Ruskin’s universal law, that “neither architecture nor any other noble work of man can be good unless it be imperfect,” applies no less to our type designs. Types are made to use, and when spontaneous in design, the natural irregularities and deficiencies are signs of life and sources of beauty, giving credit to the designer for careful craftsmanship according to his ability. The demand for perfection is evidence of a misunderstanding of the true ends of art.
EXAMPLE 528-A
The first “imprint,” as found on Fust and Schœffer’s Psalter of 1457 From De Vinne
EXAMPLE 528-B
Colophon and imprint by Peter Schœffer, 1476 From the original in the Typographic Library and Museum, Jersey City
IMPRINTS
The printer’s name or device should, with all regard to good taste, be placed on every well-executed piece of work produced by him. That this is not more often done is due to neglect of advertising opportunities and to fear of the customer’s objection. Why should not the printer mark his product as other craftsmen and manufacturers do? Each piece of clothing he wears, from hat to shoes, probably carries the name or trademark of its maker, as do automobiles, pianos, watches, silverware and many other articles he owns. The maker’s name and trademark are a guarantee of a certain quality of product; in fact, they are absent only on cheap or imitative articles. If the printer is doing careless work and giving no thought to quality, he had better hide his identity, but if he is really producing good printing, as a duty to the craft of which he is a member he should “let his light shine before men.”
EXAMPLE 529
The first imprint-device, and three marks based on it