[Illustration: JACOBI THANNER.
i t]
Although the early history of the Printer’s Mark in Germany is neither
extensive in variety nor startling in surprises, there are still very
many features of general interest. And if the Printer’s Mark, as we have
already seen, had its origin in Mainz, its development is certainly due
to the Strassburg craftsmen. As no other city in Germany can show such a
varied collection of beautiful Marks, examples of the Strasburg printers
will preponderate in this chapter. It is now generally accepted that the
art of printing was carried on in Strassburg (Argentina, Argent-oratum),
either in 1459 or 1460, by Johan Mentelin, who appears to have continued
in the business until 1476; and about six years after he had started,
Heinrich Eggestein commenced, and continued until about 1478. Accepting
the arrangement of Herr Paul Heitz and Dr. Karl August Barack in their
very elaborate “Elsässische Büchermarken bis Anfang des 18.
Jahrhunderts,” the first Strasburg printer to use a Mark was Johann
Grüninger, who, after working at Basel for a year or two, took up his
residence in Strassburg at the end of 1482. One of his first Marks
appeared in Brant’s “Narrenschiff,” 1494, and of this our example is an
elaboration. By the year 1525 he employed no less than five distinct
examples, the last of which, in Ptolemæus, “Geographicæ Enarrationes,”
1525, differs completely from all the others, the single letter G
occupying the centre of the masonic compass and rule. Grüninger, it may
be noted, was the printer of “Cosmographie Introductio,” 1509; the
second edition of the famous book in which the name America was proposed
and used for the first time. He is further noted for the number of
misprints which occur in the books issued by him. The last book which
bears his imprint is apparently “Geberi philosophi ac alchimistæ maximi,
de Alchimia, libri tres,” March, 1529. Martin Schott’s distinct device
is found in at least three books of the date 1498, including Matheolus’
“Ars memorativa,” and was used by him until 1517. It was also used by
his son, Johann Schott, about 1541, the same printer using seven or
eight other Marks, all more or less distinct, at different periods. The
first book bearing Martin Schott’s name is dated 1491, and he continued
printing until 1499; while his son was in business from 1500 to 1545.
Equally distinct is the accompanying example--one of several--used by
Johann Knoblouch, which is found in the majority of the books printed by
him from about 1521 to 1526, notably several works by Erasmus (_e.g._
“Moriæ Encomium,” 1522, and the “Novum Testamentum,” 1523). The father
started in 1497, and was succeeded by his son, who continued the
business until 1558. The Mark, it may be mentioned, is a somewhat
atrocious pun on the owner’s name, which is the German for “garlic,”
with the seed pods of which the figure emblematically representing
Ignorance ascending from darkness into light is encircled; this Mark is
generally surrounded by mottoes in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.
[Illustration: JOHANN GRÜNINGER.