A fascinating collection of ephemera
I recently acquired a box of fascinating typographic ephemera dating to the 1920s and 1930s, apparently collected by someone with the initials and monogram JAH, and probably based in England, as I am. The core of the collection is a set of prints of thousands of illuminated and decorated initial letters accumulated from many sources, including many of the great – and lesser – printers of the day; but there are also a few keepsakes, prints and specimen pages from many diverse sources: Bradley Press (London); Gwasg Gregynog; Golden Cockerel Press; Alcuin Press (Gloucestershire); Pelican Press; Merrymount Press; Acorn Press, Omaha (with illustrations by Thorsten Lindberg); and greetings cards from the artist Rudolf Hála. The collector was evidently someone deeply immersed in the printing fraternity of the period, both in Britain and in America. Any clues as to the identity of JAH would be most welcome.
jah.jpg
G’day…….
I don’t know who or what JAH is, but I think the logo looks like the Roycroft logo…..db
G’day…….
I don’t know who or what JAH is, but I think the logo looks like the Roycroft logo…..db
You’re right, it certainly does - I wonder if JAH had links of some kind with Roycroft Press?
Thanks for the suggestion!
Elbert Hubbard was the founder of Roycroft. His wife’s name was Alice. Perhaps it is her initials. Google it.
Yes, certainly a possible connection: thank you. I’ll let you know where the trail leads - if anywhere!
I have just discovered that this printer’s device (with different initials) was used in Europe as early as the late fifteenth century, and used occasionally by various printers thereafter.
Looks like done with type and brass rule?