Specimen Book of Type and Borders cast on point bodies. Catalogue of printing materials. 4to, 29cm, pagination complex, [c.320p], London: R.H. Stevens & Co., [Successors to V. & J. Figgins], The Southwark Street Type Foundry, (?1928).
A fscinating type specimen book containing many founts not listed in Turner, Berry & Johnson (or at least not under these names), plus a very full collection of borders and ornaments as well as Greek and Cyrillic founts. Printed in many colours. Immediately traceable is the Bristol Series (1925), Clarence Condensed (1910), Expanded Antique (1880 - inherited from Figgins) and Gresham Series (1925). The llatest additions to the books were Rosart (1925) Olympia, Engravers Shaded, Special Type for tickets, but there is much else that would repay investigation (Lining Sirdar, Columbus, Fancy Black, Mikado, Minster Series, Penman, Regina, Rhodesian, Sandringham Series, Strand series). Red cloth, spine and upper cover gilt, spine a little soiled. A very good bright copy.
Pagination runs: Title, Index, 1-10, 10a-10k [The Lining Minster Family], 11-70, 70a-70b, 71-170, [170a-170d], 171-176, 176a-176d [Gaelic], 177-226, 226a-226c [Surrey Borders], 227-232, 232a, 233-251[1], Index 43p. (I have ignored many minor inserts.)
There are some problems with dating this specimen book. The only references to it I have come across suggest 1923 - clearly impossible for this copy, although it may well be of late issue. As a terminal date, R.H. Stevens merged with P.H. Shanks in 1932 (a suggested merger with Stephenson Blake having fallen through in 1928) to form Stevens-Shanks. The price-list at the rear is undated, although some items on offer are clearly from the Figgins era. Internal evidence of display advertisements is unhelpful as someone clearly had an impish sense of humour. Probably the commonest year mentioned "in the text" is 1928, but 1932 is common too (and not just on inserted leaves). That said, the compositor was quite happy to cast back to 1910 and 1918, or even as far ahead as 1970 or 1987. The 1928 date does make most sense but also, very happily, there is a loosely inserted price list dated September 1929.
