This first volume of La Typographie, on the techniques of book and graphic arts, was published in Paris in 1930 by Henry Babou under the direction of Marcel Valotaire. This cover photo by Jacques Evers is one of 30 photogravure plates of his work. I first discovered this beautiful French journal in the Wolfsonian archive at the University of Florida Digital Collections, however the title page seen just below was sourced here.
These beautiful photogravure prints seen above of Evers photos are the only images available from the Wolfsonian Archives, however I was delighted to learn the entire book is made available from the International Monotype Memory Project (IMMP.) In their link to a black & white PDF (which appears to be from a reproduction), you can download this entire book complete with text (in French), photos and illustrations on the production of a fine press book;)
Books in Russia were typeset and printed much the way many books were made elsewhere in the mid-century. Kak Pechatali Vashu Knigu (translated: How Your Book Was Printed) is a 1951 children's book, by Samuil Marshak (1887 - 1964) who was a writer, translator, satirist and children's poet. This lovely book about the printing trade is remarkable for many reasons, and makes me wish to see more. I am fortunate as it is just down the street from me. It is from the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division in the Children's Historical Literature Collection. The illustrator is listed as A. Ermolaev, but I could find little record of this artist other than a Nikolai Andrianovich Ermolaev who did this work.
The pressmen and women are all wearing hats as they examine the latest sheets off the mighty large press, and the light-filled pressroom with the shiny shiny floor makes for a wonderful workplace in the big city. What child wouldn't want to take up this trade? It took many skilled working hands to make books of this kind in the 1950s, and they will continue to impress and inspire many of us for generations because of the libraries who share them. This makes me very happy.
Another teaser clip from the documentary Linotype: The Film, about the machine that changed the world in the 19th century, was recently released in advance of the much anticipated mid-October DVD release. I had an opportunity to attend a screening of the entire film last Spring and found it fun and fascinating. For those of you in the Seattle area, you can purchase tickets for another showing of the film to be screened on Sunday, September 23, at 2:30 as part of the Seattle Design Festival. Meanwhile, sit back and watch all of the other released film clips while you wait.
