The Early Oxford Press / A Bibliography of Printing and Publishing at Oxford, '1468'-1640; With Notes, Appendixes and Illustrations

by Falconer Madan

WATERMARKS.

At present the study of watermarks has not reached a stage at which they are able to contribute scientific proofs of high importance, nor will any proof be ever deducible from them except the earliest possible occurrence of an undated issue, although probabilities of concurrent printing may be arrived at. Only some plain facts, therefore, will be stated with respect to their occurrence in the early Oxford books.

If we take the first group (the Jerome, Aretinus and Aegidius), we find no less than 26, out of a total of 50. The Rufinus has seven (two shared with the others, one shared with the Aretinus only, one shared with the Latteburius, and three peculiar to itself). The Aretinus has 22, most of which are found in the later groups, but eight are peculiar to itself. The Aegidius has two only, common to the group.

In the second group (Cicero, Ales, Latteburius, Latin Grammar) there appear to be 28, of which four are common to all the groups, one is shared only with group one, seven only with group three, and sixteen are peculiar.

In the third group 38 occur, four of which are common to all the groups, nine are shared with the first alone, seven with the second alone, and eighteen are peculiar.