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Theodore Low De Vinne

Theodore Low De Vinne (December 25, 1828 – February 16, 1914) was an American printer and scholarly author on typography. Considered "the leading commercial printer of his day,"[3] De Vinne did much for the improvement of American printing and typography. [4]

Theodore Low De Vinne
Bust of Theodore Low De Vinne by Chester Beach
Born(1828-12-25)December 25, 1828
DiedFebruary 16, 1914(1914-02-16) (aged 85)
Occupation(s)Printer, typographer
EmployerDe Vinne Press
OrganizationGrolier Club
Parent(s)Daniel De Vinné[1] and Joanna Augusta Low[2]
Signature

Life and career

 
The De Vinne Press printers mark, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress

De Vinne was born at Stamford, Connecticut, and educated in the common schools of the various towns where his father, an itinerant Methodist minister,[2] had pastorates. He learned the rudiments of printing while employed in a shop at Fishkill, New York. He worked at the Newburgh, New York Gazette, then moved to New York City. In 1850 he was hired as a compositor by the printing shop of Francis Hart in New York, where he rose to the position of foreman within a year, which included duties as shop manager.[5] He became a partner in Hart's business in 1858 and assumed sole proprietorship of the firm upon Hart's death in 1877, eventually renaming it to Theodore L. De Vinne & Co. in 1883.[6]

While still a partner of Hart's, De Vinne managed to steer the business from job printing to the more lucrative and prestigious book and periodical trade, mostly thanks to his excellence in printing wood engravings.[7] De Vinne's commercial success and high repute derived in large measure from the collaboration with his main client in this market segment, The Century Company, for whom he printed the popular St. Nicholas Magazine[8] and The Century Magazine,[9] as well as many books, such as George Kennan's influential Siberia and The Exile System,[10] as well as large multi-volume works such as The Century Dictionary[11][12] and John Nicolay and John Hay's authoritative biography of Abraham Lincoln.[13]

In 1886, with his business greatly expanded and seeking to increase its printing capacity, he moved the company to the De Vinne Press Building on Lafayette Place, a model plant designed by himself in collaboration with the architects Babb, Cook & Willard.[14][15] The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1966, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[16]

De Vinne either commissioned Linn Boyd Benton, or co-designed in conjunction with Benton, the still-popular Century Roman typeface for use by The Century Magazine.[17] For use at his own press, he also commissioned Linotype to produce De Vinne, an updated Elzevir (or French Oldstyle) type, and the Bruce Typefoundry to produce Renner, a Venetian face.[18] However, De Vinne's was not closely involved with the design of "De Vinne" and he ultimately was somewhat unhappy with the typeface.[19]

In 1865 De Vinne was a co-founder of the Typothetae, a trade organization of master printers, which was a predecessor of the Printing Industries of America.[20] He was also one of nine men who founded the Grolier Club in 1884,[21] and he was printer to the Club for the first two decades of its existence and designed and printed most of its publications during his lifetime.[22]

Works

De Vinne started his writing career at the age of thirty, as soon as he had become a partner in Hart's printing office.[23] A prolific author in the periodical printing trade press, he also wrote a number of books on the history and practice of printing. His books include:

  • The printers' Price List (1871),[24] an item-by-item list of pricing recommendations for job and book printing based on systematic cost accounting, designed to counteract the practice of underbidding among fellow printers.[25]
  • The Invention of Printing (1876),[26] an investigation of the claims of Laurens Coster to be inventor of printing with movable type, and awarding the honor to Gutenberg
  • Historic Printing Types (1886)[27]
  • Plain Printing Types (1900)[28] (The Practice of Typography, vol. 1)
  • Correct Composition (1901)[29] (The Practice of Typography, vol. 2), a leading style guide for compositors, proofreaders and authors.[30]
  • A Treatise on Title-Pages (1902)[31] (The Practice of Typography, vol. 3), a revision of his earlier Title Pages as seen by a Printer,[32] published by the Grolier Club in 1901.[33]
  • Modern Methods of Book Composition (1904)[34] (The Practice of Typography, vol. 4)
  • Notable Printers of Italy during the Fifteenth Century (1910)[35]

See also

References

  1. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, p. 5.
  2. ^ a b Irene Tichenor 2005, p. 7.
  3. ^ Allan Metcalf 1996, p. 24.
  4. ^ Koenig, M. “De Vinne and the De Vinne Press.” The Library Quarterly 41 (1971): 1–24.
  5. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, pp. 13–20.
  6. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, pp. 55–67.
  7. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, p. 32.
  8. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, p. 36–38.
  9. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, p. 106–112.
  10. ^ John, Arthur (1981). The best years of the Century : Richard Watson Gilder, Scribner's monthly, and the Century Magazine, 1870–1909. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 130–132. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  11. ^ Allan Metcalf 1996, pp. 18–27.
  12. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, p. 90–92.
  13. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, p. 101.
  14. ^ Dunlap, David W. (February 19, 2014). "Celebrating a Building That Has Stood for Decades as a Symbol of the Press". The New York Times. New York. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  15. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, pp. 71–81.
  16. ^ Gray, Christopher (April 13, 2003). "Streetscapes/De Vinne Press Building, Fourth and Lafayette Streets; An Understated Masterpiece That Earns Its Keep". The New York Times. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  17. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, pp. 106–109.
  18. ^ Mac MacGrew, "American Metal Typefaces of the Twentieth Century, Oak Knoll Books, New Castle Delaware, 1993. ISBN 0938768344
  19. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, pp. 125–126.
  20. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, pp. 24–26.
  21. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, pp. 68–70.
  22. ^ "The De Vinne Centennial". American Printing History Association. February 16, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  23. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, p. 23.
  24. ^ De Vinne, Theodore Low (1871). The printers' Price List A manual for the Use of Clerks and Book-Keepers in Job Printing Offices. New York: Francis Hart & Co. hdl:2027/uc2.ark:/13960/t0tq5sp4s.
  25. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, pp. 23–26.
  26. ^ De Vinne, Theodore Low (1876). The Invention of Printing: A Collection of Facts and Opinions. New York: F. Hart & Co. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  27. ^ De Vinne, Theodore Low (1886). Historic Printing Types. New York: De Vinne Press.
  28. ^ De Vinne, Theodore Low (1900). Plain Printing Types. The Practice of Typography. New York: The Century Co.
  29. ^ De Vinne, Theodore Low (1901). Correct Composition. The Practice of Typography. New York: The Century Co.
  30. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, p. 138.
  31. ^ De Vinne, Theodore Low (1902). A Treatise on Title-Pages. The Practice of Typography. New York: The Century Co.
  32. ^ De Vinne, Theodore Low (1901). Title Pages As Seen By A Printer. New York: The Grolier Club. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  33. ^ Irene Tichenor 2005, p. 139.
  34. ^ De Vinne, Theodore Low (1904). Modern Methods of Book Composition. The Practice of Typography. New York: The Century Co.
  35. ^ De Vinne, Theodore Low (1910). Notable printers of Italy during the fifteenth century. New York: The Grolier Club.

Sources

  • Metcalf, Allan (1996). "Typography". Dictionaries: Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America. 17 (1): 17–28. doi:10.1353/dic.1996.0018. ISSN 2160-5076. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  • Tichenor, Irene (2005). No Art Without Craft: The Life of Theodore Low De Vinne, Printer. Boston: David R. Godine. ISBN 978-1-56792-286-8.

External links

theodore, vinne, december, 1828, february, 1914, american, printer, scholarly, author, typography, considered, leading, commercial, printer, vinne, much, improvement, american, printing, typography, bust, chester, beachborn, 1828, december, 1828stamford, conne. Theodore Low De Vinne December 25 1828 February 16 1914 was an American printer and scholarly author on typography Considered the leading commercial printer of his day 3 De Vinne did much for the improvement of American printing and typography 4 Theodore Low De VinneBust of Theodore Low De Vinne by Chester BeachBorn 1828 12 25 December 25 1828Stamford ConnecticutDiedFebruary 16 1914 1914 02 16 aged 85 New York NYOccupation s Printer typographerEmployerDe Vinne PressOrganizationGrolier ClubParent s Daniel De Vinne 1 and Joanna Augusta Low 2 Signature Contents 1 Life and career 2 Works 3 See also 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksLife and career Edit The De Vinne Press printers mark Thomas Jefferson Building Library of Congress De Vinne was born at Stamford Connecticut and educated in the common schools of the various towns where his father an itinerant Methodist minister 2 had pastorates He learned the rudiments of printing while employed in a shop at Fishkill New York He worked at the Newburgh New York Gazette then moved to New York City In 1850 he was hired as a compositor by the printing shop of Francis Hart in New York where he rose to the position of foreman within a year which included duties as shop manager 5 He became a partner in Hart s business in 1858 and assumed sole proprietorship of the firm upon Hart s death in 1877 eventually renaming it to Theodore L De Vinne amp Co in 1883 6 While still a partner of Hart s De Vinne managed to steer the business from job printing to the more lucrative and prestigious book and periodical trade mostly thanks to his excellence in printing wood engravings 7 De Vinne s commercial success and high repute derived in large measure from the collaboration with his main client in this market segment The Century Company for whom he printed the popular St Nicholas Magazine 8 and The Century Magazine 9 as well as many books such as George Kennan s influential Siberia and The Exile System 10 as well as large multi volume works such as The Century Dictionary 11 12 and John Nicolay and John Hay s authoritative biography of Abraham Lincoln 13 In 1886 with his business greatly expanded and seeking to increase its printing capacity he moved the company to the De Vinne Press Building on Lafayette Place a model plant designed by himself in collaboration with the architects Babb Cook amp Willard 14 15 The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1966 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 16 De Vinne either commissioned Linn Boyd Benton or co designed in conjunction with Benton the still popular Century Roman typeface for use by The Century Magazine 17 For use at his own press he also commissioned Linotype to produce De Vinne an updated Elzevir or French Oldstyle type and the Bruce Typefoundry to produce Renner a Venetian face 18 However De Vinne s was not closely involved with the design of De Vinne and he ultimately was somewhat unhappy with the typeface 19 In 1865 De Vinne was a co founder of the Typothetae a trade organization of master printers which was a predecessor of the Printing Industries of America 20 He was also one of nine men who founded the Grolier Club in 1884 21 and he was printer to the Club for the first two decades of its existence and designed and printed most of its publications during his lifetime 22 Works EditDe Vinne started his writing career at the age of thirty as soon as he had become a partner in Hart s printing office 23 A prolific author in the periodical printing trade press he also wrote a number of books on the history and practice of printing His books include The printers Price List 1871 24 an item by item list of pricing recommendations for job and book printing based on systematic cost accounting designed to counteract the practice of underbidding among fellow printers 25 The Invention of Printing 1876 26 an investigation of the claims of Laurens Coster to be inventor of printing with movable type and awarding the honor to Gutenberg Historic Printing Types 1886 27 Plain Printing Types 1900 28 The Practice of Typography vol 1 Correct Composition 1901 29 The Practice of Typography vol 2 a leading style guide for compositors proofreaders and authors 30 A Treatise on Title Pages 1902 31 The Practice of Typography vol 3 a revision of his earlier Title Pages as seen by a Printer 32 published by the Grolier Club in 1901 33 Modern Methods of Book Composition 1904 34 The Practice of Typography vol 4 Notable Printers of Italy during the Fifteenth Century 1910 35 See also EditDe Vinne Press Building The Century Company The Century Magazine Century DictionaryReferences Edit Irene Tichenor 2005 p 5 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help a b Irene Tichenor 2005 p 7 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help Allan Metcalf 1996 p 24 sfn error no target CITEREFAllan Metcalf1996 help Koenig M De Vinne and the De Vinne Press The Library Quarterly 41 1971 1 24 Irene Tichenor 2005 pp 13 20 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help Irene Tichenor 2005 pp 55 67 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help Irene Tichenor 2005 p 32 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help Irene Tichenor 2005 p 36 38 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help Irene Tichenor 2005 p 106 112 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help John Arthur 1981 The best years of the Century Richard Watson Gilder Scribner s monthly and the Century Magazine 1870 1909 Urbana University of Illinois Press pp 130 132 Retrieved June 18 2020 Allan Metcalf 1996 pp 18 27 sfn error no target CITEREFAllan Metcalf1996 help Irene Tichenor 2005 p 90 92 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help Irene Tichenor 2005 p 101 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help Dunlap David W February 19 2014 Celebrating a Building That Has Stood for Decades as a Symbol of the Press The New York Times New York ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved June 29 2020 Irene Tichenor 2005 pp 71 81 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help Gray Christopher April 13 2003 Streetscapes De Vinne Press Building Fourth and Lafayette Streets An Understated Masterpiece That Earns Its Keep The New York Times Retrieved November 24 2017 Irene Tichenor 2005 pp 106 109 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help Mac MacGrew American Metal Typefaces of the Twentieth Century Oak Knoll Books New Castle Delaware 1993 ISBN 0938768344 Irene Tichenor 2005 pp 125 126 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help Irene Tichenor 2005 pp 24 26 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help Irene Tichenor 2005 pp 68 70 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help The De Vinne Centennial American Printing History Association February 16 2014 Retrieved December 7 2016 Irene Tichenor 2005 p 23 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help De Vinne Theodore Low 1871 The printers Price List A manual for the Use of Clerks and Book Keepers in Job Printing Offices New York Francis Hart amp Co hdl 2027 uc2 ark 13960 t0tq5sp4s Irene Tichenor 2005 pp 23 26 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help De Vinne Theodore Low 1876 The Invention of Printing A Collection of Facts and Opinions New York F Hart amp Co Retrieved June 25 2020 De Vinne Theodore Low 1886 Historic Printing Types New York De Vinne Press De Vinne Theodore Low 1900 Plain Printing Types The Practice of Typography New York The Century Co De Vinne Theodore Low 1901 Correct Composition The Practice of Typography New York The Century Co Irene Tichenor 2005 p 138 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help De Vinne Theodore Low 1902 A Treatise on Title Pages The Practice of Typography New York The Century Co De Vinne Theodore Low 1901 Title Pages As Seen By A Printer New York The Grolier Club Retrieved July 7 2020 Irene Tichenor 2005 p 139 sfn error no target CITEREFIrene Tichenor2005 help De Vinne Theodore Low 1904 Modern Methods of Book Composition The Practice of Typography New York The Century Co De Vinne Theodore Low 1910 Notable printers of Italy during the fifteenth century New York The Grolier Club Sources EditMetcalf Allan 1996 Typography Dictionaries Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America 17 1 17 28 doi 10 1353 dic 1996 0018 ISSN 2160 5076 Retrieved July 2 2020 Tichenor Irene 2005 No Art Without Craft The Life of Theodore Low De Vinne Printer Boston David R Godine ISBN 978 1 56792 286 8 External links Edit Wikisource has original works by or about Theodore Low De Vinne Works by Theodore Low De Vinne at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Theodore Low De Vinne at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Theodore Low De Vinne amp oldid 1128044411, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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