IMPOSING,

is the arrangement of the pages of a sheet, or of a form, in their proper order on the stone, and the wedging of them up in a chase, with a view to their being printed.

The knowledge of thus laying down pages, so that the sheets may fold correctly when printed, is of essential consequence to every compositor engaged on book work.

A workman would be held inexcusable who did not know how to lay down with accuracy all the common sizes; viz. quartos, octavos, and duodecimos: but even with this knowledge he is frequently at a loss when at work upon sizes that do not frequently occur; and more particularly so at the close of a volume where there are fragments, which are required to be imposed together, for the purpose of saving presswork and warehouse work.

A youth, who has just gone to the business, feels a natural pride in showing that he is making progress; and he wishes to improve himself without having continually to appeal to his instructor; but he does not possess the means.

The young man from the country, who has been educated in a house where there has not been much book work done, which is generally the case, and who, of course, is not very expert at his profession, when he comes to work in an extensive book house in town, feels his deficiency, and more particularly if he has to lay down his pages in a large companionship; he does not like to acknowledge his ignorance, nor to ask for information: he has consequently to work his way at a great disadvantage.

Under these circumstances it frequently happens that the pages are laid down wrong, which causes a great deal of trouble and loss of time in their rectification; and this trouble is considerably increased if the work be on a small type and solid. In this case, if the cords have been taken off, it is not advisable to transpose the pages without wetting them, for fear of breaking the matter, or at least squabbling it; the form has then to be dried, before the pressman can pull another proof.

All the works on Printing hitherto published, are deficient in giving a sufficient variety of tables for imposing, as a reference for the workman, as well as for the reader and the master printer. This deficiency of reference occasionally causes the compositor to re-impose his forms, as I just now observed, and also in many instances to cut up new furniture.

To remedy this inconvenience I have considerably exceeded the number of what has been given in any other work, by adding such tables as are likely to occur in practice, and to which there has hitherto been no reference.

I have given all the Tables of Imposition that are in Luckombe and in Stower, except a half-sheet of sixty-fours, although I disapprove of the arrangement of the pages in many of them, from their not cutting up or folding in the most convenient manner; yet, as they have been acted on in a great number of instances, I would not reject them, it being advisable in reprints to preserve uniformity, which may enable the proprietor to make up a few more copies from the waste of both editions. I have added several, in which I think there is an improvement in these particulars.

I have also endeavoured to make each size complete, by giving a sheet, a half sheet, a quarter of a sheet, and the usual fragments that occur; varying the arrangement of the pages in a great number of instances, to suit the different ways of folding the paper.

The whole of the signatures in each form are given, that they may serve as a guide in laying down the pages, particularly where there are a great number in a sheet; they might then all be taken out, if thought proper, except the first, and the first in the offcut, which are the only ones I would retain, and all that are necessary, the others causing the bottoms of the pages to look unsightly; for the person who folds the sheets has only to keep the signature at the outside, and the pages must be folded right.

When works are in half sheets, it is advantageous to work two together, as it enables the bookseller to deliver a single copy in sheets without cutting up the back; and also at the conclusion of a work that is in sheets where there are two half sheets, as it saves time and trouble in the warehouse; it not being necessary to divide the sheet and insert a half in each volume, but the whole sheet may be gathered in the volume to which either of the signatures belongs; by which means there will be fewer mistakes, and fewer imperfections required.

When we arrive at a great number of pages in a sheet, they resolve themselves into the same order as quartos, octavos, and duodecimos; and in these cases I have repeated the imposition rather than refer to another size, which is not always very clearly understood when two, three, or more sheets are combined. Upon this principle I have repeated the half sheets, quarter sheets, and fragments, so as to make each size complete in itself.

It is usual when a fragment at the end of a volume makes six pages to impose it as eight: in this case there are two blank pages. Sometimes the author fills these up, by adding to the text; at other times the bookseller occupies them with advertisements of other publications in which he is interested.

When a compositor lays down his pages, it might prevent mistakes if he looked over them to see that they were right before he untied the page cords; and it is a good check to examine the folios of every two adjoining pages in a quarter, to see that their sum makes one more than the number of pages in the sheet, or half sheet: thus, in a sheet of folio, 1 and 4, equal to 5, are imposed together; in a quarto, 1 and 8; in an octavo, 1 and 16; in a duodecimo, 1 and 24; in sixteens, 1 and 32; in eighteens, 1 and 36; and so in every other size: and this combination continues through all the other adjoining pages, according to the order in which they lie on the stone, calling the first page in the sheet 1, the second 2, and so on in succession.

The short cross is always better in the middle of the chase, if the margin will allow it; as it divides the matter more equally, and the form is safer when it is locked up.

If it be the first sheet of a work that is to be imposed, or it be found necessary to increase the number of sheets in chase, the compositor applies to the overseer, or to the person who has the care of the materials, for a pair of chases.

The pages being laid upon the stone in their proper order, and as near the required distance from each other as can be determined by the eye, the compositor then places his chases; he takes one with both hands and lays the off side or end, as it may be, on the stone at the outer side of his pages, and lowers the near side gradually, till it lies flat on the stone, taking care that the inner edges of the chase and the cross bars do not rest on the face of the pages to injure them, and that the grooves in the short cross are upwards.

The furniture has now to be cut for the sheet; but previous to doing this it is necessary to ascertain what kinds of it will be wanted, by trying the margin with a sheet of paper of the work, otherwise a great risk is run of cutting an expensive article to waste, and of incurring also a loss of time, both of which should be avoided if possible. The manner of making margin will be explained under its proper head. See Margin.

I would recommend that the headsticks in octavos should be in two pieces, each of them a little longer than the page is wide; this will allow the gutters to be a little longer than the page, so that they will come close to the footsticks at the bottom, and at the other end will go between the headsticks, thus securing the inside of the two pages, without any risk of the gutters binding when locked up, which they are apt to do when cut to the precise length of the page, as is the custom when the headsticks for each quarter are in one piece. The gutters thus being equal to about three picas more in length than the page, will answer for other works where the page is of the same width, but different in length.

The headsticks and gutters being arranged, the compositor will cut his backs a little longer than the page, and these abutting against the headsticks that project beyond the page towards the cross, will secure that side. The sidesticks should be of the full length of the page, and abut against the headsticks on the outside of the form. The footsticks may be a trifle shorter than the width of two pages and the gutter; for as there should always be a line of quadrats, or a reglet cut to measure, at the foot of each page, the footstick may be a pica shorter without danger, on this account, of any thing falling out, when the form is lifted, and it thus prevents the side and foot sticks from binding when locked up.

By cutting the furniture in this manner, the compositor will at once perceive that all his pages will be secure, and that the furniture cannot bind in any place when locked up. The gutter is pushed down to the footstick, and extends beyond the top of the pages; the two headsticks abut against the gutter, and project a little beyond the sides of their pages; the back is pushed up to the headstick, and extends a little below the bottom of the page; the footstick abuts against the back, and by being about a pica short prevents the sidestick from binding against it; and the sidestick abuts against the head, and extends the full length of the page: neither is there any impediment to driving the quoins.

I would never cut the heads and the backs of such a length as to project beyond the side and foot sticks; for when they do, they are in the way of the shooting stick, if a quoin has been driven close up, when the form has to be unlocked. Neither should the headstick project so much as the thickness of the back; nor the extra length of the gutter be so much as the headstick; otherwise they will bind and prevent the form from rising.

When the sidestick or footstick is so long as to project one beyond the other, it prevents the quoin from passing, and in unlocking causes a great deal of trouble to get it out; I have, in such cases, frequently seen the sidestick broken or spoiled in the attempt, and a page squabbled or broken. This arises from carelessness or idleness, both which generally cause more trouble ultimately than if the work were properly performed in the first instance. If it be thought unnecessary or wasteful to cut down side or foot sticks for a job, or a pamphlet, when there are none of a proper length in the house, a piece of furniture taken out of the drawer of the proper length and width, and placed inside next the page, will remedy the inconvenience, and cause the quoin to be driven with ease.

When placing the furniture about the pages leave the ends of the page cords out, so that they may be easily taken off, without the necessity of disturbing the pages to find the end, which will be the case if they be tucked in.

The furniture being now round the pages, I would recommend to the compositor to put some quoins round the form, not with any particular care that they fit, but merely to secure the pages, and by their means to push them up close to the heads, backs, and gutters.

After having taken a page cord from a page push up that page close to the furniture at the back and head, by means of the side and foot stick, to prevent the letters at the ends of the lines from falling down, and also tighten the quoins gently with your fingers.

All the page cords being taken off, and the pages pushed up close at the sides and heads, it will next be necessary to examine particularly that the margin be right; as also to put one or two scaleboards in all the backs and the heads between the furniture and the crosses. These scaleboards enable the pressmen to make register if there be any inequality in the furniture or the crosses, by changing their situations, or taking some of them away; they also enable the compositor to make the distance between the pages in the backs and heads uniform, which should always be the case; and no form of book work that has to be printed on both sides of the paper should ever be imposed without them. But scaleboard is never used in the gutters.

The form has now to be quoined, which many compositors are in the habit of doing very carelessly, thinking that if the form lifts it is quite sufficient. This is an erroneous opinion, and frequently causes errors from the slovenly manner in which the quoining is done, letters and even lines dropping out when the form is laid on the press, or taken off, which do not always get replaced correctly; and the pages are more likely to fall out if they stand a few days at the end of a bulk. As I have previously described the imposing of an octavo, I shall continue my observations with respect to that size, but the principle is the same whatever the size may be. I would have two quoins for each sidestick, not put in indiscriminately, but the furthest quoin when driven tight, to be about three quarters of an inch from the broad end of the sidestick, which will allow room for the shooting stick in unlocking, as also for the form being tightened if the furniture shrinks; and the other quoin when driven tight to be its whole length fairly within the sidestick, because this end of the stick being thin, will be liable to spring from the page if the quoin be driven far in, and thus leave the letters behind insecure, and in danger of falling out: I would have two for the footstick in the same situations, and a third in the middle to cover the end of the gutter. Each quarter, of a form of octavo, thus quoined, will be perfectly secure when the quoins are driven tight, provided the pages be made up to the same length, and the lines properly justified; should this not be the case, the compositor will be obliged to vary the quoining, to meet the evil of bad workmanship.

Before he tightens his quoins he examines whether the pages in the same quarter be of equal length, which he does by pressing against the footstick with his thumbs, and raising it a little from the stone; if it lifts up with it equally the ends of both the pages against which it presses, he is satisfied they are right, and tries the other quarters in the same manner; if he finds any of the pages short, he examines them to find out where the deficiency is and supplies it; sometimes a lead is wanting, sometimes a line. This will arise occasionally from the carelessness of some compositors who will not take the trouble of cutting a gauge by which to make up their pages, but do it by counting the lines; they sometimes omit a line, sometimes have a line too much, and sometimes are equally incorrect with their leads: in other cases I have known gauges cut carelessly of an improper length, which causes the same evil; and it also occasionally arises from having the gauges of three or four different works cut on the same piece of reglet, and mistaking one for the other. See Gauge.

I should now push the quoins up all round with my fingers, to confine the pages slightly, and then plane the form down gently by striking the planer with the fist; if any letters stand up they are easily pressed down by this mode of proceeding, without injuring their face; after this is done, it is necessary to examine the sides of the pages, to see that no letters have slipped out of their places at the ends of the lines, which is frequently the case when pages which have been tied up have lain under the frame some time; it may also happen in taking the page cords off, particularly if they be knotted. Having examined the pages, and rectified any thing that was found amiss, which is easily done in this state of the form, I should gently tighten the quoins all round the form in an equal manner with the mallet and shooting stick, and then plane down, but not violently; if any letters stand up, from some substance being underneath, as a space, or a letter, or a bit of the page paper, which will sometimes get torn off and remain, it will be better to omit planing that part down for the present, as it would only injure the type and answer no good purpose: the quoins should then be driven as tight as is necessary, still doing it regularly and equally all round the form, when the form should be planed down again, which may be done with firmer blows than before, still omitting the part where the letters stand up.

The form may now be lifted from the stone at the front edge, just sufficient to allow the compositor to see whether it will rise or not, but not so high as that a letter would drop out; if it dances, it must be dropped down again upon the stone, and the lines tightened by thrusting the point of a bodkin between some of the words, and tightening the quoins; thus bad workmanship causes fudges, and in this case is never safe, for the letters are always in danger of being drawn out at press. But it may arise from a letter having slipped down at the end of a line: in this case the remedy is easy, to unlock the quarter and put the letter in its proper place; when this is done, and the form will rise, take the substance that was under it completely away, lay the form down again, loosen the quoins in that quarter, then plane it down, and lock it up as before directed.

The forms should now be brushed over with the letter brush, and taken to the proof press, and the pressman should be told to pull them,—In some houses the proof press is in the press room, in that case the compositor either calls out “Proof,” or asks, “Who’s in Proofs?” and then tells the party how it is to be pulled, First Proof, or Clean; sometimes the proof press is in the composing room, and the compositor either calls out “Proof” to them, or rings a bell, different houses having different customs in this respect.

I would always put the flat side of the furniture upwards, as it is more convenient for the pressmen, when it is necessary to place bearers on the frisket; since they operate better on this surface than on the hollow side, and can be placed on any part of it.

In my opinion it is preferable to have each part of the furniture in one piece, where it is practicable; as, for instance, the gutters, the backs, and the heads; which prevents the pieces from being transposed, and the margin from getting wrong: but sometimes pieces will be wanted of a width that is not equal to any regular size, and then two must be used.

To prevent as much as possible one piece of furniture from being mistaken for another in the hurry of business, I would cut all the gutters of one sheet of a precise length; so also would I do with the backs, as also with the heads; but each sort should be of a different length from that of the others;—thus, though all the gutters would be exactly of a length, yet would they be of a different length from that of the heads and backs, and so of the others; and thus they would be easily distinguished from each other, and mistakes would be prevented.

The sheet being now imposed, the stone must be cleared; the saw and saw block put in their places—the shears—the mallet, planer, and shooting stick—the surplus furniture—the scaleboard—the quoins—and every other article; for in most houses there is a fine for leaving a foul stone. The compositor will tie up his page cords, and if he has any companions will return to them their proportion.

In imposing a sheet from the furniture of one that has been worked off, in the regular process of business, there are certain circumstances to be attended to, which are frequently omitted:—The chase and furniture of one form should always be used for a similar form; that is, the chase and furniture of the outer form should be again used for an outer form, and the chase and furniture of the inner form should be again used for an inner form; they should also be put round the pages in the same order in which they were put about those of the preceding forms. For want of care or thought in these apparently trifling circumstances a great deal of trouble, inconvenience, and loss of time, are frequently incurred; for the register will be almost sure to be wrong when this is neglected, and then the forms must be unlocked, and the scaleboards changed, some of them having to be taken out, or fresh ones to be inserted, and this accompanied by a great deal of dissatisfaction.

I have found it to be a saving of time to be a little methodical in imposing; I take out my quoins and lay them on the adjoining pages in their regular order, then, after the chase has been put over the pages, and the furniture about them, there is no loss of time in replacing the quoins, or in finding the proper situation for each of them: the page cords are then taken off; the quoins tightened; the form planed down, &c., as detailed in the preceding paragraphs for imposing the first sheet of a work.

It should always be borne in mind that the quoins ought to be tightened regularly and uniformly round the form; for if one quarter be locked up at once before the quoins are tightened in the other quarters, the whole will be distorted, and the pressmen will have great difficulty in making register.

After the furniture has been taken from a form for the purpose of imposing another, it will be the means of preventing the matter for distribution from going into pie if the compositor tie a cord about each page; at least it may prevent an accident, and save him some trouble.

The chases for a sheet ought always to be in pairs; for if they be of different sizes, or the rims of different thickness, it causes the pressmen to lose time in making register, when both forms are worked at the same press, and often occasions the spoiling of two or three sheets of paper before that object is accomplished.

Before the compositor locks up his form, but after the pages are pushed up close to the backs and the heads, he should cut a gauge to fit exactly the intervals between the backs and the heads; and a sheet should never be carried into the press room for press, without the margin having been tried by this gauge to see that it is right, and to correct it, if it should be wrong: for as the pressmen have frequently occasion to alter the scaleboards in working the reiteration, this alteration will necessarily affect the furniture of the succeeding sheet. I have always used two small pieces of clean reglet, brevier or longprimer, and have cut them to the precise length; I wrote on both in ink the name of the work to prevent mistakes, as also the words ‘Back’ and ‘Head’ on each respectively; made a hole through them with my bodkin, tied them together with a piece of page cord, and hung them on a nail within my frame, so that they were always ready for use.

I shall now enumerate the tables of imposition in the following pages, and add observations where it may appear necessary, to make them as clear as it is in my power to do, not only to facilitate the operation, but in many instances to give information that may be of service; and in some cases to accommodate the bookbinder, who is seldom thought of in a printing office, but who, in my opinion, ought to be constantly considered: for I hold that the binding of a book should be always kept in view, as we are all anxious to see how our work looks when it is splendidly dressed by his skill; and it would consequently not be just if we did not do all in our power to accommodate him: stating this opinion will also show my reason for making some of the observations, as it is a point that has hitherto been neglected in all practical works on printing.

I shall also notice the errors, where they occur, of my predecessors, not for the sake of finding fault, or of depreciating their labours, but to save trouble to the workman; for, by some unaccountable cause, wherever Luckombe has made a mistake, or committed an error, it has been copied by subsequent writers, who do not appear to have examined his arrangement of the pages, but to have taken it for granted they were right, and have thus continued his errors.

The writers since Smith have not, I think, reasoned correctly on this part of a practical work; they seem to have made a merit of not adding to this department, by attending too strictly to an observation of his, saying that there may be many more fanciful ways of folding a sheet of paper. So there may, with which it may not be necessary to encumber a book; but why reject those that are useful and of frequent occurrence? why omit giving the mode of imposing fragments that continually occur at the end of a work? and that generally cause loss of time in arranging them, which might easily have been avoided; which omission I have endeavoured to supply: for this is the part of a work on printing that may be equally useful as a reference to the experienced workman as to the novice, and which I have frequently seen much wanted.

Smith’s words are, after enumerating the different Tables of Imposition which he has given—“More Irregular Sizes we have not thought fit to introduce; else we might have drawn out Schemes for Imposing Six’s, 10’s, 14’s, 20’s, 28’s, 30’s, 40’s, 42’s, 50’s, 56’s, 60’s, 80’s, 100’s, and 112’s; these, and several more being Sizes that have been found out not so much for use as out of fancy, to show the possibility of folding a piece of paper into so many various forms.”—p. 257. Upon this passage have all subsequent writers formed their excuse for leaving the different methods of imposing pages in an imperfect and erroneous state: the errors commenced with Luckombe.

As it may facilitate reference, I have given in the following enumeration the initials of the different authors in whose works the same forms will be found.—M. refers to Moxon; Sm. to Smith; L. to Luckombe; St. to Stower; J. to Johnson; H. to Hansard; Ma. to Magrath; and Mas. to Mason. Where there are no initials, the arrangement has not, to my knowledge, been given before in any English book, and is only to be found in this work.

TABLES OF IMPOSITION.

When imposing the first sheet of a new work, it may be serviceable to refer to the preceding observations, for a choice of the best method; and also for directions how to transpose the pages in working the reiteration, when a transposition is required.

The running Number corresponds with that in the Enumeration.

1. ABSTRACT OF TITLE DEEDS.

Enumeration of the TABLES OF IMPOSITION in the preceding pages, with Observations, and reference to the page in which each will be found.

1. Abstract of Title Deeds. J.—H.

Page 335

Abstracts of Title Deeds of Estates are in single leaves, and all the margin is on the left side of the paper; they are usually imposed two pages together, to save expense in press-work. They are stitched together at the corner.

2. Sheet of Folio. M.—Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.—Mas.

335

3. Sheet of Folio. Hebrew

335

4. Two sheets of Folio, Quired. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

335

5. Three sheets of Folio, Quired

336

Imposing in Quires was formerly much used, when books were more commonly printed in folio than they now are. It may be carried to any extent, by taking care that the folios of the two pages in each form of the first Signature make one more than the whole number quired: thus, if the quire consists of 24 pages, the Imposition of each form will be consecutively 1 and 24—23 and 2—3 and 22—21 and 4—5 and 20—19 and 6—7 and 18—17 and 8—9 and 16—15 and 10—11 and 14—13 and 12; and so for the succeeding forms, taking this order of the pages.

6. Half a Sheet of Folio. M.

336

7. Sheet of Quarto M.—Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.—Mas.

336

8. Sheet of Quarto. Hebrew

336

9. Two Half Sheets of Quarto, worked together. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

337

10. Half Sheet of Quarto. M.—Sm.—St.—J.—H.

337

Half Sheet of Broad Quarto. Sm.—J.—As the pages are laid down as in No. 10, I have not repeated the arrangement.

11. Half Sheet of Quarto. Hebrew

337

12. Two Sheets of Quarto, Quired

337

This Imposition may be useful where a pamphlet makes but two Sheets.

13. Sheet of Broad Quarto. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

338

14. Sheet of Octavo. M.—Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.—Mas.

338

15. Sheet of Octavo. Hebrew. Sm.—St.—J.—H.

338

16. Sheet of Broad Octavo. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

338

17. Half Sheet of Octavo. M.—Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

339

18. Half Sheet of Octavo. Hebrew.

339

19. Two Half Sheets of Octavo, worked together. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.—Mas.

339

I prefer this method of imposing two half sheets of Octavo, which cut up in the regular fold of the paper, to having the signatures in slips on each side of the long cross.

20. Sheet of Octavo with two Signatures, 12 pages and 4. St.—J.—H.—Mas.

339

The four pages are here imposed to cut out of the middle of the Sheet: being in the order of the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th. They might also be imposed as the 1st, 2d, 15th, and 16th; both these methods are convenient to the bookbinder.

21. Two Quarter Sheets of Octavo, worked together. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.—Mas

339

22. Two Quarter Sheets of Octavo. Hebrew. Worked together

339

 23. Sheet of Twelves, No. 1. M.—Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.—Mas.

340

The pages of this sheet are arranged in the customary manner, the first page of the offcut being in the outer form.

24. Sheet of Twelves, No. 2.

340

By imposing a sheet of twelves in this manner, the first signature of the offcut being in the inner form, it rises more conveniently for the bookbinder when folding; as it saves him the trouble of turning the offcut over every sheet, and it is no inconvenience to the printer.

25. Sheet of Twelves, to fold without cutting. L.—St.—J.—H.

340

26. Sheet of Twelves. Hebrew

341

27. Two Half Sheets of Twelves, worked together, No. 1. H.

341

The signatures of these two half sheets when quired, will rise regularly when collated, so as to be easily perceived both by the warehouseman and the bookbinder, and be less liable to be overlooked than the following. I give the preference to this arrangement.

28. Two Half Sheets of Twelves, worked together, No. 2. Sm.—St.—J.—H.—Mas.

341

I give this arrangement of the pages of two half sheets of Twelves to be worked together, because it is generally adopted; but the second signature is hid in the sheet, and may easily be overlooked, so as to cause a mistake, both by the warehouseman and the bookbinder. I prefer the preceding arrangement.

29. Half Sheet of Twelves. M.—Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

342

30. Half Sheet of Twelves, to fold without cutting. L.—St.—J.—H.

342

31. Half Sheet of Twelves. Hebrew

342

32. Sheet of Twelves, with two Signatures. 20 pages and 4

342

33. Sheet of Twelves, with two Signatures. 16 pages and 8. Sm.—St.—J.—H.—Mas.

343

34. Sheet of Twelves, with three Signatures. 12, 8, and 4 pages

343

35. Sheet of Twelves, with three Signatures. Thrice 8 pages

343

The offcut forms one of the portions of eight pages; the other two are imposed as two half sheets of octavo.

36. Half Sheet of Twelves, with two Signatures. 8 pages and 4. Sm.—St.—J.—H.—Mas.

344

37. Eight pages of Twelves. St.—J.—H.—Mas.

344

38. Sheet of Long Twelves. Music way, No. 1

344

This sheet cuts into three portions of eight pages each, which are inserted into each other.

39. Sheet of Long Twelves. Music way, No. 2

345

There is an offcut of eight pages in this sheet, which forms the inset.

40. Sheet of Long Twelves. Music way. With two Signatures. 16 pages and 8. S.

345

Stower terms this ‘A Sheet of Long Twelves,’ although it is a sheet with two signatures, composed of sixteen pages and eight pages.

41. Half Sheet of Long Twelves. Music way

346

This half sheet perfects as an octavo, and the four middle pages cut out and form the inset.

42. Sheet of Long Twelves, No. 1.

346

The first page of the offcut in this and the following sheet is imposed in the inner form, for the reason given in No. 24.

43. Sheet of Long Twelves, No. 2.

347

In this and the preceding sheet the paper of the sixteen pages folds differently; the first fold of No. 1. is in the back, as an octavo; the first fold of No. 2. is in the head as a quarto.

44. Sheet of Long Twelves, with two signatures. 16 pages and 8. No. 1. L.—St.—J.—H.

347

Luckombe and the subsequent writers term this a ‘Sheet of Long Twelves;’ it is in fact two fragments, one of sixteen pages, and one of eight pages.

45. Sheet of Long Twelves, with two Signatures. 16 pages and 8. No. 2

348

The sixteen pages of this sheet and the preceding, fold as No. 43. and No. 42.

46. Half Sheet of Long Twelves

348

47. Sheet of Square Twelves

349

A sheet of square twelves is imposed the same as a sheet of common twelves; but I have inserted it, because the chase is laid over the form differently: the short cross should be the same as for octavos, and the long cross should be for the offcut.

Half sheets and fragments are laid down the same as common twelves.

48. Two Half Sheets of Long Twelves, worked together

349

This sheet is perfected as an octavo, and the four middle pages form the inset.

49. Sheet of Sixteens. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

349

50. Sheet of Sixteens. Hebrew

350

This and the preceding sheet fold without cutting.

51. Two Half Sheets of Sixteens worked together

350

52. Sheet of Sixteens, with two Signatures. 24 pages and 8

350

53. Half Sheet of Sixteens. Sm.—St.—J.—H.

351

54. Half Sheet of Sixteens. Hebrew

351

55. Two Quarter Sheets of Sixteens

351

56. Sheet of Long Sixteens

351

57. Two Half Sheets of Long Sixteens, worked together

352

58. Half Sheet of Long Sixteens

352

59. Two Quarter Sheets of Long Sixteens

352

60. Sheet of Eighteens, with one Signature. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

353

Luckombe calls this ‘A common Sheet of Eighteens.’ I suppose at that time it was the customary way of imposing a sheet of eighteens; in my opinion it is inferior to No. 62. There are four insets in it—3 of four pages each, and 1 of eight pages.

61. Sheet of Eighteens with three Signatures. No. 1. Sm.—St.—H.

353

This imposition cuts into three slips the longest way of the sheet of paper; and the heads of the pages on one of them are the raw edge of the paper, which will cause additional trouble to the pressman and to the bookbinder, without being attended with any advantage:—If the compositor have not made his pages up to a precise length, the pressman will have to unlock the forms and rectify them, to make register; and the bookbinder will have to trim each of them with a pair of scissars. It may be avoided by turning the pages of this slip round, and placing the heads against the heads of the other signature, if a sheet should be imposed according to this arrangement. It is certainly inferior to No. 62.

62. Sheet of Eighteens, with three Signatures, as three Half Sheets of Twelves. J.—Mas. No. 2

354

This is now the usual method of imposing a sheet of eighteens; it cuts up equal to three half sheets of twelves, and is the most convenient mode both to the pressman and bookbinder, as it is in the regular way of their business.

63. Sheet of Eighteens, with three Signatures. Hebrew

354

64. Sheet of Eighteens, to fold without cutting. L.—St.—J.—H.

355

Luckombe has reversed every page of this sheet in his work, so that the first page would be at the last end of the sheet, the same as Hebrew. Smith has a sheet of eighteens under this title, but it has three Signatures in it.

65. Sheet of Eighteens, with two Signatures. 24 pages and 12. No. 1. Sm.—St.—J.—H.

355

66. Sheet of Eighteens, with two Signatures. 24 pages and 12, as a Sheet of Twelves and Half Sheet of Twelves. No. 2

356

These two last sheets will only be useful when a volume of eighteens is worked in sheets with one Signature in each, which is not often done; I should give the preference to No. 2.

67. Half Sheet of Eighteens. Sm.—St.—J.—H.—Mas.

356

When the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages 11, 8 and 7, 12—put 11 and 8 in the place of 7 and 12; and 7 and 12 in the place of 11 and 8.

68. Half Sheet of Eighteens. Hebrew

356

When the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages, 8, 11 and 12, 7, in the same manner as was directed in No. 67.

69. Half Sheet of Eighteens, without transposing the pages. St.—J.—H.

357

Mr. Stower, in his Printer’s Grammar, says, “We have also given a plan for imposing a half sheet of eighteens, without transposing the pages.”

I acknowledge that much time will be saved in the warehouse work, and that it will be more convenient for the printer to do it in this manner; but the saving of trouble, and the convenience of doing work in a particular way, are not always to be attended to. How will the sheet look when cut up?—There will be three signatures; the first will have twelve pages, the same as half a sheet of twelves; the second will consist of two single leaves; and the third of one leaf, thus having three separate leaves in a half sheet; that is, six single leaves in a sheet, which are charged in binding the same as plates. A collection of plays published separately in eighteens, which is not uncommon, will when completed contain many half sheets, and, if printed in this manner, will be a considerable additional expense in binding a number of complete sets. This will cause dissatisfaction in the master printer’s employers, as it is a principle that ought always to be acted on, not to increase the expenditure, when it can be avoided.

70. Sixteen pages of Eighteens. Sm.—St.—J.—H.

357

When the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages, 7, 10 and 9, 8; put 7 and 10 in the place of 9 and 8; and 9 and 8 in the place of 7 and 10.

In working sixteen pages, or eight pages, of eighteens, there will be two blank pages in each half of the sheet, except it be filled up with advertisements, catalogue, or other matter.

71. Half a Sheet of Eighteens, with two Signatures. 16 pages and 2

357

When the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages, 7, 10 and 9, 8, as in No. 70.

72. Half Sheet of Eighteens, with two Signatures. 14 pages and 4

357

After the white paper is printed off, transpose the four pages, 37, 40 and 39, 38, as directed in No. 70.

73. Half Sheet of Eighteens, with two Signatures. 12 pages and 6

358

When the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages, 13, 18 and 17, 14, as directed in No. 70.

74. Half Sheet of Eighteens, with two Signatures. 10 pages and 8

358

When the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages, 73, 80 and 79, 74, as directed in No. 70.

75. Half Sheet of Eighteens, with two Signatures. 8 pages and 8

358

When the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages, 37, 44 and 43, 38, as directed in No. 70.

76. Half Sheet of Eighteens, with three Signatures. 10 pages, 4, and 4

358

When the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages, 73, 76 and 75, 74, as directed in No. 70.

77. Half Sheet of Eighteens, with three Signatures. 8 pages, 8, and 2

359

When the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages, 37, 44 and 43, 38, as directed in No. 70.

78. Half Sheet of Eighteens, with four Signatures. Four times 4 pages

359

After the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages, 85, 88 and 87, 86, as directed in No. 70.

In printing collections of plays in eighteens, where each play has separate folios, fragments in every variety arise. When one of four pages occurs, it will perhaps be adviseable, if the number be large, and the presswork not in a forward state, to make a full form of them, by setting the matter up five times: when the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages, as directed in No. 70.; also take out the first and fourth pages of one of the portions of four pages which occupy the place of the two blanks in No. 78, and put the third and the second in their place.

79. Sheet of Twenties. No. 1. L.—St.—J.—H.

359

I do not approve of this arrangement; for the sheet cuts into five slips, four of which are insets—otherwise they must have five different signatures.

80. Sheet of Twenties. No. 2

360

After the offcut is separated, the first and second folds of the remainder are the same as a duodecimo.

81. Sheet of Twenties. No. 3

360

After the offcut is separated, the first and second folds of the remainder are the same as a Quarto. I have placed the first signature of the offcut in the inner form, for the reason assigned in No. 23.

This and the preceding arrangement are preferable to No. 1, as there is only one offcut in each, which is inserted in the middle when folded; the other pages are imposed as a sheet of sixteens.

82. Sheet of Twenties, with two Signatures. 32 pages and 8

361

83. Sheet of Twenties, with two Signatures. 24 pages and 16

361

84. Two Half Sheets of Twenties, worked together

362

85. Half a Sheet of Twenties

362

86. Half a Sheet of Twenties, with two Signatures. 16 pages and 4 J.

362

87. Half a Sheet of Twenties, with two Signatures. 12 pages and 8

363

88. Two Half Sheets of Twenty-fours, worked together

363

What Stower calls Twenty-fours are longer and narrower than what he calls Long Twenty-fours: I have reversed the terms, and called his Twenty-fours, Long Twenty-fours, and vice versâ.

89. Half a Sheet of Twenty-fours. No. 1

364

90. Half a Sheet of Twenty-fours. No. 2. Sm.—St.—J.—H.

364

These four writers term this arrangement of the pages, ‘the Sixteen-way.’

The difference between No. 1. and No. 2. is, that, when the inset is taken off, the first fold of No. 1. is in the head; and that of No. 2. is in the back, as a sheet of octavo.

91. Half a Sheet of Twenty-fours, to fold without cutting. L.—S.

365

92. Half a Sheet of Twenty-fours, with two Signatures. 20 pages and 4

365

93. Half a Sheet of Twenty-fours, with two Signatures. 16 pages and 8. L.—St.—J.—H.

366

94. Half a Sheet of Twenty-fours, with three Signatures. 8 pages each

366

95. Quarter of a Sheet of Twenty-fours. H.

366

When the white paper is worked off, transpose the four middle pages; put 5 in the place of 7,—6 in the place of 8,—7 in the place of 5,—and 8 in the place of 6.

96. Two Half Sheets of Twenty-fours, worked together. Hebrew

367

97. Half a Sheet of Twenty-fours. Hebrew. No. 1

368

98. Half a Sheet of Twenty-fours. Hebrew. No. 2

368

99. Two Half Sheets of Long Twenty-fours, worked together. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

369

Luckombe has transposed the pages of this table in his work. I have put the first page of the second signature in the inner form, which causes it to rise better in collating and folding: Stower has it in the outer.

100. Half a Sheet of Long Twenty-fours. No. 1

369

101. Half a Sheet of Long Twenty-fours. No. 2. L.—St.—J.—H.

370

102. Half a Sheet of Long Twenty-fours, to fold without cutting. L.—St.—J.—H.

370

103. Half a Sheet of Long Twenty-fours, with two Signatures. 20 pages and 4

370

104. Half a Sheet of Long Twenty-fours, with two Signatures. 16 pages and 8. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

371

Luckombe has placed the foot of each page where the head should be, in the range commencing with page 1.

105. Two Half Sheets of Long Twenty-fours, worked together. Hebrew

371

106. Half a Sheet of Long Twenty-fours. Hebrew. No. 1

372

107. Half a Sheet of Long Twenty-fours. Hebrew. No. 2

372

108. Half a Sheet of Long Twenty-fours, with two Signatures. 20 pages and 4. Hebrew

372

109. Half a Sheet of Long Twenty-fours, with two Signatures. 16 pages and 8. Hebrew

373

110. Two Half Sheets of Square Twenty-fours, worked together

373

111. Half a Sheet of Square Twenty-fours. L.—St.—J.

374

112. Sheet of Thirty-twos. No. 1

374

113. Sheet of Thirty-twos. No. 2. L.—St.—J.—H.

375

In my opinion No. 1. is a more preferable method of imposing a sheet of 32mo. than No. 2.; as the sheet in the first instance folds into the regular folio, then into quarto, octavo, square sixteens, and thirty-twos; whereas No. 2. folds into long folio, quarto, long octavo, &c.

Both of them would be inconvenient, except for children’s books, tracts, and other temporary articles; as sixty-four pages in one signature would be too many to fold neatly for book work, for such purpose I should prefer four signatures in the sheet, each of which would be equal to a sheet of octavo.

114. Two Half Sheets of Thirty-twos, worked together

376

115. Sheet of Thirty-twos, with two Signatures. 48 pages and 16

377

The sheet in the first instance cuts up in the regular fold; the half sheet with signature B in it, folds into quarto, octavo, square sixteens, and thirty-twos; the other half sheet cuts up lengthways into two equal parts, containing sixteen pages each, one of which is an inset for signature B, the other forms signature C.

116. Sheet of Thirty-twos, with two Signatures. 40 pages and 24

378

The sheet cuts up in the regular fold, and the half sheet folds as No. 115.; the other half sheet cuts in two lengthways, one of which contains sixteen pages of signature C; the other sixteen pages cut in two, eight pages of which are an inset for signature B, the other eight are an inset for signature C.

117. Sheet of Thirty-twos, with four Signatures. 16 pages in each. Sm.—St.—J.—H.

379

I have arranged the signatures of this sheet differently from the preceding writers. They have the two first signatures on different half sheets: I have placed them on the same half sheet, and the third and fourth signatures on the other half sheet, so as to cause them to rise in a regular way.

This sheet is equal to four sheets of octavo; two of which are imposed on each side of the long crosses in a pair of chases: eight pages of the first signature, the same as the outer form of a sheet of octavo, are laid down in the left hand quarter of a chase, the other eight pages, similar to the inner form of a sheet of octavo, are laid down in the right hand quarter of the other chase; the fourth signature is imposed in the two other quarters, which will lie together as the chases are upon the imposing stone; the second and third signatures are imposed in a similar manner on the other sides of the long crosses.

118. Half a sheet of Thirty-twos. L.—St.—J.—H.

380

119. Half a Sheet of Thirty-twos, with two Signatures. 24 pages and 8

380

120. Half a Sheet of Thirty-twos, with two Signatures. 20 pages and 12

380

121. Half a Sheet of Thirty-twos, with four Signatures. 16 pages, 8 pages, 4 pages, and 4 pages. J.—H.

381

122. Two Quarter Sheets of Thirty-twos, worked together. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

381

123. Sheet of Thirty-sixes, with three Signatures

382

This sheet perfects the same as a twelves. It cuts into three equal parts across the sheet, each portion of which contains all the pages in the signature.

124. Sheet of Thirty-sixes, with six Signatures

383

This sheet cuts up into portions of eight pages and four pages each, the four pages forming an inset; so as to make each signature equal to a half sheet of twelves.

125. Sheet of Thirty-sixes, with two Signatures. 60 pages and 12

384

126. Two Half Sheets of Thirty-sixes, worked together

385

127. Half a Sheet of Thirty-sixes. L.—St.—J.—H.

386

128. Half a sheet of Thirty-sixes, to fold without cutting. L.—St.—J.—H.

386

129. Half a Sheet of Thirty-sixes, with three Signatures

387

This form perfects as an octavo. It folds as three half sheets of twelves.

130. Half a Sheet of Thirty-sixes, with two Signatures. 24 pages and 12. Sm.—St.—J.—H.

387

This form perfects as an octavo. The three last writers, in their works on printing, have made the middle twelve pages perfect foot to foot, so that they will be cut out at the head, and fold at the foot; I have reversed them, to cause them to be cut out at the foot, and fold at the head.

131. Two Quarter Sheets of Thirty-sixes, worked together

388

When the white paper is worked off, transpose the four pages, 11, 8, and 7, 12, in signature B, and 29, 26, and 25, 30, in signature C, in the manner directed in No. 67. (half sheet of eighteens), for each of these quarter sheets is similar in arrangement to that form.

132. Half a Sheet of Forties. No. 1. L.—St.—J.—H.

388

The sheet cuts up into five slips of one page in depth, four of which are insets; it appears to me an inconvenient method, which I have endeavoured to improve in the next article. It perfects as an octavo.

133. Half a Sheet of Forties. No. 2

389

In this arrangement the paper folds in the regular way, first into folio, then into quarto, octavo, sixteens, and thirty-twos, with one inset of eight pages. In my opinion it is preferable to the preceding method. It perfects as an octavo.

134. Half a Sheet of Forties, with two Signatures. 32 pages and 8

389

The arrangement of the 32 pages is the same as for half a sheet of thirty-twos, in No. 118. The 8 pages of signature C form the offcut.

135. Half a Sheet of Forties, with two Signatures. 24 pages and 16

390

136. Half a sheet of Forties, with three Signatures. 16 pages, 16 pages, and 8

390

137. Two Quarter Sheets of Forties, worked together

391

138. Half a Sheet of Forty-eights, with three Signatures. Sm.—St.—J.—H.

391

These writers have placed the first signatures on the different half sheets; I have placed them on the same half sheet. It is similar in the arrangement of the pages to three sheets of octavo, and perfects the same as a form of twelves.

139. Quarter of a Sheet of Forty-eights. L.—St.—J.—H.

392

The same arrangement of the pages as a sheet of twelves, and perfects as such.

140. Quarter of a Sheet of Forty-eights, to fold without cutting. L.—St.—J.—H.

392

It is the same as a sheet of twelves without cutting.

141. Two Quarter Sheets of Forty-eights, worked together. No. 1

392

These are equal to two sheets of twelves, and are arranged on each side of the short cross, and perfect as a twelves.

142. Two Quarter Sheets of Forty-eights, worked together. No. 2. L.—St.—J.—H.

393

These two quarter sheets are arranged on each side of the long cross, and perfect as an octavo.

143. Quarter of a Sheet of Forty-eights, with two Signatures. 16 pages and 8. L.—St.—J.—H.

393

Stower imposes this form in three slips, and makes one of them an inset; and the slip with the first signature, has the heads of the pages to the raw edge of the paper: I have arranged the 16 pages as a sheet of octavo, and the 8 pages of signature C form the offcut.

144. Half a Sheet of Sixty-fours

394

However much I disapprove of the arrangement of the pages in many of the Tables of Imposition in Luckombe’s and Stower’s works, on account of the uncustomary and inconvenient manner of the paper folding, yet I have given all that are in their books thus far, for the reason I stated in page 328; but when we come to sixty-fours, a size that is seldom printed, I think it is unnecessary to give more than one mode, and I omit the one that has been usually given, and insert in its place what I conceive to be an improvement. The old plan folded into folio, long quarto, octavo, long sixteens, &c.; the plan here inserted folds into folio, quarto, octavo, sixteens, &c. in the customary way. If any printer choose to adopt the other plan, he will find it in Luckombe, Stower, Johnson, and Hansard.

145. Two Quarter Sheets of Sixty-fours, worked together

394

146. Quarter of a Sheet of Sixty-fours. L.—St.—J.—H.

395

The pages of this form are laid down in the same order as half a sheet of thirty-twos, No. 118.

147. Quarter of a Sheet of Sixty-fours, with two Signatures. 16 pages in each. L.—St.—J.—H.

395

The pages of this form are laid down in the same order as two quarter sheets of thirty-twos, worked together, No. 122.

148. Quarter of a Sheet of Sixty-fours, with two Signatures. 24 pages and 8

395

The pages of this form are laid down in the same order as half a sheet of thirty-twos, with two signatures. 24 pages and 8, No. 119.

149. Half a Sheet of Seventy-twos, with three Signatures. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

396

I have varied from the old plan of imposing half a sheet of seventy-twos, nor did I think it of consequence to crowd the book unnecessarily with giving what I consider inferior modes of imposing in sizes that rarely occur. This form has been usually given to cut up into three slips the longest way of the paper; I have given it in the manner, that when perfected, it will cut up into six portions, with the pages of each the same as a sheet of twelves. It perfects as a twelves.

150. Half a Sheet of Seventy-twos, with six Signatures

397

This sheet when perfected cuts up into twelve portions, each of which is similar in the arrangement of the pages to half a sheet of twelves.

The fragments of No. 149. will be imposed in the same order as those of a sheet of twelves; and those of 150, in the same order as those of half a sheet of twelves.

151. Half a Sheet of Ninety-sixes, with four Signatures

398

When perfected it cuts up into eight portions, each of which is similar to a sheet of twelves. It perfects as a twelves.

152. Half a Sheet of Ninety-sixes, with six Signatures. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

399

I have placed the first signatures on the same half sheet; the preceding writers scattered them on both. It is laid down as six sheets of octavo, and perfects as an octavo.

153. Half a Sheet of One Hundred and Twenty-eights. Sm.—L.—St.—J.—H.

400

It is laid down as eight sheets of octavo, and perfects as an octavo.

Layout for Title Deeds


IMPRESSION SHEET

A sheet of stout even paper, that fits exactly, without any play, the inside of the outer tympan: this sheet is used in fine work to place the overlays upon next to the parchment, and when a sheet of any work is thus made ready at a press, the succeeding sheets of the same work, at the same press, are made ready much more expeditiously, than if all the overlays have to be placed for each sheet on the tympan sheet.—See Making ready.

Public domain (Project Gutenberg, pre-1930 text)


IMPRINT

The name and place of residence of the printer, put to all printed articles, under the Act of Parliament of 39 George 3. c. 79., with certain exemptions.

By the Act of the 39th George 3. c. 79., intituled An Act for the more effectual Suppression of Societies established for seditious and treasonable Purposes, and for the better preventing treasonable and seditious Practices, s. 27. it is enacted, “That, from and after the Expiration of forty Days after the passing of this Act, every Person who shall print any Paper or Book whatsoever, which shall be meant or intended to be published or dispersed, whether the same shall be sold or given away, shall print upon the Front of every such Paper, if the same shall be printed on one Side only, and upon the first and last Leaves of every Paper or Book which shall consist of more than one Leaf, in legible Characters, his, or her Name, and the Name of the City, Town, Parish, or Place, and also the Name (if any) of the Square, Street, Lane, Court, or Place, in which his or her Dwelling House or usual Place of Abode shall be; and every Person who shall omit so to print his Name and Place of Abode on every such Paper or Book printed by him, and also every Person who shall publish or disperse, or assist in publishing or dispersing, either gratis or for Money, any printed Paper or Book, which shall have been printed after the Expiration of forty Days from the passing of this Act, and on which the Name and Place of Abode of the Person printing the same shall not be printed as aforesaid, shall, for every Copy of such Paper so published or dispersed by him, forfeit and pay the Sum of twenty Pounds.

s. 28. “And be it further enacted, That nothing in this Act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any Papers printed by the Authority and for the Use of either House of Parliament.”

s. 31. “Provided always, That nothing herein contained shall extend to the Impression of any Engraving, or to the printing by Letter Press, of the Name, or the Name and Address, or Business or Profession, of any Person, and the Articles in which he deals, or to any Papers for the Sale of Estates or Goods by Auction, or otherwise.”

s. 34. “Provided always, That no Person shall be prosecuted or sued for any Penalty imposed by this Act, unless such Prosecution shall be commenced, or such Action shall be brought, within three Calendar Months next after such Penalty shall have been incurred.”

39 & 40 George 3. c. 95. “An Act to indemnify all Persons who have printed, published, or dispersed, or who shall publish or disperse, any Papers printed under the Authority of the Commissioners or Head Officers of any Publick Boards, from all Penalties incurred by reason of the Name and Place of Abode of the Printer of such Papers not being printed thereon.”

Persons who have printed any Papers under the Authority of Commissioners of Publick Boards, or who have published them, or shall hereafter publish any Paper so printed before the passing of this Act, shall be indemnified from any Penalties incurred by reason of any Offence against the Act of the 39th of George 3. c. 79., intituled, An Act for the more effectual Suppression of Societies established for seditious and treasonable Purposes, and for the better preventing treasonable and seditious Practices.

The Act of the 41st George 3. c. 80., is, “An Act to indemnify all Persons who have printed, published, or dispersed, or who shall publish or disperse, any Papers printed under the Authority of any Head Officer of State, or of Publick Boards, or other Publick Authorities, from all Penalties incurred by reason of the Name and Place of Abode of the Printer of such Papers not being printed thereon.”

Persons who have printed any Papers under the Authority of the Head Officers of any of the principal Offices of State, or of any Board of Revenue, &c., or who have published them, or shall hereafter disperse any Paper so printed before the passing of this Act, shall be indemnified from any Penalties incurred by reason of any Offence against the recited Act; viz. the 39th of George 3. c. 79.

42 George 3. c. 23.—Annual Indemnity Act, s. 9. “And whereas, in an Act passed in the Thirty-ninth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled An Act for the more effectual Suppression of Societies established for seditious and treasonable Purposes; and for better preventing treasonable and seditious Practices, certain Provisions are contained to restrain the printing or publishing of any Papers or Books whatsoever, which should be meant or intended to be published or dispersed, without the Name and Place of Abode of the Printer thereof being printed thereon, with a certain Penalty on the Person printing, publishing, or dispersing, or assisting in publishing or dispersing the same contrary to the said Act: And whereas divers Papers being, or purporting to be Pleadings, Rules, Orders, Process, or other Proceedings in Courts of Law or Equity, or to be Parts of such Pleadings, Rules, Orders, Process, or other Proceedings, or to be Copies of the same, or of Parts thereof respectively, have, through Inadvertency and Mistake, and on the Supposition that such Papers were not within the Provisions of the said Act, been printed without the Name and Place of Abode of the Person printing the same being printed thereon as required by the said Act; be it further enacted, That every Person who shall, before the passing of this Act, have printed any Paper being, or purporting to be, any Pleading, Rule, Order, or any Process, or other Proceeding of or in any Court of Law or Equity, or to be any Part of such Pleading, Rule, Order, Process, or other Proceeding, or to be a Copy of the same, or of any Part thereof respectively, or shall have published or dispersed, or shall have assisted in publishing or dispersing, or shall hereafter publish or disperse, or assist in publishing or dispersing any such Paper as aforesaid, which shall have been printed before the passing of this Act, shall be, and is hereby declared to be freed and discharged of and from all Suits, Informations, Prosecutions, Judgements, Fines, Imprisonments, Pains, and Penalties whatsoever, commenced, prosecuted, adjudged, or incurred, or which may be commenced, prosecuted, adjudged, or incurred, for or by reason of any Offence alledged to have been committed against the said recited Act, by occasion of such printing, publishing, or dispersing, or assisting in publishing or dispersing any such Paper as aforesaid, as fully, freely, and effectually, as if the same had been printed according to the Provisions of the said Act.”

49 George 3. c. 69., intituled “An Act to indemnify Persons who have inadvertently printed, published, or dispersed Papers or Books without a full Description of the Place of Abode of the Printers thereof, from Penalties incurred under an Act of the Thirty-ninth Year of His Majesty’s Reign.”

s. 1. All Persons having printed Papers or Books with the Name of the Street of their Abode (omitting the Name of the Town or City) indemnified against Penalties under recited Act.

s. 2. Not to affect Convictions or Judgments had before the passing of this Act.

51 George 3. c. 65., intituled “An Act to explain and amend an Act, passed in the Thirty-ninth Year of His Majesty’s Reign, intituled An Act for the more effectual Suppression of Societies established for seditious and treasonable Purposes, and for better preventing treasonable and seditious Practices; so far as respects certain Penalties on Printers and Publishers.”

s. 1. “Whereas an Act was passed in the Thirty-ninth Year of His present Majesty’s Reign, intituled An Act for the more effectual Suppression of Societies established for seditious and treasonable Purposes, and for better preventing treasonable and seditious Practices: And whereas, in and by the Twenty-seventh and Thirty-fifth Sections of the said Act, certain Provisions were made, that every Person who should print any Paper or Book, or publish or disperse, or assist in publishing or dispersing, any printed Paper or Book, without the Name and Place of Abode of the Printer being printed on such Paper or Book, in such Manner as by the said Act is specified, should forfeit and pay the Sum of Twenty Pounds for every Copy of such Paper so published or dispersed by him; to be recovered before any Justice or Justices of the Peace for the County, Stewartry, Riding, City, Town, or Place in which such Penalty should be incurred: Add whereas there is not in the said Act any Provision authorising such Justice or Justices to mitigate the Penalties thereby incurred, or enabling the Party to appeal from any Conviction by or Judgement of such Justice or Justices: And whereas divers Books and Papers have since been printed by several Persons, who, through Inadvertency or Mistake, have neglected to comply with the Provisions of the said Act, and such Persons have thereby become liable to be sued and prosecuted for Penalties to a vast Amount, although such Books and Papers were not of an evil or seditious Tendency: And whereas it is expedient to limit the Amount of Penalties imposed by the said Act; and to enable Magistrates to mitigate the Penalties in such Cases as shall appear to them expedient; and also to give the Party, who may be aggrieved by a Conviction under such Act, a Power of appealing from the same; be it therefore enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That nothing in the Twenty-seventh Section of the said Act contained shall extend to make any Person or Persons offending against the same, liable to more than Twenty-five Forfeitures or Penalties for printing or publishing or dispersing, or assisting in publishing or dispersing, any Number of Copies of one and the same Paper or Book, contrary to the said Section of the said Act.

s. 2. “And be it further enacted, That if any Justice or other Magistrate before whom any Person shall be convicted of any Offence or Offences against the Provisions of the before-mentioned Act shall see Cause to mitigate such Penalty or Penalties, it shall be lawful for such Justice or other Magistrate to mitigate or lessen the same to any Sum not less than Five Pounds, over and above all reasonable Costs and Charges expended or incurred in the Prosecution.

s. 3. “And whereas Doubts have arisen whether the Provisions contained in the said Act may not be considered as extending to Notes and Post Bills of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, and to Bills of Exchange, Promissory Notes, Bonds, and other Securities for Payment of Money, Bills of Lading, Policies of Insurance, Letters of Attorney, Transfers or Assignments of Public Stocks, Funds, and other Securities, and to Dividend Warrants, Receipts for Money or Goods, Deeds or other Instruments, Proceedings in the Courts of Law and Equity, and other Inferior Courts, Warrants, Orders, and other Papers, printed by the Authority of any Public Board or Public Officer in the Execution of the Duties of their respective Offices, many of which Securities, Instruments, Proceedings and other Matters aforesaid, are usually wholly or in Part printed; be it therefore hereby declared and enacted, That nothing in the said recited Act or in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to require the Name and Residence of the Printer to be printed upon any such Bank Note, Bank Post Bill, Bill of Exchange, or Promissory Note, or upon any Bond or other Security for Payment of Money, or upon any Bill of Lading, Policy of Insurance, Letter of Attorney, Deed or Agreement, or upon any Transfer or Assignment of any Public Stocks, Funds, or other Securities, or upon any Transfer or Assignment of the Stocks of any Public Corporation or Company, authorized or sanctioned by Act of Parliament, or upon any Dividend Warrant of or for any such Public or other Stocks, Funds, or Securities, or upon any Receipt for Money or Goods, or upon any Proceeding in any Court of Law or Equity, or in any Inferior Court, Warrant, Order, or other Papers printed by the Authority of any Public Board or Public Officer in the Execution of the Duties of their respective Offices, notwithstanding the Whole or any Part of the said several Securities, Instruments, Proceedings, Matters, and Things aforesaid, shall have been or shall be printed, any Thing herein or in the said recited Act contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.

s. 4. “And be it further enacted, That if any Person or Persons shall think himself, herself, or themselves aggrieved by any Conviction, Judgement, or Determination, of any Justice or Justices, relating to any Matter or Thing in the before-mentioned Act contained; then and in that Case he, she, or they may appeal to the Justices of the Peace at the General Quarter Sessions to be holden in and for the County, City, or Place, where such Conviction, Judgement, or Determination shall have been made, next after the Expiration of Twenty Days from the making thereof, first giving Six Days Notice of such Appeal to the Person or Persons prosecuting for such Penalty or Penalties; and the said Justices shall hear and determine the said Appeal at such General Quarter Sessions, or, if they think proper, adjourn the Hearing thereof until the next General Quarter Sessions to be holden for such County, Town, or Place; and the said Justices may, in like Manner, if they see cause, mitigate any Penalty or Penalties, and may order any Money to be returned which shall have been paid or levied under any Conviction as aforesaid, and may also order and award such Costs to be paid by either Party to the other, as they shall think and judge reasonable.

s. 5. “And be it further enacted, that this Act shall take Effect from the First Day of March One thousand eight hundred and eleven.”

2 Vict. c. 12. “An Act to amend an Act of the Thirty-ninth Year of King George the Third, for the more effectual Suppression of Societies established for seditious and treasonable Purposes, and for preventing treasonable and seditious Practices, and to put an End to certain Proceedings now pending under the said Act.

s. 1. “Whereas in an Act passed in the Thirty-ninth Year of the Reign of King George the Third, intituled An Act for the more effectual Suppression of Societies established for seditious and treasonable Purposes, and for the better preventing treasonable and seditious Practices, certain Provisions are contained to restrain the printing or publishing of any Papers or Books whatsoever which should be meant or intended to be published or dispersed without the Name and Place of Abode of the Printer thereof being printed thereon in the Manner in the said Act specified: And whereas the said Provisions have given Occasion to many vexatious Proceedings at the Instance of common Informers, and it is expedient to discourage the same: Be it therefore enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That so much of the said Act as enacts that every Person who, after the Expiration of Forty Days after the passing of the said Act, shall print any Paper or Book whatsoever which shall be meant or intended to be published or dispersed, whether the same shall be sold or given away, shall print upon the Front of every such Paper, if the same shall be printed on one Side only, and upon the first and last leaves of every Paper or Book which shall consist of more than One Leaf, in legible Characters, his or her Name, and the Name of the City, Town, Parish, or Place, and also the Name (if any) of the Square, Street, Lane, Court, or Place, in which his or her Dwelling House, or usual Place of Abode shall be, and that every Person who shall omit so to print his Name and Place of Abode on every such Paper or Book printed by him, and also every Person who shall publish or disperse, or assist in publishing or dispersing, either gratis or for Money, any printed Paper or Book which shall have been printed after the Expiration of Forty Days from the passing of the said Act, and on which the Name and Place of Abode of the Person printing the same shall not be printed as aforesaid, shall for every Copy of such Paper so published or dispersed by him, forfeit and pay the Sum of Twenty Pounds, shall be and the same is hereby repealed.

s. 2. “And be it enacted, That every Person who after the passing of this Act shall print any Paper or Book whatsoever, which shall be meant to be published or dispersed, and who shall not print upon the Front of every such Paper, if the same shall be printed on One Side only, or upon the first or last Leaf of every Paper or Book which shall consist of more than One Leaf, in legible Characters, his or her Name and usual Place of Abode or Business, and every Person who shall publish or disperse, or assist in publishing or dispersing, any printed Paper or Book on which the Name and Place of Abode of the Person printing the same shall not be printed as aforesaid, shall for every Copy of such Paper so printed by him or her forfeit a Sum not more than Five Pounds: Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to impose any Penalty upon any Person for printing any Paper excepted out of the Operation of the said Act, either in the said Act or by any Act made for the Amendment thereof.

s. 3. “And be it enacted, That in the Case of Books or Papers printed at the University Press of Oxford, or the Pitt Press of Cambridge, the Printer, instead of printing his Name thereon, shall print the following Words: ‘Printed at the University Press, Oxford,’ or ‘The Pitt Press, Cambridge,’ as the Case may be.

s. 4. “Provided always, and be it enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any Person or Persons whatsoever to commence, prosecute, enter, or file, or cause or procure to be commenced, prosecuted, entered, or filed, any Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information in any of Her Majesty’s Courts, or before any Justice or Justices of the Peace, against any Person or Persons, for the Recovery of any Fine, Penalty, or Forfeiture made or incurred, or which may hereafter be incurred under the Provisions of this Act, unless the same be commenced, prosecuted, entered, or filed in the Name of Her Majesty’s Attorney General or Solicitor General in that Part of Great Britain called England, or Her Majesty’s Advocate for Scotland (as the Case may be respectively); and if any Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall be commenced, prosecuted, entered, or filed in the Name or Names of any other Person or Persons than is or are in that Behalf before mentioned, the same, and every Proceeding thereupon had, are hereby declared and the same shall be null and void to all Intents and Purposes.

s. 5. “And be it enacted, That immediately after the passing of this Act it shall be lawful for any Person against whom any original Writ, Suit, Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall have been sued out, commenced, or prosecuted, on or before the Day of the passing of this Act, for the Recovery of any pecuniary Penalty or Penalties incurred under the said recited Act, to apply to the Court in which such original Writ, Suit, Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall have been sued out, commenced, or prosecuted, if such Court shall be sitting, or, if such Court shall not be sitting, to any Judge of either of the superior Courts at Westminster, or to any Justice of the Peace before whom any such Plaint or Information shall be pending, or any Conviction shall have been had or obtained, or to any other Justice of the Peace acting for the same County, Riding, Division, City, Borough, or Place, as the Justice of the Peace before whom such Plaint or Information shall be pending or such Conviction shall have been had or obtained, for an Order that such Writ, Suit, Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall be discontinued, or such Conviction be quashed, upon Payment of the Costs thereof out of Pocket incurred to the Time of such Application being made, such Costs to be taxed according to the Practice of such Court, or in case of any Proceeding before a Justice, to be taxed and ascertained by such Justice; and every such Court or Judge, or Justice of the Peace, as the Case may be, is hereby authorized and required, upon such Application, and Proof that sufficient Notice has been given to the Plaintiff or Informer, or to his Attorney, of the Application, to make such Order as aforesaid; and upon the making such Order, and Payment or Tender of such Costs as aforesaid, such Writ, Suit, Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall be forthwith discontinued, or such Conviction shall be quashed, as the Case may be: Provided always, that in all Cases in which any such Writ, Suit, Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall have been sued out or commenced subsequently to the Sixteenth Day of April One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine, it shall be lawful for such Court, Judge, or Justice as aforesaid to make such Order for discontinuing the same, or quashing any Conviction had thereon, without Payment of any Costs, and in every such Case, on the making of such Order, such Writ, Suit, Action, Bill, Plaint, or Information shall be forthwith discontinued, or such Conviction shall be forthwith quashed, as the Case may be: Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall be deemed or taken to enable any Person to recover back any Money paid before the passing of this Act, in pursuance of any Judgment or Conviction duly obtained under the Provisions of the said recited Act.

s. 6. “And be it enacted, That the said Act, and all Acts made for the Amendment thereof, except so far as herein repealed or altered, shall be construed as One Act together with this Act.

s. 7. “And be it enacted, That this Act may be amended or repealed by any Act to be passed in this present Session of Parliament.”

Exemptions.—Articles exempted from penalty for not having the Printer’s Name and Address.

By 39 Geo. 3. c. 79. s. 28.

Any Papers printed by the Authority and for the Use of either House of Parliament.

s. 31. The Impressions of any Engraving.

The printing by Letter Press of the Name, or the Name and Address, or Business or Profession of any Person, and the Articles in which he deals.

Any Papers for the Sale of Estates or Goods by Auction, or otherwise.

39 & 40 Geo. 3. c. 95.—Act of Indemnity.

Any Papers printed under the Authority of Commissioners of Public Boards, and printed before the passing of this Act.

41 Geo. 3. c. 80.—Act of Indemnity.

Any Papers printed under the Authority of the Head Officers of any of the principal Offices of State, or of any Board of Revenue, &c. and printed before the passing of this Act.

42 Geo. 3. c. 23.—Annual Act of Indemnity.

Any Paper being, or purporting to be, any Pleading, Rule, Order, or any Process, or other Proceeding of or in any Court of Law or Equity, or to be any Part of such Pleading, &c., or to be a Copy of the same, or of any Part thereof, which shall have been printed before the passing of this Act.

49 Geo. 3. c. 69.—Act of Indemnity.

51 Geo. 3. c. 65. s. 3.

Any Bank Note, Bank Post Bill, Bill of Exchange, or Promissory Note;

Bond or other Security for Payment of Money;

Bill of Lading;

Policy of Insurance;

Letter of Attorney;

Deed or Agreement;

Transfer or Assignment of any Public Stocks, Funds, or other Securities;

Transfer or Assignment of the Stocks of any Public Corporation or Company, authorized or sanctioned by Act of Parliament;

Dividend Warrants of or for any such Public or other Stocks, Funds, or Securities;

Receipt for Money or Goods;

Proceeding in any Court of Law or Equity, or in any Inferior Court;

Warrant, Order, or other Papers printed by the Authority of any Public Board or Public Officer in the Execution of the Duties of their respective Offices;

2 Vict. c. 12. s. 4. All Informations and Actions for Penalties, &c. to be filed, &c. in the Name of Her Majesty’s Attorney or Solicitor General.

Imprisonment for Debt. See Debt.


IMPRINT

The name of the printer or of the publisher appended to jobs or title-pages.

The American Printer: A Manual of Typography


INDENTURES

5 Geo. 3. c. 46. s. 19. “And be it further declared and enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all printed Indentures, Covenants, Articles, or Contracts, for binding Clerks or Apprentices in Great Britain, after the said fifth Day of July, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-five, shall have the following Notice or Memorandum printed under the same; videlicet,

“‘The Indenture, Covenant, Article, or Contract, must bear Date the Day it is executed; and what Money or other Thing is given or contracted for with the Clerk or Apprentice, must be inserted in Words at length; and the Duty paid to the Stamp Office, if in London, or within the Weekly Bills of Mortality, within one Month after the Execution, and if in the Country, and out of the said Bills of Mortality, within two Months, to a Distributor of the Stamps, or his Substitute; otherwise the Indenture will be void, the Master or Mistress forfeit fifty Pounds, and another Penalty, and the Apprentice be disabled to follow his Trade, or be made free.’

“And if any Printer, Stationer, or other Person or Persons, shall sell, or cause to be sold, any such Indenture, Covenant, Article, or Contract, without such Notice or Memorandum being printed under the same; then, and in every such Case, such Printer, Stationer, or other Person or Persons, shall, for every such Offence, forfeit the Sum of ten Pounds.”


INDEX,

or Hand ☞ points out a remarkable passage, or something that requires particular attention.—Murray.   INDIA PAPER

or Hand ☞ points out a remarkable passage, or something that requires particular attention.—Murray.


INDIA PAPER

This paper, which comes to us from China, is decidedly superior to any other paper for obtaining fine impressions from engravings. That which is used as the linings of tea chests is equal in quality to any, although some of it is coarse, and many persons object to the colour; a thicker and whiter sort comes over as wrappers for silk; both these sorts are injured by having been used as packages, but out of them good pieces may be selected, sufficiently large for octavo pages, and frequently for quarto. A perfect paper of a large size is imported in chests of two thousand sheets each. A sheet measures four feet three inches and one tenth in length, and two feet one inch and one tenth in width. This paper varies very much in quality, so that circumspection should be used in making a purchase.

All India paper contains particles of hard matter, like minute portions of stone, small pieces of the hard stalks of some vegetable, and lumps of the material from which it is made. Previously to its being printed on, the whole of it ought to be carefully examined, and these extraneous matters removed with a sharp knife, otherwise they will injure the surface of the engraving.

There is a smooth side and a rough side in white India paper, called by printers the right side and the wrong side: this India paper has the appearance of having been formed on a smooth surface of metal or stone, by being laid on with a brush, the rough side having the semblance of paint applied by an unskilful hand, exhibiting all the marks of the brush in irregular directions; the other side being flat and smooth. The smooth side is always used for the impression.

In all cases the best way of damping India paper is to put it, in separate pieces, into a heap of paper that is in a proper condition for printing, where after lying a few minutes it will be sufficiently damp for use. See Paper.


India proofs

strictly first proofs only of an illustration pulled on “India paper,” but used indiscriminately for all illustrations printed on India paper.


Inferior letters

Small letters cast near the bottom of the line.


INK

Printing Ink is a composition formed of two articles, namely, varnish and colouring matter.

The Rev. William Beloe, treating of early printed books in his Anecdotes of Literature, &c., says,—“It must have been immediately obvious that common writing ink, from its want of substance and viscosity, could by no means answer the purpose. But it must excite surprise, and indeed admiration, to perceive how soon the greatest perfection was attained in this particular. So very soon indeed, and so effectually, that very nearly at the same period books were printed at Mentz, at Rome, and at Venice, which may almost defy the competition of succeeding artists.—The Psalter of Fust and Guttenburg, at Mentz, the Lactantius of Sweynheym and Pannartz, at the Subiaco Monastery, and the Pliny of Jenson, at Venice, may be adduced as specimens of extraordinary beauty, with regard to the quality of the ink; not perhaps surpassed, or, if at all, in a very small degree, by the productions of Bodoni at Parma, or the most perfect examples of the London Presses. It is observable that this excellence of the ink is particularly apparent in all the early books printed upon vellum, and in Germany.”

This is strictly true, for the ink has, after a lapse of four hundred years, preserved its beautiful blackness, as I have myself witnessed, particularly in the large Bible printed by Faust and Schœffer, and generally known as the Mentz Bible without Date; but in the seventeenth century the quality had materially retrograded, and it was not till the latter part of the eighteenth century that it began to recover its character, when two or three of our most celebrated printers set about improving the ink of commerce for some very expensive splendid works, but the ingredients which they used they kept a profound secret.

As I believe that I am the only person who has written a practical work on the subject, I will give an extract from the preface of my work on Printing Ink, which will show the state in which this article was at that time.

“The process of making printing ink has never yet been treated of fully by any practical man, either printer or manufacturer, so that this work will come before the public on a subject as new as it is important.

“This assertion may perhaps appear to require some modification, as the following pages will present to the reader many receipts for making printing ink, by preceding authors; but when it is known that this subject is only treated of incidentally by some, and that others of them were not professionally printers, and therefore could scarcely be expected to know what was the desideratum, much less to attain it, we shall have little cause to wonder that all have failed. That they have failed, admits of no question: a long experience in the art of printing in all its branches enables and obliges me to say, that ink made from any one of these receipts could not be used in any printing office in the metropolis.

“Moxon, who wrote the first practical work on printing, gives a detailed method of preparing printing ink after the Dutch manner, which he highly praises; yet this ink would be deemed worthless at present, and although as good as the succeeding ones, he is never quoted on this subject; yet when types are treated of, his name appears in every subsequent work on printing. I believe few printers know his book, the title of which is, “Mechanick Exercises: or, the Doctrine of Handy-works. Applied to the Art of Printing. By Joseph Moxon, Member of the Royal Society, and Hydrographer to the King’s Most Excellent Majesty.” 2 vols. 4to. 1677, and which has served as the foundation of subsequent works on printing.

“M. le Breton, printer to the King of France, is the next author on this subject. He wrote the article on Printing in the French Encyclopédie, of which the method of making printing ink forms a part. He is continually quoted by succeeding writers, yet his ink would not rank higher than Moxon’s in a printing office.

“J. B. Papillon, a celebrated French engraver on wood, published a treatise on that subject, in which he gave a detailed account of making printing ink, which would not be in greater estimation than Moxon’s and Breton’s.

“Lewis, in his Philosophical Commerce of Arts, relates the results of many experiments on boiling oil, which are of little practical use, and gives the process of making ink from Breton.

“Nicholson, in his Dictionary of Chemistry, gives some passages which purport nothing, and then proceeds to a loose description of the process from Lewis.

“The Messrs. Aikin, in their Dictionary of Chemistry, give a short vague article on the subject, quoting Lewis as their authority.

“Rees’s Cyclopædia contains an article on the subject from Lewis.

“The Printer’s Manual, a French work, published in 1817, gives an account of the process, founded on Breton’s formula.

“The Encyclopædia Britannica is the only work to my knowledge which has broken through the trammels of obsolete authorities, and given a receipt by which a printing ink might be made that could be used; but the editor candidly acknowledges that the article produced would be of an inferior quality.—It is, however, the only real approximation to the knowledge of making an ink that could be worked with; and yet it is deficient in specifying the qualities of the different materials, and also of their due proportions, so that it would not produce a clean working ink, nor an ink of a good colour.

“The information given in the book is not theoretical, but deduced from my own practice; and there is not an article mentioned in the whole treatise but what I have repeatedly employed, nor a receipt given but what has undergone the strictest ordeal—that of being used in the regular way of business. The fine black ink has been pronounced by some of our first printers unrivalled; and the ink for general purposes has been allowed, by the most competent judges, to be fully equal to the high priced inks of the principal manufacturers.

“I have used them myself, and also superintended their use by others to the extent of thousands of impressions printed consecutively, without having found occasion to wash or clean the form or engraving, and this in producing fine work. I am, through this experience, enabled to assert, that I do not think it possible that inks could be produced that would work cleaner or more freely, produce finer impressions, and retain their freshness of colour without imparting stain to the paper, than the inks, both black and coloured, the receipts of which I have published in this work.

“The Society for the Encouragement of Arts showed their sense of my success in this pursuit, by awarding to me their large medal, and a sum of money, for my imitation of drawings printed from engravings on wood with inks of my own preparing; and by an invitation to furnish them with a paper on the preparation of printing ink.

“Knowledge of such a subject as this on which I am treating, must, to possess any value, be practical, not theoretical: without being so, there would not exist a possibility of accurately knowing the imperfections existing in the inks, of estimating the errors and deficiencies, and, least of all, of providing a remedy. Thirty-six years practice in the metropolis, with some previous ones in the country, spent in executing the most common as well as the most splendid works, may perhaps entitle me to feel competency to my undertaking, and encourage the belief of it in others.

“To printers generally, I feel that this work will be of great service, judging from the absolute want of information on the subject, a want that I have experienced in a very high degree during my practice. It will enable every printer to prepare a good ink himself, and to have it always of an uniform quality;—it will enable him to prepare the finest ink without any risk or danger;—it will enable him to prepare coloured ink of any hue at half an hour’s notice, that will work as clean as black ink, when any fancy work is required;—it will enable him to print bankers’ cheques, &c. with a changeable ink, to prevent fraudulent alterations:—it is in fact opening a door to the extension of the powers of the printing press which has hitherto been closed and sealed.”

This was written in 1832, and contains as faithful an account of the state of knowledge as could be acquired at that time on this subject; for the few manufacturers of the article then existing most scrupulously guarded the secret of its preparation, and no really fine ink could be purchased. The publication of my work on Decorative Printing, and of this work on Printing Ink, has effected a great revolution in the art; for previously it was impossible, even in the metropolis, to have any thing printed in a superior way except with black ink, whereas now, there is hardly a printer who would not feel ashamed to avow that he could not execute work in any colour whatever in the same style of workmanship as with black ink. For the method of preparing the different inks, both black and of every colour, with the ingredients and their proportions, I must refer the reader to the book itself.

For the qualities requisite in the best printing ink, see Engravings on Wood, and also Fine Presswork.

By the Act 6 G. 4. c. 111., the Customs Duty on the importation of ink for printers is 1l. 1s. the cwt.


INK BLOCK

The block on which the ink is spread to supply the balls; in wooden presses, it is nailed to the upper near hind rail, and is supported at the bottom by a stay fastened to the lower rail.

It was generally made of a piece of elm wood, between two and three inches thick, with a ledge of fir wood at the back, at one end, and also at part of the front. A quantity of ink was kept in the farther corner, which was rubbed out on the bottom with the brayer, from which it was taken with a ball, and then distributed.

In fine printing that required strong ink, it being found very difficult, in cold weather, to distribute the ink properly, some offices adopted a small table having an iron plate for the top, with a shelf under it for a lamp, which warmed the ink and caused it to work more freely.

The introduction of rollers has superseded the use of the ink block, for which has been substituted an inking apparatus, which see.


INKING APPARATUS

The substitution of rollers for balls required a different apparatus for the taking of ink.

Mr. Edward Cowper, of the late firm of Applegath and Cowper, claims the invention of the first apparatus, for which the firm took out a patent. Mr. Cowper kindly favoured me with drawings, and the following description, in the year 1818.

“The apparatus consists of an inking roller, a distributing table, and an ink trough.

“The inking roller is made of wood covered with the elastic composition, [treacle and glue,] it is about three inches diameter and eighteen or twenty inches long, according to the length of the form; it is furnished with two handles which are fixed to the spindle on which the roller turns; the spindle passes through the roller so that when one handle is moved the other is moved also; the handles stand over the roller at right angles to it, this position being from practice found most convenient; a small leg projects from one of the handles, which prevents them from falling on the table and becoming soiled.

“The distributing table is of wood covered with a sheet of lead as level as possible; and the frame on which it stands is of cast iron.

“The ink trough is fixed at one edge of the table, and is composed of a metal roller, turned true, and a thin plate of steel, the edge of the plate presses against the metal roller by means of levers and weights, the ink is placed between the steel plate and the metal roller.

“When the metal roller is turned round it becomes covered with a film of ink, the inking roller is then dabbed against it, and rolled backwards and forwards on the distributing table in different directions; it is then passed two or three times over the form.

“The advantages of this mode of inking are considerable; it is much easier to use than the balls, produces better work, and saves in balls and ink not less than five shillings per week. Its peculiar recommendation is the great regularity of colour which may be obtained, and the delicate manner in which the letter is touched, advantages which render it applicable to the finest specimens of typography.”

The following account is extracted from Hansard’s “Typographia.”

“A more simple and cheap apparatus for this purpose was immediately got up by Mr. Foster, the inventor of the composition balls. It is a stand having its two legs and feet of cast-iron; and its top, upon which the ink is distributed, instead of lead, as in the former apparatus just described, is mahogany. Behind this, elevated about two inches, is the stage for taking the ink on to the roller. At either end of the stage is a recess for receiving the contrivance which contains the ink. This is similar in shape to the brayer formerly used; but turned hollow, with the handle and top to screw on; at the bottom are holes, and when the ink is wanted on the stage, the workman, taking hold of this bottle-brayer, moves it from one recess to the other, drawing it slowly along the stage. In this movement the ink, by its own gravity, will issue out from the holes at the bottom, and leave a portion on the stage, more or less, according to the rapidity or frequency of its transit. [See figure, p. 421.]

“Mr. Arding soon improved upon Foster’s apparatus, by making the ink-stage of cast-iron, with circular recesses; and the whole table more of a solid form; both makers now adopt the same pattern: but the bottle-brayer has not been found to answer, as the ink soon clogs up the holes, and the wood is liable to be split by the screw at the top; and an old servant of the press-room, the common brayer, has again been found the most effective for this purpose.

“I have had several of these inking tables at work, and find a decided preference due to the last described. The mahogany surface seems more congenial to the temperament of the ink and roller, than either the lead or iron. The ink is taken better, and distributes better. A line of colour is taken as perfectly from the stage as from a cylinder, since the roller, being cylindrical, can only touch the ink in a line, and it is only giving the roller a portion of a revolution on the stage to make it take a greater quantity of colour if necessary. More of the flue and dirt, inseparable from the working of paper, is held by the wood than by the lead; and consequently, the roller keeps cleaner, and the forme works better. The table is easily washed by the lye-brush, and no further waste of ink is occasioned.

“This apparatus has been further improved by substituting a box and cylinder for the stage and brayer. The advantage of which will be, that the quantity of ink on the cylinder to come in contact with the roller, is regulated by a pressure at the top, out of the body of the ink, instead of at the bottom against which the ink must rest.

“The cylinder is of mahogany, and, as here shown, moves in a box or trough which contains the ink; and which has a lid moving on hinges coming nearly over the top of the cylinder. To the under edge of this top is nailed a slip of thick butt or sole leather. This, by its naturally elastic quality, will always press upon the cylinder according as the lid is more or less tightly screwed down by thumb-screws. This leather will also intercept in its way any filth which may arise from the depôt of ink before it can reach the cylinder: and which, when accumulated, may, by unscrewing the lid and throwing it open, as in the figure, be instantly scraped away with one stroke of the knife; and no further waste of the ink incurred. No part of the ink in this apparatus is exposed when the lid is down: and only a very small portion of the cylinder at the time of working.”

A wooden table after the pattern of Foster’s apparatus is now generally used, the top is covered with lead on which the ink is distributed on the rollers; the stage on which the ink is taken is not raised more than about a quarter of an inch, and at the two back corners are two recesses, one for the supply of ink, and the other for the brayer, when not in use. See Rollers.

Inking apparatus

William Savage, A Dictionary of the Art of Printing, 1841

Inking apparatus

Inking apparatus


Inlaying

(1) Extending “extra” illustrations by inserting them in leaves to correspond to the size of a book. (2) A style of Mosaic work made by the insertion of vari-colored leathers or other material on the cover or doublé.

Bib-li-op-e-gis-tic: Pertaining to the Art of Binding Books


INNER FORM

The form that has the second page in it; it is always worked before the outer form, except there be some particular reason to the contrary. See Lay on.


INNER TYMPAN

A frame covered with parchment, which fits into the outer tympan; two flat points slip under the head-band of the outer tympan, which secure that end in its place; and the sides are kept down by two hooks on each side of the outer tympan which turn into eyes screwed into the sides of the inner tympan; in iron presses the hooks turn round studs, under the heads.

In page. See Out page.


INSERTION

If the compositor have left out words or lines, the corrector inserts it, and makes this mark ‸ where it is left out, which is called the mark for insertion.—M. This is now called an “Out;” an insertion is when the author makes any addition in the proof sent to him.


INSET

The same as offcut: with printers it is called an offcut; when the work comes into the hands of the bookbinder, and the sheets are folded, it then becomes an inset, being inserted in the middle of the sheet, to complete the regular succession of pages.


inset

The pages cut off in folding and placed in the middle of the sheet.