Christopher Plantin & The Officina Plantiniana. A sketch by Saul Marks, and a translation by Peter van der Pas of the Flemish text describing the Office Rules at the Golden Compasses, Antwerp, c. 1563.
Los Angeles: The Plantin Press, 1972. One of 140 copies printed by Saul and Lillian Marks. Presentation copy, inscribed by Marks on the colophon. Woodcut device of a compass in brown on the title-page, decorative initial letters in blue-green, second compass device in black on the colophon. Full-page portrait of Plantin. A fine copy in a very good+ dust jacket with the original prospectus laid in. Tan printed boards. In the original dust jacket, printed in orange, with minor toning. Octavo. [10], 44, [4] pp. Item #12969
A printing of the talk Saul Marks made about the Christopher Plantin before the Zamorano Club, based on the work of Plantin scholars Max Rooses, Maurice Sabbe, Leon Voet, T.F. Dibdin, Theodore Low De Vinne, Colin Clair, Harry Carter, Ray Nash, and others. Also included are "The Office Rules at the Golden Compasses," translated by Peter van der Pas, which are the Master's "standing orders" for those employed at his printing office; such rules include not discussing religion (a heavy fine is imposed on violators), not using obscene language or telling untrue stories, not removing proofs, printed sheets, or anything else from the office, and not discussing the goings-on of the printer's office with outsiders, among many others.
Price: $300.00