Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/235

IRecorb of BfblfograpbE anb SLtbrars ^Literature, Erhard Ratdolt and his work at Venice. A paper read before the Bibliographical Society, November 2Oth, 1893, by Gilbert R. Redgrave. London : Printed for the Biblio- graphical Society at the Chiswick Press, April, 1894. 4-to, pp. 50. [Issued only to members of the society.] The first of the " Illustrated Monographs issued by the Biblio- graphical Society" is now before us, and augurs well for the work that the society proposes to accomplish in the future. We are glad to learn that the number of members in the British section at the time of the closing of the Roll had risen to 228, and that it is expected that America, France, and Germany between them will bring up the total membership to 300 by the end of the year. The society will thus be amply provided with funds ; and if all of its authors will choose as interesting fields of research and work them as thoroughly as Mr. Redgrave has done in this account of Ratdolt's career at Venice, a successful future is assured. Mr. Redgrave's monograph consists of two parts ; the paper which he read before the society in November of last year, and an elaborate bibliography. In the paper he briefly reviews some incidents of the history of printing at Venice up to the publica- tion, by Ratdolt and his partners, of the Kalendars of 1476 (the first books with ornamental title-pages), and then hazards the interesting conjecture that Ratdolt may have employed part of the two years between his disappearance from Augsburg in 1474, and his first Venetian publications, in studying printing under their author, the celebrated astronomer, Johannes Regiomontanus (Johann Miiller), who from 1472 to his summons to Rome in 1475, was printing at Nuremberg. Mr. Redgrave mentions, on the authority of a correspondent, that "the Roman type, used by Miiller at Nuremberg, resembles, in certain respects, that employed by Ratdolt, and that the ornament found in the works of Miiller is distinctly in the pen and ink manner, and bears traces of Italian rather than German influence." It is a pity that the rarity of the books he printed makes it difficult to establish this fully, as it would be interesting to set the point at rest. At present there is little more than the undoubted fondness of Ratdolt for the works of Miiller in favour of -the hypothesis, as' most fifteenth century printers seem to have taken a considerable time in getting their types cut and their presses in order, and we must, therefore, not make too much of the two years' interval between Ratdolt's leaving Augsburg and issuing his first book at Venice. In tracing Ratdolt's career during his ten years' residence in Italy, Mr. Redgrave passes in review his more important books commenting on their points of interest. He alludes to the now exploded theory that his partner in 1476, Bernhardus Pictor, or Bernhard Maler, may have been the b of the woodcuts in the Hypnerotomachia of 1499, the initial being now generally regarded as belonging to an engraver, or school of engravers, and not to the artist. Another theory easily disposed of is that of Butsch, who argued from the occurrence of the same ornamental initial on the 17