SPECIMENS OF PRINTING TYPES MADE AT BRUCE'S NEW-YORK TYPE-FOUNDRY, ESTABLISHED IN 1813. [With] THE INVENTION OF PRINTING, A COLLECTION OF FACTS AND OPINIONS . ILLUSTRATED WITH FAC-SIMILES OF EARLY TYPES AND WOOD-CUTS

thick 4to. later quarter brown leather over pebbled cloth-covered boards, original cover title and date laid-down. Frontispiece,352; 168 pages. Two volumes bound in one as issued. First edition (Annenberg p.83; Bigmore & Wyman I,167). Minor rubbing to the extremities of the binding, publisher's binding instructions on front pastedown, foxing to the frontispiece and title page, heavy dampstain to the top corner of pages 15-22, else a near fine copy. This specimen book contains the first appearance of De Vinne's important thesis on printing, set up in the form of a specimen book. This work is not just a compilation of previous works but contains original thinking backed up by many examples. De Vinne says in his preface that he paid more attention to the actual mechanics of printing than had been done previously. Specimen sections contains specimens of Caslon, Pica Aldine, Agate, Diamond, Pica roman and italic, and many others. With original presentation bookplate which has been filled in with ink noting that this was copy number 141 issued March 1st, 1882 to Mr. John Kirkpatrick of Cambridge, Ohio". A well-preserved copy. Founded in 1813, the firm grew and grew and in 1866 came under the direction of David Wolfe Bruce, son of George Bruce. "In 1878 [David] conceived the idea of incorporating his friend Theodore Low De Vinne's book The invention of printing, as an addenda to his type catalogue and it was bound in as an additional 168 leaves. The idea was repeated in 1882 and David always termed this catalogue the crowning work of his career."--Annnenberg. This catalogue is thus perhaps the single most desirable specimen of the prolific Bruce firm (except, of course, for the first which is unobtainable). The firm ceased operation in 1901. later quarter brown leather over pebbled cloth-covered boards, original cover title and date laid-down.…