It was, apparently, highly esteemed in its day. “Mr. Caslon,” says Hansard, writing only six years after the event, “transferred to the Sheffield founders such a specimen of type and flowers as will ever cause us printers to regret the loss of such a competitor for fame in this difficult business.”
Messrs. Blake, Garnett & Co., a firm formed for the special purpose of acquiring the type business, issued their first specimen, above referred to, very shortly after the transfer of the business to its new quarters. Their prefatory note is interesting, not only as recording the transaction, but as intimating that the Oriental and Foreign founts, which had formed so conspicuous a feature of the previous specimens of the foundry, had also found their way to Sheffield:—
“Blake, Garnett and Co. beg leave respectfully to inform the trade that they have purchased the whole of Mr. Caslon’s Foundery, which, in addition to the Specimens here offered to their inspection, contains founts of Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic, Saxon, German, etc. from Brevier to Double Pica, chiefly modern, also every kind of Accented letters, . . . . . . and a variety of other Sorts, of which Specimens are not yet printed.” {329}
The activity of the new proprietors resulted in a rapid increase in the extent and business of the foundry. Supplementary specimens were frequently issued between 1820 and 1830, when the style of the firm became Blake and Stephenson. Mr. Stephenson was a man of great energy, practical skill and artistic taste, and it is to his exertions that the rapidly-achieved eminence of the house was chiefly due. In 1841, the firm took its present style of Stephenson, Blake & Co. Mr. Stephenson directed the operations of the Sheffield foundry until 1860, when the management devolved on his son, Mr. Henry Stephenson, in whose hands it still remains.
LIST OF SPECIMENS, 1765–1831.
- No date. Jackson’s first Specimen of one fount. 1765? (Referred to by Nichols, Lit. Anec., ii, 360.) (Lost.)
- 1783. Jackson’s second Specimen (described by Mores, Dissert., p. 83.) (Lost.)
- No date. Specimen of the Deo Nagri or Hindvi Type, cut for the purpose of printing a Grammar and Dictionary of that Language under the Direction of William Kirkpatrick, Captain in the Service of the Honourable East India Company, and Persian Secretary to the Commander in Chief in India. By Joseph Jackson, Letter Founder, Salisbury Court, Fleet Street. 1784? Broadside. (J. F.)
- 1798. A Specimen of Printing Types by William Caslon, Letter Founder to the King, Salisbury Square, London. 1798. 8vo. (W. B.)
- 1798. A Specimen of Cast Ornaments by William Caslon, Letter Founder to the King. London. Printed by C. Whittingham. 1798. 8vo. (W. B.)
- 1803. A Specimen of Printing Types by W. Caslon and Son, Letter Founders to the King. London. Printed by C. Whittingham, Dean Street, Fetter Lane. 1803. 8vo. (Caslon.)
- 1807. The above Specimen, with additions, and title, altered from “W. Caslon and Son, 1803,” to “W. Caslon, junr., 1807.” (Caslon.)
- No date. A Specimen of Printing Types, etc., by Blake, Garnett and Co. (successors to Mr. W. Caslon, of London), Letter Founders, Sheffield. (1819.) 8vo. (T. B. R.)
- 1826. Supplement to Blake, Garnett and Co.’s Specimen, 1826. 8vo. (Caxt. Cel., 4405.)
- 1827. Specimen of Printing Types by Blake, Garnett and Co. (successors to Mr. W. Caslon of London), Letter Founders, Allen Street, Sheffield. 1827. 8vo. (Caxt. Cel., 4406.)
- 1827–8. Supplements to Blake, Garnett and Co.’s Specimen, 1827 and 1828. 8vo. (Caxt. Cel., 4408.)
- 1830. Select Specimen of Printing Types by Blake and Stephenson, Sheffield. 1830. 8vo. (Caxt. Cel., 4414.)
- 1831. Specimen of Printing Types by Blake and Stephenson (successors to Mr. W. Caslon of London), Letter Founders, Sheffield. 1831. 8vo. (S. B. & Co.)
