First published in 1901, this is a rich repository of typefaces (including English, Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, Arabic, Hebrew and Cyrillic), ornaments, borders and various decorative devices used in books printed at the University Press, Cambridge, until 1900. Highlights of the compilation include a wide range of historical typefaces (including Caslon, Marr, Figgins, Blake, and Miller and Richards), stylish borders, corners and head and tail pieces, university and college shields, and a detailed catalogue of Egyptian hieroglyphs. It also contains sections on accented letters and signs, 'poster founts' and ornately styled initial letters. Prefaced with a brief 'Historical Sketch' by J. W. Clark, a noted Cambridge academic and antiquarian, Specimens is a valuable archive of the craft of lettering and design before the advent of the digital age that will delight bibliophiles, typographers and collectors.
