Books never die
A Rare Books exhibition on the history of the book
Introduction
The curators of this exhibition have chosen a provocative title: ‘Books never die.’ The ‘death of the book’
was pronounced by Jacques Derrida forty-something years ago but Derrida himself is now dead: the
book has outlived the prophet of its doom. Of course, Derrida was referring to books as self-contained,
self-explanatory texts, but his phrase has long been used—as Monash’s Ali Alizadeh wrote—by ‘the
ebullient advocates of the ebook’ and other new technologies, to suggest that the printed book was
about to die, or was already dead. But the book is not dead. Readers continue to read and publishers to
publish, and they do so in ever-increasing numbers.
Not only is the book not dead—as a communications tool, an art-object, or anything else—the books
that have already been printed and distributed are not dead either. Every copy of every book ever printed
is a physical embodiment of a moment in the history of culture, ideas, technology. But it is also a witness
to its own existence, its own unique history. Some readers have books on their shelves (or held in
memory) that constitute an essential element of their self-identity, and some readers can be ‘re-constituted’
from the books no longer on their shelves. So even if it were possible for books to die in the technoutopian sense, ‘the book’ would still not die in this personal or scholarly sense.
Serious academic interest in ‘the history of the book’—meaning the history of books as physical objects,
as manufactured artefacts and as an evolving information technology—is relatively recent. And serious
academic interest in ‘print culture,’ ‘the history of reading’ and ‘the sociology of texts’ is even more
recent, only becoming well established in the last three decades.
But Monash has been engaged in this rapidly-evolving academic field for more than half of its history as
an institution. The University has been at the forefront of book history research since the mid-70s, and
has supported the only research institution in Australia focussed on ‘the history of the book’ since the
mid-80s (The Centre for the Book, previously The Centre for Bibliographical and Textual Studies).
This exhibition demonstrates how it was possible for Monash University staff and students to establish
the ‘Monash School’ of bibliography and book history, and how it has been—and will continue to
be—possible for staff and students to sustain their pre-eminent position in this field in future: Monash
University Library has an excellent collection of books which well represent the long history of books
as physical objects.
The Monash collection is particularly strong in eighteenth-century material, as is well known, but this
exhibition features examples of printing from the most famous presses of the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries, as well as outstanding examples of typography, illustration and binding over five centuries.
But, with the ever-widening availability of books in digital facsimile, it is, perhaps, even more important
that the Rare Books Collection contains such riches of unique and ephemeral materials: a French
occultist’s transcript of a rare book, a pamphlet annotated by Jonathan Swift, chapbooks, broadsides
and a bookseller’s catalogue from Melbourne in the 1860s. Not only are these evocative items, they are
essential materials for scholarship, because these items represent an important part of the lives of
individual readers.
Dr Patrick Spedding
Lecturer in the School of English, Communications and Performance Studies, Faculty of Arts
Preface
This exhibition is a celebration of the
book over six centuries. Rare Books
collects books about books and
representative items to show the
historical development of book
production through the ages. Originally,
this was to support librarianship, history
and literature studies at Monash. Now it
supports the Arts Department generally
and research by the Centre for the
Book. The examples were chosen for
representativeness, uniqueness as
artifacts, personalisation, and style.
14 June to 7 September 2012
Level 1, ISB Wing,
Sir Louis Matheson Library,
Clayton campus, Monash University,
Wellington Road, Clayton
Curator: Stephen Herrin
Assistant Curator: Richard Overell
Web Design: Rosemary Miller
Thank you to Shane Carmody, Director
Development, State Library of Victoria,
for opening the exhibition.
Thank you to Dr Brian McMullin and the
Ancora Press for the loan of printing
equipment.
Exhibition title – a quotation from
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1942)
“Books cannot be killed by fire.
People die, but books never die”.
For more images and full information
on each of the items visit:
www.lib.monash.edu.au/exhibitions
Main Case
3. Gould, John, 1804-1881.
The Birds of Australia, : in seven
volumes / by John Gould. (London :
Published by the author, 1848) (London
: Printed by Richard and John E. Taylor)
Front
1. Mammotrectus super Bibliam.
Incipit vocabularius i[n] Mamotrectum
s[ecundu]m ordinem alphabeti /
Marchesinus, Joannes (Venetiis :
[Per] Franciscu[m] de Hailbrun [et]
Nicholaum de Frankfordia, 1476).
Incunabula are books printed in the fifteenth
century, the first 50 years of printing. The
Mammotrectus is the only incunabulum Monash
owns. The book was a Franciscan commentary
on the bible that was popular from the late 13th
century into the 16th century. It was first printed
by Peter Schoffer in 1470, six years prior to
the Monash copy. It is a good example of
early printing with Gothic type, rubrication and
double columns which was made to look similar
to an illuminated manuscript.
2. The Solemn mock procession of the
Pope, Cardinalls, Jesuits, Fryers etc.
through the Citty of London, November
the 17th. 1680. (London : Printed for
Nathaniel Ponder, at the Peacock near
the Stocks Mark[e]t ; Jonathan Wilkins
at the Star in Cheapside, next Mercers
Chappel ; and Samuel Lee at the
Feathers in Lumbard-Street, near the
Post-Office, 1680). Broadside.
Following the success of Birds of Europe in the
1830s, John Gould set out to Australia with a
plan for a lavish work on the birds of Australia.
He travelled with his wife Elizabeth and his
assistant, John Gilbert. The Birds of Australia
was published in 36 parts from 1840 to 1848
and appeared as a seven volume set which
cost £115. A supplementary volume came out
in 1869. The plates are hand-coloured, many of
which were done by his wife. This set of Gould’s
Birds was presented to Monash by Major H.W.
Hall. It was used in the early seventies as the
basis for the Lansdowne Press facsimile.
A book does not necessarily need a cover
and lots of pages. Broadsides conveyed their
message as part poster, part pamphlet, part
comic strip. This political broadside from the
closing years of Charles II’s reign is a piece of
Popish Plot anti-Catholic propaganda.
1
Different forms of
books
4. [Clay tablet with
Sumerian cuneiform
inscription] [realia].
[Chicago? : Oriental
Institute Museum?,
199-?]. Facsim. of a
cuneiform clay tablet.
Before books clay tablets
were sometimes used for documents. These
were produced with a reed stylus and wet clay.
The word cuneiform is derived from the Latin
meaning ‘wedge shape,’ which refers to the
shape of the stylus incisions. Presented here
is a facsimile of reportedly the oldest surviving
library catalogue. It is from Babylon ca. 2000 BC.
5. Examples of Batak priests’ books.
The Batak people live in the highlands of
Sumatra. Their books are written in a script
derived from Sanskrit and the texts are mainly
charms, curses and spells. They are made up
of strips of bark joined together concertina-style
and are often placed between wooden boards.
These examples are thought to date from the
late nineteenth century.
2
6. Schulz, H. C. (Herbert C.).
The Gothic script of the Middle Ages /
H.C. Schulz : together with an original
leaf from a Gothic manuscript Collectar.
(San Francisco : David Magee, 1939).
This illuminated manuscript leaf was from a
Collectar of the late 14th century from Northern
France. The Collectar is one of the prayers of
the Mass. Representative of many manuscripts,
it features a Gothic script with rubrications
and visible rule lines. Examples of illuminated
manuscripts survive from around 400 AD to
the Renaissance.
7. De la transformation metallique :
Trois anciens traitez en rime francoise.
Ascavoir. La Fontaine des amoureux
des sciences : Autheur J. Dela
Fontaine. Les remonstrances de nature
à l’alchimiste errant : avec la response
dudit alchimiste, par J. de Meung.
Ensemble un traité de son romant de la
rose, concernant ledit art. Le sommiare
philosophique de N. Flamel, avec la
deffense d’iceluy art, et des bonnetes
personnages qui y vaquent : contetes
efforts que I. Girard met à les outrager
[France? : 17--?].
Even when printed books were available,
manuscript texts continued to circulate
for reasons of limited availability and
expense. Displayed here is an 18thcentury transcription of an occult text on
the philospher’s stone, “Transformation
metallique, trois anciens tractez en rithme
francoise” by Jean de la Fontaine (Paris :
Guillaume Gillard, 1561) and an extract
of “Le roman de la rose” by Jean de
Meung, with many annotations and notes.
8. A very curious collection of old
ballads : Catnach Press and Newcastle
Derby &c &c. ([England] : various, ca.
1820-1850).
Broadsides were a form of cheap reading
material that circulated on the street through
vendors during the 17th and 18th centuries.
9. London cries : with appropriate cuts.
(London : Printed by W. Darton, jun., 58,
Holborn Hill, opposite Ely-Place,
[180-?]).
This is an example
of a chapbook
which were sold
by chapmen in
markets or door to
door. The illustration
shows hawkers
selling on
the street.
10.The death and burial of Cock Robin
: as taken from the original manuscript,
in the possession of Master Meanwell.
(Lichfield : printed and sold by M.
Morgan, and A. Morgan,
Stafford, [1800?]).
Chapbooks usually comprised one or two
printed sheets that were then folded into
a booklet. This copy of Cock Robin was
never folded.
11.Palm leaf manuscripts.
These manuscripts are from Bali and are
thought to be about 100 years old. They
are religious books, recording the text of
The Ramayana.
Design
12.Grabhorn, Robert.
A short account of the life and work of
Wynkyn de Worde, with a leaf from The
Golden legend printed by him at the
Sign of the Sun in Fleet Street,
London, the year 1527.
(San Francisco : Book
Club of California, 1949
(San Francisco : Grabhorn
Press).
This page is taken from a
book produced by the second
English printer, Wynkyn de
Worde, in 1527. Early printed
books tended to look very much
like illuminated manuscripts and
could be difficult to read.
13.Lucan, 39-65.
M. Anneii Lucani De bello civili libri
decem : eiusdem vita in fine operis : ad
vetustiss, scripta exemplaria emendati
: quorum varias lectiones ad calcem
reiecimus. (Lvtetiae : ex officina Rob.
Stephani ..., 1545).
In true Renaissance style, the second and
third generation of printers were also scholars.
Robert Estienne was from a line of an important
French printing firm founded in 1502 and
renowned for publishing the Greek and Roman
classical authors. Estienne was responsible for
many developments in printing design, one of
which was the separation of verses in the Bible.
14.Horace. Q.
Horatius Flaccus / cum commentariis
& enarrationibus commentatoris
veteris et Iacobi Cruquii Messenii ... ;
accedunt Iani Dovsæ Nordovicis ... ;
item auctarium commentatoris veteris
à Cruquio editi. ([Leiden] : ex officina
Plantiniana Raphelengii, 1611).
15.Schrijver, Pieter, 1576-1660.
Respublica Romana ... / Honori vrbis
aeternae P. Scriverius restitvit. (Lvgd.
Batavorvm : ex officina Elzeviriana,
1629). Octavo. Velleius Paterculus, ca.
19 B.C.-ca. 30 A.D. C. Velleii Paterculi
quae supersunt / Nicolaus Heinsius
Dan. F. recensuit, et castigationum
libellum addidit. (Amstelodami :
ex officina Elzeviriana , A ̊1678).
Duodecimo.
The Dutch firm of
Elzevir is known mostly
for its series of smaller
sized books, many
being duodecimo
(a sheet folded
into twelve leaves).
The firm ceased
in 1712 and the
modern publishing
firm bearing its name has no historical
connection. On display is an octavo and
duodecimo. The Elzevir Republics were early
guide-books issued for travellers.
The firm of Plantin in Antwerp was one of the
finest publishers in Europe for some
200 years. Originally a bookbinder in
Paris, Christopher Platin left France
for Belgium to avoid the Inquisition
and began printing in 1555. The firm
is remembered for scholarly, finely
printed, and well illustrated books.
3
16.Descartes, René, 1596-1650.
Renati Des-cartes Principia
philosophiae ... (Amstelodami :
Apud Ludovicum Elzevirium, 1650).
As opposed to the Elzevir duodecimo (item
15), books were most commonly published
in folio, quarto and octavo. This terminology
refers to how many times a printed sheet was
folded, where a folio was folded once to form
four pages and a quarto eight pages, as is the
example here. The different formats result
in books of different sizes and shapes.
17.Clarendon, Edward Hyde,
Earl of, 1609-1674.
The history of the rebellion and civil
wars in England, begun in the year
1641 : with the precedent passages,
and actions, that contributed thereunto
... and conclusion thereof by the King’s
blessed restoration ... in the year
1660 / written by ... Edward Earl of
Clarendon. (Oxford : printed at the
Theater, 1704).
The folio edition of Clarendon’s History is
an iconic work in the history of the book. A
beautiful and elaborate book but also important
because Clarendon’s great-grandson presented
the copyright to Oxford in order to finance
buildings for the university press.
4
18.Clarendon,
Edward Hyde,
Earl of, 16091674.
The history of
the rebellion
and civil wars
in England,
begun in the year 1641. : with the
precedent passages, and actions, that
contributed thereunto, and the happy
end, and conclusion thereof by the
King’s blessed restoration, and return,
upon the 29th of May, in the year 1660.
/ Written by the Right Honourable
Edward Earl of Clarendon ... (Oxford :
printed at the Theater, 1717).
A smaller, more affordable issue of the same
work, a reflection of its popularity.
19.Swift, Jonathan, 1667-1745.
Travels into several remote nations of
the world : in four parts / By Lemuel
Gulliver: first a surgeon, and then a
captain of several ships. (London :
Printed for A. Wenman, 1791).
By the end of the eighteenth century book
design had settled to a form readers are
familiar with today. Books were more portable
and readable.
20.Russell, Henry Chamberlain,
1836-1907.
Observations on the transit of Venus,
9 December 1874 : made at stations
in New South Wales / ... under the
direction of H.C. Russell, Government
Astronomer. (Sydney : Govt. Pr., 1892).
In the nineteenth century
even scientific treatises
from the Government
Printers could be given
special treatment,
like the Observations
here with a beautiful
pictorial cloth binding.
21.Floire et Jeanne. English. Of
King Florus and the fair Jehane.
(Hammersmith : Kelmscott Press, 1893).
William Morris’ Kelmscott Press began in the
latter part of the nineteenth century. It was
part of the craft printing movement that was
reacting to book design trends of the time.
The ornate title pages and liberal spacing
are features of the style. Morris designed the
typeface Times New Roman which is
popular today.
22.Sill, Edward Rowland, 1841-1887.
The poems of Edward Rowland Sill.
(Cambridge [Mass.] : Printed at the
Riverside Press, 1902). Limited ed.
This book was designed by Bruce Rogers at
the Riverside Press. He was an influential figure
in book design for the twentieth century. It has
a simplicity for ease of reading.
Typography
23. Gellius, Aulus.
Auli Gellii Noctium Atticarum libri
undeviginti. (Venetiis : In aedibus
Aldi, 1515).
Aldus Manutius began the Aldine Press in
1494. It was famous for printing the classics,
typographical changes and the introduction of
Roman and Italic types. This item was printed
in the same city 39 years after item 1, which
shows a rapid development.
24.Haeften, Benedictus van,
1588-1648.
Regia via crucis / auctore D. Benedicto
Haefteno, Vltraiectino ... (Antuerpiae
: Ex officina Plantiniana Balthasaris
Moreti, 1635).
This book was printed by Plantin. It is an
example of Garamond type which was
the standard for book production for the
seventeenth century.
25.Milton, John, 1608-1674.
Paradise regain’d : a poem in four
books. To which is added Samson
Agonistes, and Poems upon several
occasions / the author John Milton.
From the text of Thomas Newton.
(Birmingham : Printed by John
Baskerville for J. and
R. Tonson..., 1760).
William Caslon and John Baskerville are
the two most influential figures in English
typography. Baskerville carried out work
for the Cambridge University Press. He
improved upon the fonts they used and
produced stylish books. The eighteenth
century book is notable for clarity of
type and layout.
26.Chambers, Ephraim,
ca. 1680-1740.
Cyclopædia, or, An universal dictionary
of arts and sciences ... / By E.
Chambers. With the supplement ... by
Abraham Rees. (London : Printed for
J.F. and C. Rivington, T. Payne and
son, T. Longman, B. Law, C. Rivington,
C. Dilly, H. Baldwin, H.S. Woodfall, J.
Robson [and 17 others], 1784-89).
Personalisation
27.Kircher, Athanasius, 1602-1680.
Athanasii Kircheri e Soc. Jesu
China monumentis “ quà sacris quà
profanis, nec non variis naturae &
artis spectaculis, aliarumque rerum
memorabilium
argumentis illustrata,
auspiciis Leopoldi
Prime, roman. imper
... (Amstelodami : apud
Joannem Janssonium
à Waesberge & Elizeum
Weyerstraet, 1667).
Books are personal
belongings, it follows that
people through history have
wanted to possess and at
times personalise them. Shown here is
a bespoke binding in the craft tradition. It is
an elaborately carved wood cover of oriental
design that is much later than the book within.
In the late-nineteenth century it was a fashion
to personalise bindings according to taste.
William Caslon is an important figure in English
typography. Before Caslon, type was mostly
imported into England from Holland. Caslon
began as a metal engraver but was encouraged
by the printer William Bowyer to set up a
typefoundry. Many of the fonts we use today
are based on his designs.
5
Wall case 1
Wall case 2
Wall case 3
28.Bickham, George, 1684?-1758?
The universal penman, or, The art of
writing made useful to the gentleman
and scholar, as well as the man of
business : exemplified in all the useful,
and ornamental branches of modern
penmanship; with ... various forms of
business, relating to merchandize and
trade; letters on several occasions;
accurate specimens of the Oriental
languages, and alphabets in all the
hands now practis’d / Written ... and
engrav’d, by Geo. Bickham ...
(London : Printed for, and sold by
the author ..., 1741).
29.Encyclopédie, ou, Dictionnaire
raisonné des sciences, des arts et
des métiers. / Mis en ordre & publié
par M. Diderot ... & quant à la partie
mathématique, par M. D’Alembert.
(A Paris : Chez Briasson, David l’aîné,
Le Breton, Durand, 1751-1780).
30.Digges, Dudley, Sir, 1583-1639.
The compleat ambassador, or, Two
treaties of the intended marriage of
Qu. Elizabeth of glorious memory :
comprised in letters of negotation of
Sir Francis Walsingham, ... Together
with the answers of Lord Burleigh,
the Earl of Leicester, Sir Tho. Smith,
and others / Faithfully collected by Sir
Dudly Digges. (London : printed by
Tho. Newcomb, for Gabriel Bedell and
Thomas Collins, 1655).
An example of a completely copper-plate
engraved book. Bickham was a writing master.
The book is an assortment of calligraphic styles
and an example of the best quality engraving
work. It is essentially a specimen book for his
business. He issued the work by subscription.
This was a practice of many more expensive
works where the publisher collected payments
in order to reduce the outlay.
6
Diderot’s Encyclopedie
is a monumental
work full of French
scholarship and
wonderful illustrations.
The work is 35
large folio volumes.
It is open here at
illustrations depicting
the engraver’s craft.
The Complete Ambassador is an example of
luxurious book production. It is folio with an
engraved titlepage and illustrated throughout.
Engraved titlepages were common in the
seventeenth century. They usually featured an
architectural design. The letterpress titlepage
has both red and black writing, which was also
common. This
would have
been put to
press twice
because only
one colour
could be
printed at
a time.
Wall case 4
31.The Holy
Bible, containing
the Old and New
Testaments : newly
translated out of the
original tongues,
and with the
former translations
diligently compared
and revised ...
(Oxford : Printed
by the universityprinters, 1701).
This is an example of a large folio designed to
remain in one place, a lectern. The Bible bears
the arms of Queen Anne on the front cover and
Royal cipher on the spine. It was possibly used
in one of the Royal chapels.
Flat case 1
Binding
32.The present state of Europe, or,
The historical and political mercury.
(London : Randal Taylor, 1690-1736).
Most books and periodicals prior to the
nineteenth century were sold in temporary
boards or a paper wrapper. Either patrons or
booksellers would arrange for binding according
to their needs. Patrons often desired uniformity
in their library or preferred a certain style.
33.Caesar, Julius. C.
Ivlii Cæsaris quæ exstant : cum selectis
variorum commentariis, quorum
plerique novi / operâ et studio Arnoldi
Montani ; accedunt notitia Galliæ et
notæ auctiores ex autographo Iosephi
Scaligeri. (Lvgd. Bat. : ex officinâ
Adriani Wyngaerden, 1651).
This is an example of a limp vellum binding.
It was a durable and inexpensive form of
binding used from the 14th through to the
18th century. Vellum is calf-skin. Cleaning,
bleaching, stretching and scraping were the
processes used to achieve the thin result.
For revival of this binding see item 21.
34.Lykosthenes. Lykosthenes,
Konrad, 1518-1561.
Elenchus scriptorum omnium, ueterum
scilicet ac recentioru[m], extantium &
non extantiu[m], publicatoru[m] atq[ue]
hinc inde in bibliothecis latitantium,
qui ab exordio mundi usq[ue] ad
nostra tempora in diuersis linguis,
artibus ac facultatib. claruerunt,
ac etiam hodie uiuunt / ante annos
aliquot a clarriss. uiro D. Conrado
Gesnero ... editus, nu[n]c uero primum
in Reipublicae literariae gratiam in
compendium redactus ... per Conradum
Lycosthenem Rubeaquensem. (Basileae
: Per Ioannem Oporinum, 1551).
An example of an early stamped leather binding.
The damage to the spine shows how the book
block is hand-sewn and fastened to cords
which in turn are attached to the boards of the
covers.
35.Horneck, Anthony, 1641-1697.
The great law of consideration : or,
A discourse wherein the nature,
usefulness & absolute necessity of
consideration in order to a truly serious
and religious life is laid open / by
Anthony Horneck. 8th ed. (London :
Printed by S. Holt, for A. Lownds, and
sold by A. and J. Churchill, 1704).
An example of a half-calf binding with marbled
boards. Marbling is a technique where colours
are floated on the surface of water and then
transferred to the paper. Each pattern is unique.
Examples can be found dating from the early
seventeenth century into the twentieth. If the
corners were not leather then it would be
described as quarter bound.
36.Settle, Elkanah, 1648-1724.
Eusebia triumphans : the Hannover
succession to the imperial crown of
England : an heroick poem. (London :
printed for John Nutt, 1702).
This item is an example
of a Settle binding. Settle
was a writer who would
bind copies of his work
with coats of arms and
present it to the noble in
the hope of patronage.
This example shows
two different crests.
Presumably it was
rejected by one person
and reworked to seek
favour from another.
7
Flat case 2
Binding
37. Delany, Patrick, 1685?-1768.
Revelation examin’d with candour, or,
A fair enquiry into the sense and use of
the several revelations ... in the Bible /
by a profess’d friend
to an honest freedom
of thought in religious
enquiries ... (London
: Printed for C.
Rivington, 1732).
This book has a fine
stamped leather binding.
Leather was worked in
many different ways to
varied affects.
38.Marmontel, Jean-François,
1723-1799.
Poetique Françoise / par M. Marmontel.
(A Paris : Chez Lesclapart, 1763).
This is a marbled calf that was sprinkled with
acid to obtain the effect. Over time the acid has
eaten away patches of the leather.
8
39.Atterbury, Francis,
1662-1732.
Sermons and
discourses on several
subjects and occasions
/ by Francis Atterbury
... (London : printed
by S. Aris, for Jonah
Bowyer ..., 1723).
This is an example of gilt
leather. Gilt was a commonly added detail to
leather bindings from the earliest times.
40.Jameson, Mrs. (Anna), 1794-1860.
Sacred and legendary art / by Mrs.
Jameson. 9th ed. (London : Longman’s
Green, 1883).
This is a contemporary
tree-calf binding. This style
was common in the late
eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. It is a particular
form of marbled calf
and the tree design was
achieved by use of acid.
41.Pinkerton, John, 1758-1826.
Recollections of Paris in the years
1802-3-4-5 / by J. Pinkerton. (London :
Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees
& Orme, Paternoster-Row ; and Cadell
& Davies, Strand, 1806).
The pasteboard binding here is simple
cardboard as would have been found in the
bookshop before a suitable permanent binding
was chosen.
42.Hone, William, 1780-1842.
Ancient mysteries described :
especially the English miracle plays,
founded on Apocryphal New Testament
story, extant among the unpublished
manuscripts in the British Museum
... / by William Hone. (London : Printed
for W. Hone, 1823).
Here are two copies of the same book, each
with a different binding, an early cloth and an
early printed cloth.
Flat case 3
Binding
43. Head, Francis Bond,
Sir, 1793-1875.
Bubbles from the
Brunnens of Nassau /
by an old man. 4th ed.
(London : John Murray,
1836).
The first edition of this book
(1834) has been recorded
as the first pictorial cloth
binding issued.
44.Witt, Madame de (Henriette
Elizabeth), 1829-1908.
La petite maison dans la forêt / Mme de
Witt (née Guizot) ; ouvrage illustré de
49 gravures d’après Robaudi. (Paris :
Librairie Hachette et
Cie., 1890).
A beautiful example of
a pictorial cloth in blue
with gilt. This style was
at its height in the later
nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries.
45.The Museum of classical antiquities
: being a series of essays on ancient art
/ edited by Edward Falkener. New ed.
(London : Longman, Green, Longman,
and Roberts, 1860).
Dust wrappers for
books were a mid
nineteenth-century
development. This
is an early example
of a printed wrapper.
It was designed to
enclose the book,
covering the top edge
to prevent dust, rather
than simply the front
and back as in the
covers we know today.
Flat case 4
Book illustration
48.Abbrégé de l’histoire des viscontes
et ducz de Milan, le droict desquels
appartient à la couronne de France:
extraict en partie, du livre de Paulus
Iovius : Avec les pourtraicts d’aucuns
dedicts vicontes et ducz, representez
après le naturel. (Paris : chez C.
Éstienne, imprimeur du roi, 1552).
Most of the earliest book illustrations were
wood cuts. It was an art developed before the
invention of movable type in Asia and Europe.
Early printed books were block books where
the entire page was cut into wood, both
words and images.
46.Forget me not (London,
England : 1823).
Slip cases were designed for special editions
of books. This was a nineteenth century
development, which is still in use today.
47.Maurois, André, 1885-1967.
Ariel : a Shelley romance / André
Maurois ; translated by Ella D’Arcy.
(London : Penguin Books, 1936, 1935).
Paperback books existed in the nineteenth
century but it was not until the 1930s that they
began to be designed as an end product rather
than temporary issue. The first publishers to
experiment with the format were Albatross
Books in Germany and Penguin Books in
England. Displayed here is the first Penguin
complete with dust wrapper.
9
49.La Magnifica et triumphale entrata
del Christianiss. re di Francia Henrico
Secondo di questo nome fatta nella
nobile & antiqua città di Lyone à luy
& à la sua serenissima consorte,
Chaterina, alli 21. di Septemb. 1548
: colla particulare descritione della
comedia che fece recitare la Natione
Fiorentina à richiesta di sua Maesta
Christianissima. (Lyon : Gulielmo
Rouillio, 1549).
Illustrations were an added expense and used
sparingly. To cut down on costs printers would
keep a stock of generic wood cuts to be used
multiple times.
50.Hales, John, 1584-1656.
Golden remains of the ever memorable
Mr. John Hales, of Eaton-Colledge, &c.
3rd impression. (London : Printed by
T.B. for George Pawlet, 1688).
Many books in the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries featured an engraved title page. These
became more and more elaborate.
51.Horace.
Quinti Horatii Flacci opera.
(Londini : Aeneis tabulis incidit
Johannes Pine, 1733-1737).
Pine’s Horace is an example of a wholly
engraved book. Metal engraving began in the
late fifteenth century. It was an intaglio process
where the lines to be printed were incised.
Printing required a rolling press rather than
the normal common press. Because of this,
illustrations and letterpress could not be printed
at the same time. In this book each page was
printed from a plate rather than movable type.
10
Flat case 5
Book illustration
52. Pilkington, Mrs. (Mary), 1766-1839.
A mirror for the female sex : historical
beauties for young ladies, intended to
lead the female mind to the love and
practice of moral goodness / by Mrs.
Pilkington. (London : Printed by T.
Maiden, ... for Vernor and Hood, ...
and sold by E. Newbery, 1799).
This is a heavily illustrated book and
representative of the eighteenth century when
the vignette style was most popular. Vignettes
were smaller copperplate engravings without
a border they appeared on text pages. Here the
printer has incorporated vignettes, an engraved
titlepage and wood head- and tailpieces.
53.The Keepsake
for 1846. (London :
Hurst, Chance and
Co., 1827-1857).
Copperplate engraving
gave way to steel in
the early nineteenth
century. The hardness
of steel allowed for
finely detailed work and
longer lasting plates.
54.British battledore : or first lessons.
(Alnwick, [England] : Published by W.
Davison, [1810?]).
Woodcut illustration had been virtually replaced
by metal engraving in the eighteenth century.
Thomas Bewick revived the use of wood by
developing a method of engraving on the
crossgrains of the wood which allowed for
finer detail.
55.Gay, John, 1685-1732.
Fables by the late Mr. Gay. In one
volume complete. (London, Printed for
Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown
[etc.] 1834).
A famous example of Thomas Bewick’s work.
56.Ulliac-Trémadeure, Sophie,
1794-1862.
Bibliothèque de la jeune fille / par
Mlle. S. Ulliac Trémadeure ; ornée de
belles lithographies et de planches
d’histoire naturelle par Gabriel Montaut.
Quelques leçons d’histoire naturelle.
(Paris : Desforges ..., [ca. 1845]).
Lithography was an
illustrative technique
developed by Alois
Senefelder in 1799.
The process involves
drawing the picture
on stone with a wax
crayon and then
applying acid to eat
away the un-waxed
surface. The relief
image remains and is
printed on a special
press. This book is an
example of chromolithography, which means
it is in colour. Each colour is printed separately.
Flat case 6
Book illustration
57.Stephenson, Edward Rigby,
1847-1865.
Essays and miscellaneous pieces /
by the late Edward R. Stephenson ;
with a preface by his friend C. Todd.
([Adelaide : s.n.], 1865). (Adelaide :
Andrews, Thomas and Clark).
The invention of photography in 1826 was
soon applied to the printing process. At first
photographs could not be transferred to
a printing surface so there are books, like the
ones shown here and below, with photographs
pasted in as illustrations. The first book to
include printed photographs was The Pencil
of Nature (1844-6).
58.The Loss of the ship Northfleet
: with photographs of the vessel,
Romney Church, Captain and Mrs.
Knowles, Mr. S.F. Brand, and Maria
Taplin : a complete account of all
connected with the sad disaster.
(London : Waterlow and Sons, 1873).
In the 1850s the technique for printing
photographs was advancing. At first this was
accomplished by exposing the image on a plate
treated with light sensitive chemicals and then
placing it in an acid bath. From the 1870s, the
familiar half-tone process became the norm.
In this example there are photos pasted into the
book, but the illustration of the ship shown has
been printed from a photographic plate and the
plate can be clearly seen.
59.Penrose annual 1909-10. (London :
Lund, Humphries & Co., 1915-1935).
Off-set lithography was an invention that
revolutionised the printing process. The image
is transferred to a roller and printed from that
rather than from a plate. This process allows
for continuous printing from a web of paper;
images, letterpress and colours can be printed
together. The Penrose Annual featured an
article on the new process in 1910 and off-set
took over the industry in the following decades.
Flat case 7
The Novel
60.Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870.
Little Dorrit / by Charles Dickens. With
illustrations by H. K. Browne. (London,
Bradbury & Evans, [1855-57]).
20 nos. in 19.
Many novels
appeared as serials
in magazines or
were issued in parts
before the book’s
separate publication.
Dickens was a master
at serialised writing.
This edition of Little Dorritt appeared in monthly
parts from December 1855 to June 1857.
11
61.Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870.
Little Dorrit / by Charles Dickens ; with
illustrations by H.K. Browne. (London :
Bradbury and Evans, 1857).
Displayed here is the first English edition
of Dickens’ novel in book form.
62.Hoey, Frances Cashel, 1830-1908.
The question of Cain / by Mrs. Cashel
Hoey. (London : Hurst & Blackett, 1882).
Many novels in the nineteenth century appeared
as three volume works rather than the familiar
single volume we know today. Triple deckers,
as they were called, appeared from the 1820s
to 1890s. The reasons for this were can be
attributed to reading practices, the publishing
industry and authorial
practices. Books were
expensive so could
split costs over three
volumes. Publishers had
less outlay in a novel
where one volume was
making money as the
other was produced.
Circulating libraries
could have three
readers of a novel at
the same time and
three loans per novel was more profitable.
Mudie’s Circulating Library in London was the
largest in the world. It grew so big it dictated to
the publishing industry to have novels in three
volumes. This example is part of a three decker
from Mudie’s library.
12
63.Dickens, Charles,
1812-1870.
Barnaby Rudge /
by Charles Dickens.
(London : Ward, Lock
& Bowden, [1894]).
Often popular novels
were released in a cheap
yellowback format. These
were popular from the 1850s to around 1900.
The cost of a triple decker novel was half a
guinea per volume so the entire novel would
cost a worker around one to two weeks’
wages. Yellowbacks were commonly
two shillings.
64.Boothby, Guy Newell, 1867-1905.
Uncle Joe’s legacy and other stories /
by Guy Boothby. London : George Bell,
1902.
After success in more expensive editions,
cheaper reprints called colonial editions were
published to circulate in the colonies. Displayed
is an example of a Bell’s Indian and Colonial
Library title.
65.Le Fanu, Joseph
Sheridan, 1814-1873.
Uncle Silas / by J.
Sheridan Le Fanu ;
with an introduction
and edited by
Christine Longford.
(Harmondsworth, Eng.
: Penguin Books ;
Melbourne : Lothian
Publishing Co., [1946?]). (Fitzroy [Vic.] :
Morris & Walker).
Penguin was very successful through its
publishing of cheaper paperback editions
of relatively new authors. Allen Lane
began publishing Penguins in 1936. Other
paperbacks, like the yellowbacks, had been
available for years but the quality was poor.
This copy of Uncle Silas was printed in
Melbourne. World War II had caused paper
shortages and sea transport was dangerous so
Penguin had titles printed here. These are
highly collectible.
Flat case 8
Reading
66.A Vindication of the Protestant
dissenters, from the aspersions cast
upon them in a late pamphlet, intitled,
The Presbyterians Plea of merit, in
order to take off the test, impartially
examined : to which are added, some
remarks upon a paper, call’d, The
Correspondent. (Dublin : Printed by
S. Powell in Crane-Lane, 1733).
This pamphlet was written as a reply to
Jonathan Swift’s The Presbyterians Plea of
Merit (1731). The Monash copy has been
annotated by Swift himself showing his close
reading of the work and his reader response.
67.The Alcoran of Mahomet /
translated out of Arabick into French
by the Sieur Du Ryer, Lord of Malezair
... and newly Englished, for the
satisfaction of all that desire to look
into the Turkish vanities. (London :
Printed and are to be sold by Randal
Taylor, 1688).
In this copy of the Koran the owner has written
the comment, “evidently written by a bitter
enemy of Mohanandism, possibly a Christian
monk.” The reader’s supposition was incorrect
as this was a translation by Andre Du Ryer,
French Consul to Egypt. The owner was JR
Mann, author, bookseller and member of the
Free Discussion Cosmopolitan Society.
68.Du Moulin, Pierre, 1568-1658.
The elements of logick / written first
in Latine, then in French by that famous
divine & philosopher, Peter Du Moulin
; and now translated into English by
Joshua Ahier. (Oxford : Printed by
Henry Hall ..., 1647).
Reading habits can sometimes be pieced
together through what a person had in their
library. Presented in this book is a seventeenthcentury owner’s “Catalogue of all the books
I have in the city of Glasgow.”
69. Lucretius Carus, Titus.
Titi Lucretii Cari De rerum natura : libri
sex / quibus additae sunt conjecturae
& emendationes Tan. Fabri; cum notulis
perpetuis et praeterea Oberti Gifanii
vita Lucretii & De Gente Memmia
ejusdem prolegomena ; item D.
Lambini index perquam necessarius.
(Cantabrigiae : Ex officina Joann. Hayes
..., impensis H. Dickenson ..., 1686).
At some point in time a reader, possibly a
student, has written many annotations in pencil.
The reader was certainly erudite in that the
book is a Latin text and the comments are
in English and Greek.
Flat case 9
Reading
70.O’Clee, Gilbert.
The Amazing influence : how to make
your wish come true, how you can
determine your life result / by Gilbert
O’Clee. (London : L. N. Fowler & Co.,
[1931])
Reading practices can be reconstructed when
many books owned and annotated by a person
can be brought together. The Amazing Influence
and How to Demonstrate Health were owned
by the Melbourne bookseller Neil Swift. In many
of his books are comments such as, “Reading
this Oct. 1, 1948.” He was an autodidact with
an interest in health and diet.
13
71.Bradford, Gertrude A.
How to demonstrate health, money,
friends / Gertrude A. Bradford. (London
: L.N. Fowler, 1924).
Annotated item owned by Swift (Item 70). At the
back it says, “2nd study finished 23-11-’55.”
72.H. T. Dwight (Firm).
Catalogue of a portion of H.T. Dwight’s
valuable collection of books : relating
to biography, history, medicine, poetry,
voyages, travels,
and miscellaneous
literature : also a
selection of works
on Ireland and Irish
history : dictionaries
in various languages,
&c., &c., &c., on sale
at 232 Bourke Street
East, near Parliament
houses, Melbourne.
(Melbourne : Printed
by Clarson, Shallard, [1864]).
The way people read, acquire and store books
has changed over time. Here is an image of
the interior of Dwight’s bookshop in Bourke
Street East. Availability of books affects how
individuals read. Much of what was available in
Dwight’s was not on public display.
73.Hall’s Book Store (Firm).
Novels for your entertainment :
Secondhand, equal to new. Hall’s Book
Store, 371 Bourke Street, Melbourne.
(Melbourne : Hall’s Book Store, 193-?).
As in the example above, availability played a
part in what people read. Study of booksellers’
lists and advertisements provide a window into
the market. In this Hall’s booklet is a “List of
Modern Reading.”
74.Vialatte, Alexandre, 1901-1971.
Fruit of the Congo / by Alexandre
Vialatte. (London : Museum Press
Limited, 1954).
Desire for fiction and recreational reading grew
through the nineteenth century. As books were
expensive and novels were read and discarded,
privately run circulating and subscription
libraries arose. Public libraries held little in the
way of fiction because the genre was frowned
upon. In the private libraries patrons paid a
yearly subscription to borrow books. Here is a
book from the Acland Library, St. Kilda.
75.Melbourne Athenaeum.
Quarterly list, January, 1961. The
Melbourne Athenaeum library and
reading room. (Melbourne : Melbourne
Athenaeum, 1961).
This is another example of a subscription
library. The pamphlet provides a list of books
and prices for subscriptions and rules. The
rates were £1 12s. 6d. per year for one book
at a time. Country members paid £5 5s, as a
minimum for six books.
14
Flat case 10
Censorship
76.Index librorum prohibitorum :
sanctissimi domini nostri Pii septimi
pontificis maximi jussu editus.
ensorship. (Romæ : ex typographia
rev. Camerae apostolicae, 1819).
The Index of Prohibited Books was
published by the Catholic
Church from 1559 to
1948. It was abolished
in 1966. The list was
most influential in Catholic
countries rather than in
England and Australia. On
the list were names such as
Sartre, Voltaire and Diderot.
The frontispiece in the edition
on display celebrates the
burning of condemned books.
77.Bradbury, Ray, 1920-.
Fahrenheit 451 / Ray Bradbury.
(London : Hart-Davis, 1954).
Similar image of book burning but used in a
sinister manner. The novel is about a futuristic
bookless society.
78.Bennett, John Tuson.
Freedom of expression in Australia / by
John Bennett. 2nd ed. [Prahran, Victoria
: Hallcraft Printers], 1968. Endorsed
by Victorian Council for Civil Liberties.
Includes, loosely inserted, press cutting, “The
books you cannot read : a revised list of nearly
90 books banned by the government”, from
The Australian, 21 August 1965.
79.Harcourt, J. M.
(John Mewton),
1902-1971.
Upsurge. (London :
John Long Limited,
[1934]).
Upsurge was banned
in all of Australia in
November 1934. It
contained sexually explicit
passages and was
labelled as ‘communist propaganda.’
80.Close, Robert S. (Robert Shaw),
1903-.
Love me sailor / by Robert S. Close
; with decorations by Geoffrey C.
Ingleton. (Melbourne : Georgian
House, 1945).
Close and Georgian House were charged
with obscene libel in 1946. The author was
sentenced to three months gaol, quashed
on appeal.
Flat case 11
Australian
81.Bonwick, James, 1817-1906.
The bushrangers : illustrating the
early days of Van Diemen’s Land / by
James Bonwick. (Melbourne : George
Robertson, 1856).
George Robertson was an important figure
in Australian book history. His was the
largest bookselling and publishing concern in
Melbourne from 1852 and into the first quarter
of the twentieth century. Displayed is an early
publication issued by Robertson.
84.Clarson, Massina & Co.
Clarson, Massina, & Co’s weather
almanac and general guide and
handbook for Victoria : with map
engraved especially for this almanac,
for 1870. (Melbourne : Clarson, Massina
& Co., 1870).
Almanacs, displayed here and below, are
a representative part of the early publishing
in Australia. These were localised and
timely publications.
82.Steel, H. Peden.
A crown of wattle / by H. Peden Steel.
(Sydney : Angus & Robertson, 1888).
Angus & Robertson was perhaps the most
active and influential Australian publisher.
Publishing the likes of Banjo Patterson and
Henry Lawson. Displayed is the first book
published by the firm.
83.Cole, E. W. (Edward William),
1832-1918.
Cole’s funny picture book, no. 2 /
compiled by E.W. Cole. 7th
ed. (Melbourne : E.W.
Cole, Book Arcade, 1925).
85.Mason & Firth.
Victorian almanac for 1903 : and
astronomical ephemeris containing all
necessary information, reduced to the
meridian and longitude of Melbourne.
([Melbourne : Mason & Firth], 1903)
E.W. Cole’s Book Arcade
with its rainbow façade was
a Melbourne institution for
the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries. Displayed
with the book is a bookmark with
“Calendar for 1926” on verso.
15
86.Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870.
The posthumous papers of the
Pickwick Club / by Charles Dickens
; with illustrations, after Phiz.
Launceston, (V.D. Land [Tasmania] :
Henry Dowling, 1838 [i.e. 1839]).
The Pickwick
Papers was a
hugely popular
book in the
nineteenth
century. It was
pirated around
the world.
Despite having
no rights to the publication, Henry Dowling
brought out the book in parts then, as here, in
a single volume with pirated illustrations. This is
a rare example of an Australian publisher taking
advantage of the precariousness of international
copyright before the Berne Convention.
87.Sydney Mechanics’ School of
Arts. Library.
Catalogue of the
works in the library of
the Sydney Mechanics’
School of Arts. (Sydney
: Sydney Mechanics’
School of Arts, 1874).
(Sydney : Joseph
Cook & Co.).
Similar to the almanacs
(see Item 84), publishing for
organisations was a staple
for Australian firms. This extensive catalogue
also shows the importance of Mechanics
Institutes as centres for reading and private
learning in Australia.
16
Small upright case
Australian
88.FitzGerald, Robert D. (Robert
David), 1902-1987.
Heemskerck Shoals / written by
Robert D. FitzGerald ; and decorated
by a map and fifteen designs after
drawings done by Geoffrey C.
Ingleton, Memorial ed. (Fern Tree
Gully Lower, Vic. : Mountainside
Press, 1949).
A highly collectable book for bibliophiles.
This book was hand-printed by John T. Kirtley
at his Mountainside Press. Fitzgerald was an
established poet who ventured into private
printing. Heemskerck Shoals was his fourth
book and an elaborate production. Private
printing of this sort and the items in this
case show a great tradition in Australia for
fine printing.
89.Slessor, Kenneth, 1901-1971.
The sea poems of Kenneth Slessor /
wood-engravings by Mike Hudson,
introduction by Dennis Haskell.
(Canberra : Officina Brindabella,
1990). Limited ed.
Australia is a relatively small publishing
market. Private press publications with
limited editions are possible and Australia
has seen many fine presses operate over the
years. Brindabella and Wayzgoose are two
of the best examples.
90.Brunsdon, Jyoti, 1941-.
The cure / Jyoti Brunsdon. (Katoomba
[N.S.W] : Wayzgoose Press, 1992).
Limited ed.
Corridor Cases
Images and books illustrative of printing
processes.
Screens
Historical timeline for the history of the book
Ground Floor Case
Selection of type specimen books.
William Caslon’s type specimen sheet was
an entry in Ephraim Chambers’ Cyclopoedia,
published between 1784 and 1789. Many fonts
used today are based on his designs
17
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Cover: The frontispiece in the 1819 edition of Index librorum prohibitorum
(the Catholic Church’s Index of Prohibited Books) celebrated the burning
of condemned books.
12P-514
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