ISBN: 9780919026087 - In Praise of Scribes: De Laude Scriptorum (2 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 47 pages. Portrait frontis. Commenced by Cobblestone Press in 1975 and completed by members of the Alcuin Society 1977. Limited to 485 copies. A fine unmarked copy. John of Trittenheim, at the tender age of twenty-one, became Abbot of the monastery of Sponheim. In 1465 and began to build a library which reached 2000 volumes by 1505. During these years printing began to replace the handwritten work of scribes and Trittenheim wrote this book as a gentle plea that the art of handwriting by scribes should not be neglected or dismissed. His thoughts are as relevant in todays computer age as they were 500 years ago. Attached to this Alcuin title was some controversy between Cobblestone Press & the Society. After a contract with Cobblestone Press to design and print this volume had been made; and some advance payments had been made; the Alcuin Society became displeased with repeated delays in the completion of the work and threatened legal action against Cobblestone for breach of contract. Owner / typographer, Gerald Giampa made attempts to excuse his companies short comings without success, but when the Alcuin Society cried foul, fraud & failure to the Vancouver Sun newspaper (1976), Giampa published his defense reply newsletter as "The Fount", the typographical newsletter of The Cobblestone Press Society where he calls for the resignation of the President of the Society. A first edition of the Fount newsletter, limited to 750 copies for members, single sheet unfolded (13X10 inches) printed both sides, included with this volume. Frontis (illustrator).…

[0-919026-08-7] 1977. (hardcover) Fine. 47pp. Fine. Limited Edition of 485 copies. This is #31. Frontis. In 1465, John of Trittenheim, at the age of twenty-one, became Abbot of the monastery of Sponheim and began to build a library that reached 2000 volumes by 1505. This was when printing began to replace the handwritten work of scribes and Trittenheim wrote this book as a gentle plea that the art of handwriting by scribes should not be neglected or dismissed. His thoughts are as relevant now as they were 500 years ago given computers and AI. A fine unmarked copy. Translated by Elizabeth Bryson Bongie. Edited & with an introduction by Michael S. Batts.…