bradley. Each chapter is begun with a line of old
English black letter, followed by several lines of highly decorative
italic. The illustrations are interpreted in the grotesque decorative
style that Bradley does so well. The running heads and page numbers are
in the italic.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 140
Harmony in tone of type-face and decoration. Typography by the Trow
Press, New York
]
EXAMPLE 140.—A page notable for the harmony between the tone of the
type-face and decoration. The illustration has been treated by Beatrice
Stevens in a decorative spirit, and is very effective. The capitals of
the body matter are used for the “Chapter III” line, and smaller
capitals for the descriptive line under it. The plain initial is more
effective than an ornamental one would have been.
EXAMPLE 141.—A title-page of classic design in Scotch Roman type. The
anchor and dolphin, originally the device of Aldus, as enlarged in
outline has much to do with the effectiveness of the page. The dignified
beauty of this page makes it worthy of close study.
EXAMPLE 142.—A further demonstration of the beauty of classic
typography. Fred. W. Goudy has done many things worth while, but none
better than this. He not only designed the smaller type-faces and
lettered the large lines in harmony, but arranged the page and, in its
original form, printed it. American typography owes much to Mr. Goudy
and it is a pleasure to include this page here.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 141
A title-page of classic design, with an Aldine anchor device. By
William Aspenwall Bradley
]
EXAMPLE 143.—This is a page from one of the Roycrofters’ serious efforts
in bookmaking. It was printed in dense black ink on white stock, the
large text initials standing forth in pleasing contrast.
EXAMPLE 144.—This is a page from a book by Theodore L. De Vinne, and
probably presented his personal ideas in book typography. Notice the
spacing around the subheading, and the treatment of footnotes. The first
line under the subheading is not indented.
EXAMPLES 145 AND 146.—D. B. Updike, of the Merrymount Press, is
responsible for the typography of these pages, which are a portion of a
book containing the ceremony of marriage as performed in the Protestant
Episcopal Church. The type is a special letter based upon early forms.
The book was printed in black and vermilion. Mr. Updike, with Rogers,
Goudy and others, believes that the way to improve typography in America
is to do typography as well as it can be done. He established the
Merrymount Press in 1898, and has arranged and printed many fine
volumes, in addition to much high-grade small work.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 142
Classic feeling expressed in a modern title-page. Designed by Fred. W.
Goudy
]
EXAMPLE 147.—Books of poetry are usually treated in a typographic style
that is light and dainty. The typographer who has the spirit of the
artist in him puts more into a book than is required by the traditions
of the craft and endeavors to express with type and decoration the
spirit of the poet’s message. The verses of Edgar Allan Poe, with their
suggestion of dark shadows and pathos, make the book designer’s task
difficult, but in this example Mr. Nash has given the work a decorative
treatment that in its dark tone helps to beautify the sad spirit of the
great American poet. Washington Text shows forth admirably as a type for
these pages and the decorative panel harmonizes with it in both tone and
design. In its original form the book was printed in dull black and dull
red inks on a toned hand-made paper. The liberal margins assisted in
giving that touch of exclusiveness and taste that is essential in good
book-printing.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 143
Text-page of a de luxe volume. By the Roycrofters, East Aurora, N. Y.
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 144
Text-page from a book by De Vinne. Note treatment of running titles,
sub-headings and footnotes
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 145
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 146
Two pages from a small ecclesiastical book. By D. B. Updike
]
EXAMPLE 148.—French title-pages of the eighteenth century are furnishing
motives for the designing of cover and title-pages for the uses of
publishing and advertising, and to many this page by Bruce Rogers will
have considerable interest. The design carries the spirit of an age when
decoration was rampant and when architecture and books were festooned
and adorned with cupids. The decorative lettering used in the main title
shows such influence. This book in its first edition was printed in
1789, and when recently reprinted the typographic spirit of the old
volume was incorporated in it. It does not measure up to the recently
accepted ideas of tone-harmony and shape-harmony, yet the element of
appropriateness is so strong that those shortcomings are not to be held
against it.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 147
Gothic treatment of a book of poetry. Typography designed by J. H.
Nash for Paul Elder & Company
]
Custom has developed a law for the arrangement of the several parts of a
book. There is first a blank leaf known as the fly-leaf, followed by a
leaf with the title of the volume in small type slightly above center or
placed toward the upper right corner. The frontispiece, if one is used,
is then inserted. The next leaf contains the title-page, which usually
gives the title of the work, name of author or editor, place of origin,
name of publisher and date of issue. On the back of this leaf, slightly
above center, is the copyright notice, and in the lower center or right
corner the imprint of the printer. The table of contents and the table
of illustrations follow, taking as many pages as are necessary. The
preface, or author’s introduction, is next, after which another
half-title may be inserted ahead of the first chapter. The dedication,
at one time occupying a page in the fore part of the book, is
occasionally used. The index is inserted in the rear of the book. This
rear-index is not found in novels, but in books on technical subjects
and those used for reference purposes.
It is customary to number book pages with Arabic numerals beginning with
the first chapter, all pages in advance of the first chapter being
numbered with lower-case Roman numerals. The page numbers, when at the
foot, should be separated from the type-page by the same amount of space
used between the lines. There is tendency among inexperienced printers
to place the numbers too far from the type-page.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 148
Where a French style of treatment is appropriate. Designed by Bruce
Rogers
]
There is a rule that the running title should be separated from the
type-page by space equivalent to a quad line of the size of body-type
used, altho the best typographers prefer only about half that amount of
space.
Pages containing chapter headings are lowered at the head below the
regular page hight. Example 127 shows a lowering of five picas space.
Other books show more or less than this amount of space, but the space
allowed in this example is pleasing.
When an initial is used the space between it and the type should be the
same, both at the right side and foot of the initial.
The position of a book page should be toward the binding and the head.
In elaborate books of wide margins this inclination should be great, but
in the conventional book of narrower margins it should be less
noticeable—say six points toward the binding and eighteen points toward
the head.
The use of an em-quad between sentences on a book page is encouraged by
many printers, but the new-thought compositor uses two three-to-em
spaces or less. By referring to example 127 it will be found that the
same amount of space separates all words in one line. The capital letter
seems sufficient indication of the beginning of a sentence. In the first
book printed from separate types (see reproduction of page from
Gutenberg’s Bible in the chapter on “The Origin of Typography”) there
was no space used between sentences, the period in the judgment of the
printer separating the words sufficiently.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 149
Title-page lettering and decoration by F. W. Goudy, for the Caxton
Co., Cleveland, O.
]
[Illustration]
BOOKLETS, PAMPHLETS, BROCHURES, LEAFLETS
Did I wish to be flippant I would open this chapter by asking, “When is
a booklet not a booklet?” and might even be pardoned for doing so, for
no other word has been so misused as has “booklet.”
A booklet, the dictionaries tell us, is just a little book, as is
indicated by the suffix “-let,” which termination forms diminutives from
French and English nouns. Yet “booklet” has been used to designate not
only little books, but big books, and has led to the rather tautological
description, “a little booklet.” When does a booklet cease to be little,
and is its littleness in its dimensions, in the number of printed
sheets, or in some other feature not recognized in a hurried
consideration of the subject?
Going back to the lexicons—
A booklet, as has been said, is a little book.
A leaflet, according to the Standard Dictionary, is “a little leaf; also
a tract.” Webster says it is “a sheet of small pages which are folded,
but not stitched; a folder.”
A pamphlet, we understand from the Standard, is “a printed work stitched
or pasted, but not permanently bound; a brief treatise or essay.”
Webster says it is “A book of a few sheets of printed matter, or
formerly of manuscript, commonly with a paper cover; specifically,
sometimes, any such work not in excess of eighty pages, and not bound.”
The word “pamphlet” was derived from a popular Latin poem, “Pamphilus,”
of the twelfth century.
“Brochure” is a French word often used for “pamphlet.” Webster gives its
meaning as “a printed and stitched book containing only a few leaves; a
pamphlet; a treatise or article published in such form.”
A circular is a letter or a note, usually printed.
However, for the purposes of this chapter, while I shall endeavor so far
as possible to use one of the above approved terms in designating the
various examples of printing, the word “booklet” in some instances may
have a wider application than “a little book.”
* * * * *
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 150
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 151
Two pages from a leaflet designed without decoration or color, a
noteworthy exponent of simplicity in typography. By the Marchbanks
Press, New York
]
The chap-books sold in the seventeenth century, containing abbreviated
stories, were, perhaps, prototypes of the booklet; but as now used the
booklet is a modern conception. It is a result of development in
æsthetical knowledge among advertisers and the buying public, who have
learned to discriminate and to demand artistic, tasteful workmanship.
When the “dodger” or handbill ceased to be effective as a publicity
auxiliary to the newspaper, the booklet was born. State laws consider a
few placards or publication in one or two obscure newspapers sufficient
notification to the public, but the advertiser knows the futility of
such obsolete methods and gets his message to the public in numerous
ways—traveling salesmen, newspapers and magazines, trade, technical and
class publications, house-organs, catalogs, booklets, circulars,
posters, novelties, car cards, electric signs, etc. To an extent the
booklet’s mission is educational; it introduces the business house,
gives authoritative answers to questions that the prospective buyer
would naturally ask, explains advantages and gives reasons for
superiority. The booklet is best if written in a style that is
non-technical, and should be treated by the artist and printer in a
manner that will interest the recipient.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 152
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 153
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 154
Three pages from an easily read booklet in Scotch Roman, showing the
typographic style of Benjamin Sherbow, New York
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 155
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 156
Two pages from an eight-page leaflet, in which the typography was
relied upon for results. The rule borders were printed close to the
edges of the paper. By William Henry Baker, Cleveland, O.
]
Among the users of the booklet as a publicity medium are railroads,
cities, hotels, real-estate companies, banks, clothiers, educational
institutions, printers, and manufacturers of automobiles, musical
instruments, cameras, and tools and equipment of many kinds. If one
wishes to purchase intelligently a piano or other expensive article he
obtains a booklet on the subject, and whether he buys or not depends
largely upon the impression obtained from the booklet; if it is well
written, informative, carefully illustrated and handsomely printed, it
will be likely to exert an influence in favor of a sale. The printer’s
share in producing such a booklet is large, altho he is called upon to
work in conjunction with the writer, the artist and the engraver.
Much of the booklet printing is planned by advertising writers and
commercial artists. The best results are obtained when artist and writer
blend their ideas harmoniously; this is possible only when the writer
has artistic tastes and a definite understanding of typography. In many
booklets the text matter does not fit the decoration. I have in mind an
instance in which the artist laid out sixteen pages of marginal
illustrative decoration, and the writer supplied only about half the
copy necessary to fill the sixteen pages. To overcome the deficiency the
printer set the text matter in an excessively large size of type, but
even then the space left for the reading matter was only partly filled.
If the writer was unable to fill the space, the artist should have
decreased the number of decorative pages or else planned his decoration
to cover more surface.
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 157
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 158
]
[Illustration:
EXAMPLE 159
Three pages that demonstrate the possibilities of type and rule in
obtaining effective results. By Barnard J. Lewis, Boston, Mass.
]
Those houses that have made a success of booklet printing produce a job
that is harmonious and complete. Reading matter, illustrations,
decoration, paper, ink and color treatment, all blend on their booklets.
There is a central motive around which all concerned in the make-up of
the booklet weave their ideas.