G-20. Bibliographer's Toolkit: Printed Books to 1800

David Whitesell

An introduction to the physical aspects of books from the hand-press period. The course will cover the description and identification of paper (laid vs. wove, watermarks); typography (identification of type styles, dating books from their design); printing and illustration processes (letterpress, intaglio), binding materials (tanned skins, parchment, paper) and styles (dating bindings); and provenance (inscriptions, bookplates, the ways in which books have been physically altered by later owners). Topics include: how to read a bibliographical description of a hand-press-period book (format, collation, signings, pagination); edition, issue, and state; where to find out more about physical aspects of pre-1800 books. The course will rely heavily on RBS's rich collection of examples of books and related materials produced during the hand-press period.

The course is intended for collectors, dealers, librarians, teachers and others who need an introduction to the nomenclature of printed books produced before 1800. In their personal statement, applicants should describe the extent of their background in the history of books and printing, the nature of their interest in the subject, and how they expect to apply what they learn.

Course Resources

Course History