| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
π1r
The Composing room at the Curwen Press,drawing by Frances Macdonald
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 1 NEW SERIES JULY 1946 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
[1]4 [2-4]8; insert after [1]1, folded insert after [1]4.
[6] 5-8 [9]-24 (versos only numbered) [25-7] 28-32 [33] 34 [35] 36-7 [38-44] 45-52 [+2].
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 12(+2)pt. Bembo; engraving on insert; collotype on folded insert; line blocks in text; covers, heavy cream mottled paper printed red up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 1’, and on front cover: ‘SIGNATURE 1 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 JULY NUMBER 1946 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
| Editorial note | p.3 |
| Joseph Gaspard Gillé: typefounder, printer and typographer in Paris 1789-1827 by Ellic Howe | 4 |
| Bernard Newdigate: typographer by Basil Blackwell | 19 |
| Joan Hassall [wood-engraver, book illustrator] by Basil Gray | 36 |
| 'Black-letter' text, by S. M. reviewed by James Wardrop | 44 |
| The typographic arts, past, present and future, by Stanley Morison reviewed by James Wardrop | 44 |
| Ambroise Vollard: Éditeur 1867-1939, by Una E. Johnson reviewed by Lynton Lamb | 46 |
| Aventur und Kunst, by Konrad F. Bauer reviewed by Hellmut Lehmann-Haupt | 48 |
| English prayer books: an introduction to the literature of Christian public worship, by Stanley Morison reviewed by J. H. Arnold | 50 |
| 'The Trade': passages from the literature of the printing craft 1550-1935, selected by Ellic Howe reviewed by Francis Daly | 51 |
| A printer and his world by Andrew J. Corrigan reviewed by Garfield Howe | 52 |
The frontispiece is an engraving from a drawing by Frances MacDonald (1914-2002).
Berthold Wolpe lettered the cover design for the first year, printed in other colours for issues 2 and 3.
Simon's Editorial note confirms that the bomb of 8/Oct/1940 which removed the machine room roof at Plaistow was indeed high-explosive. It also affirms that Series I was suspended because of World War II, contradicting Harley Harley 1970 p.21.
20/Jul/1946
NPG ODNB ODNB ODNB
Robin Phillips, 1963 revised 8/Apr/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 2 NEW SERIES NOVEMBER 1946 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+2)pt. Bembo; 12 collotype illustrations; mottled cream paper wrappers printed blue up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 2’, and on front wrapper: ‘SIGNATURE 2 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 NOVEMBER NUMBER, 1946 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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.
[1]2r,p.3
| In memory of Paul Nash | p.3 |
| Pierantonio Sallando and Girolamo Pagliarolo by James Wardrop with 4 collotype plates | 4 |
| [scribes to Giovanni II Bentivoglio, tyrant of Bologna] | |
| Chagall as a book illustrator by Michael Ayrton | 31 |
| A bibliography of the work of Marc Chagall with 8 collotype plates | 37 |
| Mr. Blumenthal's Emerson by Reynolds Stone | 47 |
| [In 1930 Bauer cut the Spiral typeface, later re-named Emerson and released in 1935 as Monotype series 320.] | |
| Schatzkammer der Schreibkunst [Meisterwerke der Kalligraphie by Jan Tschichold 1945] | |
| Les Ecritures financiere, et Italienne-Bastarde par Louis Barbedor both reviewed by Alfred Fairbank | 48 |
| Schweitzer Stempelschneider und Schriftgiesser [Swiss punch-cutters and typefounders, 1943, by Albert Bruckner] reviewed by Ellic Howe | 50 |
| Jubiläumsschrift zum fünfundsiebzigjärigen Bestehen des Schweizerischen Buchdruckervereins, 1869-1944, Beiträge zur Geschichte des Buchdrucks in des Schweiz reviewed by A. F. Johnson | 52 |
Acknowledgements to René Ben Sussan and Madame Gordey re Chagall, T. F. Higham re Paul Nash, and Monotype Corporation re the 'Emerson' insert.
For the first year [issues 1, 2 and 3] Berthold Wolpe did a title design for the cover, printed in different colours in each issue.
23/Nov/1946
ODNB NPG ODNB ODNBRobin Phillips, 1963 revised 23/Aug/2020
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 3 NEW SERIES MAY 1947 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+2)pt. Bembo; mottled cream paper wrappers printed green up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 3’, and on front wrapper: ‘SIGNATURE 3 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 MAY NUMBER, 1947 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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[1]4r, p.3
| Mr. Morison as 'typographer' | p.3 |
| On mass-producing the classics by Jan Tschichold | 27 |
| The wood-engravings of Imre Reiner by Toni Renzio | 33 |
| Bookbinding, its background and technique [by Edith Diehl, 1946] reviewed by Desmond Flower | 43 |
| Print and privilege at Oxford to the year 1700 [by John Johnson & Strickland Gibson, 1946] reviewed by A. F. Johnson | 44 |
Berthold Wolpe lettered the cover design, printed in other colours for issues 1 and 2.
1/May/1947
NPG ODNB ODNB see also: ODNBRobin Phillips, 1963 revised 8/Apr/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 4 NEW SERIES SEPTEMBER 1947 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+2)pt. Bembo; 4 collotype illustrations; mottled cream paper wrappers printed rust brown up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 4’, and on front wrapper: ‘SIGNATURE 4 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 SEPTEMBER NUMBER, 1947 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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[1]4r, p.3
| The birds of Edward Lear by Brian Reade with 4 collotype plates | p.3 |
| Predicaments of illustration by Lynton Lamb | 16 |
| Johannes Enschedé & Zonen by Harry Carter | 28 |
| A Half-century of type design and typography [by F. W. Goudy, ed. P. A. Bennett, 1947] reviewed by H. P. Schmoller | 51 |
| Chinese letterpaper reviewed by Basil Gray | 52 |
| Grafika, Modern design for advertising and printing [by Imre Reiner, 1947]reviewed by Lynton Lamb | 53 |
| B. R. Marks and remarks reviewed by Paul Beaujon | 54 |
| Erratum noted to Series II no.3 facing p.14. | |
A new title has been designed for the cover for the second year [issues 4, 5 and 6], and we are greatly indebted to Mr van Krimpen for this, [different colours for each issue].
Acknowledgements to Johannes Enschedé & Zonen for supplying 5 pages of proprietary type-faces for Harry Carter's article; also to the Holbein Verlag of Basel for reproductions of Chinese woodcuts facing p.52.
Erratum to Signature no.3 facing p.14.
6/Sep/1947
Robin Phillips, 1963 revised 6/Apr/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 5 NEW SERIES JANUARY 1948 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+2)pt. Bembo; 4 collotype illustrations; mottled cream paper wrappers printed brown up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 5’, and on front wrapper: ‘SIGNATURE 5 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 JANUARY NUMBER, 1948 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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[1]4r, p.3
| The Vatican scriptors: documents for [Ferdinando] Ruano and [Giovan Francesco] Cresci by James Wardrop with 4 collotype plates | p.3 |
| Karel Svolinský by Toni del Renzio | 29 |
| Printers' type-specimen books in England, 1920-40 by Ruari McLean | 33 |
| Johannes Enschedé & Zonen: postscript by Harry Carter | 50 |
| Processes of graphic reproduction in printing [new edn. by Harold Curwen, 1947 see ZEzc] reviewed by Michael Rothenstein | 52 |
A new title has been designed for the cover for the second year [issues 4, 5 and 6], and we are greatly indebted to Mr van Krimpen for this, [different colours for each issue].
[Acknowledgements to Method Kaláb and Průmyslová Tiskárna, Prague, to Curwen Press and Kynoch Press, Enschedé & Zonen, Jan van Krimpen, and others for type-settings.]
21/Jan/1948
NPGRobin Phillips, 1963 revised 18/Apr/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 6 NEW SERIES MAY 1948 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+2)pt. Bembo; 6 collotype illustrations; 1 colour plate; mottled cream paper wrappers printed red up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 6’, and on front wrapper: ‘SIGNATURE 6 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 MAY NUMBER, 1948 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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[1]4r, p.3
| Roger Lacourière and modern French engraving by John Buckland-Wright with 6 collotype plates | p.3 |
| The Hansard family by Ellic Howe | 19 |
| The wood engravings of Lucien Pissarro by Brian Robb with 1 plate in colour | 36 |
| Il libro illustrato Veneziano del Settecento [by Giuseppe Morazzoni and Alberta Pettoello] reviewed by Edward Croft Murray | 48 |
| Luminario, or the Third chapter of the Liber Elementorum Litterarum on the Construction of Roman Capitals [by Giovam Baptista Verini] reviewed by Victor Scholderer | 51 |
| The London compositor, documents relating to wages, working conditions and customs of the London printing trade 1785-1900 [by Ellic Howe, 1947] | |
| The London Society of Compositors: A Centenary history [by Ellic Howe, 1948] both reviewed by Herbert Simon | 52 |
A new title has been designed for the cover for the second year, [issues 4, 5 and 6], and we are greatly indebted to Mr van Krimpen for this [different colours for each issue].
27/May/1948
NPG ODNB NPGRobin Phillips, 1963 revised 18/Apr/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 7 NEW SERIES OCTOBER 1948 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+2)pt. Bembo; 4 collotype illustrations; mottled cream paper wrappers printed red up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 7’, and on front wrapper: ‘SIGNATURE 7 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 OCTOBER NUMBER, 1948 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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[1]4r, p.3
| Holbrook Jackson: an appreciation, [English bibliophile d.1948] by Francis Meynell | p.3 |
| Some French contributions to the art of the book by Desmond Flower | 7 |
| English typography and the industrial age by Oliver Simon with 2 collotype plates | 17 |
| The drawings of Gerald Wilde by Brian Robb with 2 collotype plates and 1 4-colour plate | 42 |
| Italian illuminated manuscripts from 1400–1550 [Bodleian Library 1948 exhibition catalogue by Otto Pächt] | 50 |
The title on the cover has been designed and engraved on wood by Reynolds Stone, used in different colours on issues 8 and 9.
6/Oct/1948
Robin Phillips, 1963 revised 18/Apr/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 8 NEW SERIES MARCH 1949 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+2)pt. Bembo; 10 collotype illustrations; mottled cream paper wrappers printed blue up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 8’, and on front wrapper: ‘SIGNATURE 8 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 MARCH NUMBER, 1949 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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[1]4r, p.3
| John Boydell, publisher: 'the commercial Maecenas', by Thomas Balston with 6 collotype plates | p.3 |
| French wood-engraved book decorations of the eighteenth century by Maria Lanckorońska | 23 |
| David Jones [artist, war poet, 1895-1974] by Nicolette Gray with 3 collotype plates | 46 |
| A note on Giovanantonio Tagliente [Italian writing-master d.1527] by James Wardrop with 1 collotype plate | 57 |
Cover design for this issue by Reynolds Stone, printed blue on mottled cream card, also used in different colours on issues 7 and 9.
24/Mar/1949
Robin Phillips, 1963 revised 13/Apr/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 9 NEW SERIES AUGUST 1949 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+2)pt. Bembo; 4 collotype illustrations; mottled cream paper wrappers printed red up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 9’, and on upper wrapper: ‘SIGNATURE 9 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 AUGUST NUMBER, 1949 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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[1]4r, p.3
| Arthur Christian, Director of the Imprimerie Nationale 1895-1905, by Linda Ritson with 1 collotype plate | p.3 |
| The uneasy marriage-bed by H. S. Williamson with an inset containing 3 illustrations | 29 |
| [Harold Sandys Williamson 1872-1978 war artist, head of the London School of Arts and Crafts] | |
| Bewickiana by Barbara Bingley [Thomas Bewick 1753-1858, wood-engraver] | 35 |
| De Roos roman and Emergo by H. P. Schmoller | 47 |
| [Sem Hartz, Dutch type-designer, designed Emergo, cast 1949 but not published. De Roos published his roman in 1947.] | |
| A Thousand years of French books [N.B.L. 1948 exhibition catalogue by Desmond Flower] reviewed by Philip James | 50 |
| Twee Euwen Brandt en Proost, [Two centuries of Brandt & Proost, bookbinders at Leyden] reviewed by Harry Carter | 51 |
| Taste and technique in Book-collecting [by John Carter] reviewed by John Harthan | 52 |
| Mainzer Probedrucke in der Type des Sogenannten Astronomischen Kalenders für 1448, reviewed by E. Ph. Goldschmidt | 52 |
Cover design for this issue by Reynolds Stone, printed red on mottled cream card, also used in different colours on issues 7 and 8.
30/Aug/1949
NPG NPG ODNBRobin Phillips, 1963 revised 23/Aug/2020
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]4r
Collotype reproductions of 2 drawings by Lucian Freud
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 10 NEW SERIES FEBRUARY 1950 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+2)pt. Bembo; 4 collotype illustrations; mottled cream paper wrappers printed green up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 10’, and on upper wrapper: ‘SIGNATURE 10 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 FEBRUARY NUMBER, 1950 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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[1]4r, p.3
| Theodore Low De Vinne [New York printer and scholar of printing history] by Carl Purington Rollins | p.3 |
| A Catalogue of Italian writing-books of the sixteenth century compiled by A. F. Johnson | 22 |
| Bibliotheca typographica by Ellic Howe, with 2 collotype plates | 49 |
Cover design for this issue by Henri Friedlaender, printed green on mottled cream card, also used in different colours on issues 11 and 12.
3/Feb/1950
Robin Phillips, 1963 revised 14/Apr/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 11 NEW SERIES JULY 1950 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+2)pt. Bembo; 4 collotype illustrations; mottled cream paper wrappers printed green up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 11’, and on upper wrapper: ‘SIGNATURE 11 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 JULY NUMBER, 1950 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
Cover design for this issue by Henri Friedlaender, printed green on mottled cream card, also used in different colours on issues 10 and 12.
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[1]4r, p.3
| Picturesque travel illustrated by John Piper, with 4 colloytype plates | p.3 |
| Carl Ernst Poeschel [Leipzig book-printer and typographer] by H. P. Schmoller | 20 |
| Brian Robb by Edward Ardizzone | 37 |
| New ways of Gravure [by S. W. Hayter, 1949] reviewed by John Buckland-Wright | 46 |
| The printed book of the Renaissance, [by E. P. Goldschmidt, 1950] reviewed by Victor Scholderer | 48 |
| A book of scripts [by Alfred Fairbank, 1949] reviewed by Noel Rooke | 49 |
| Über Schönheit von Schrift und Druck, Ehrfahrungen aus fünfzigjähriger Arbeit [On beauty in script and print, by Karl Klingspor, 1949] reviewed by Ellic Howe | 51 |
| Letter from Maria Lanckorońska | 53 |
A cartoon of Oliver Simon by Brian Robb appears on p.iv of Simon 1956, p.iv.
12/Jul/1950
Robin Phillips, 1963 revised 30/Jan/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 12 NEW SERIES JANUARY 1951 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+2)pt. Bembo; 6 collotype illustrations; mottled cream paper wrappers printed dark green up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 12’, and on upper wrapper: ‘SIGNATURE 12 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 JANUARY NUMBER, 1951 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
Cover design for this issue by Henri Friedlaender, also used on issues 10 and 11 in different colours.
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[1]4r, p.3
| Encyclopædias by S. H. Steinberg | p.3 |
| Drawings by Marino Marini, by John Berger with 4 collotype plates | 21 |
| The rococo engraved ornament of Augsburg, by Brian Reade, with 2 collotype plates | 29 |
| Baskerville's methods of printing, by John Dreyfus | 44 |
| Die Venezianische Büchgraphik des XVIII Jahrhunderts, [18th-century book illustration in Venice, by Maria Lanckorońska, 1950] reviewed by F. J. B. Watson | 52 |
| Watermarks mainly of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth centuries [by Edward Heawood, 1950] reviewed by John Harthan | 54 |
| William Blake's engravings [by Geoffrey Keynes, 1950] reviewed by Reynolds Stone | 55 |
12/Jan/1951
NPG ODNB NPG ODNB Munzinger NPG NPG ODNB ODNBRobin Phillips, 1963 revised 1/Jan/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 13 NEW SERIES APRIL 1953 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+3)pt. Ehrhardt; 4 collotype illustrations; 11 pages of drawings; paper wrappers printed rust brown up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 1’, and on front cover: ‘SIGNATURE 13 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 APRIL NUMBER, 1953 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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.
Note the change to use Ehrhardt typeface, and compare Rm14 for a similar change in Series I.
[1]4r,p.3
| To 'The Fleuron' by Oliver Simon with 4 collotype plates | p.3 |
| Visiting Dieppe by Lynton Lamb with 11 pages of drawings by Edward Ardizzone | 30 |
| A. F. Johnson: historian of printed books by Alan Rae Smith with a selected handlist by Sheila Jones | 47 |
| French bookbinders, 1789-1848 [by Charles Ramsden, 1950] reviewed by John Harthan | 57 |
| The London bookbinders 1780-1806 [by Ellic Howe, 1950] reviewed by William Croft | 59 |
| Feder und Stichel [quill and graver] : Alphabete und Schriftblätter in Zeitgemässer Darstellung [by Hermann Zapf, August Rosenberger, 1952] reviewed by H. P. Schmoller | 61 |
Martin Engelman designed the italic display title used on the front cover in rust brown on cream, and for issues 14 and 15 in other colours.
Acknowledgements to Mrs. Marie Curwen, Sir Francis Meynell, Messrs. Stanley Morison and Herbert Simon for permission to reproduce letters.
24/Apr/1953
Robin Phillips, 16/Apr/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 14 NEW SERIES JANUARY 1952 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+3)pt. Ehrhardt; hardgravure etching frontispiece; 12 collotype illustrations; paper wrappers printed rust brown up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 1’, and on front cover: ‘SIGNATURE 14 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 JANUARY NUMBER, 1953 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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| Etching 1922 by Imre Reiner — handgravure reproduction | frontispiece |
| Civis Romanus Sum: Giovanbattista Palatino and his circle by James Wardrop with 8 collotype plates | p.3 |
| Brown and the Women of Rome by Nicholas Powell, with 4 collotype plates | 40 |
Martin Engelman designed the italic display title used on this front cover in blue on cream, and in other colours for issues 13 and 15.
4/Jan/1952
Robin Phillips, 16/Apr/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 15 NEW SERIES MAY 1952 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+3)pt. Ehrhardt; hardgravure etching frontispiece; 12 collotype illustrations; paper wrappers printed rust brown up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 15’, and on front cover: ‘SIGNATURE 15 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 APRIL NUMBER, 1953 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
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Martin Engelman designed the italic display title used on this front cover in rust brown on cream, and in other colours for numbers 13 and 14.
[1]4r,p.3
| West End — East End: The Double Crown Club · On type-faces · Artists and printer by Oliver Simon with 4-page and 1-page inserts | p.3 |
| A new light on Caxton and Colard Mansion [collaborators on the first printed books in English and in French] by L. A. Sheppard | 38 |
| The printing of Shakespeare's plays by Antony Sampson | 40 |
| Designing books [by Jan Tschichold, 1951] | |
| The work of J. van Krimpen [by John Dreyfus, 1953] both reviewed by Desmond Flower | 55 |
| The illustration of books [by David Bland, 1953] reviewed by Brian Robb | 56 |
| Errata: Signature New series, no.14 | 58 |
| Index to Signature New series, nos.1 to 15 | 59 |
10/May/1952
Robin Phillips2017, revised 31/Jul/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 16 NEW SERIES NOVEMBER 1952 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+3)pt. Ehrhardt; 6 collotype illustrations; paper wrappers printed red up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 16’, and on front cover: ‘SIGNATURE 16 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 APRIL NUMBER, 1953 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
[1]4 [2-6]4.
[2, 1-3] 4-10 [11] 12 [13] 14-18 [19] 20-22 [23] 24 [25-6, 27] 28 [29] 30-32 [33] 34-38 [39] 40 [41] 42 [41] 42 [43] 44 [45-6] 47 [48] 49-53 [+1]; blank protective tissue inserts after p.24 and before p.25; un-paged 4-page insert after p.46.
Arnold Bank designed the Trajan Roman title used on this front cover in red on cream, and in other colours for numbers 17 and 18.
| The achievement of Bulmer and Bensley by Sir William Croft with a handlist of Bulmer's work, 2 collotype plates | p.3 |
| A note on the literature of British type-specimens by W. Turner Berry and A. F. Johnson, with a Supplement to the Catalogue of Specimens of printing types. . . 1665-1830 | 29 |
| Charles Keene [black-and-white artist and illustrator] by Myfanwy Piper with 4 collotype plates | 41 |
| Alberto Tallone [Italian publisher and typographer] and his new type by John Dreyfus, with a 4-page inset | 41 |
| Correspondence: Mr. Van Krimpen as typographer | 47 |
| [A history of] the old English letter foundries [by Talbot Baines Reed, 1952 edn. rev. A. F. Johnson] reviewed by Philip Gaskell | 48 |
| Scenery of Great Britain and Ireland in aquatint and lithography, 1770-1860 (see ZJl) reviewed by John Piper | 50 |
18/Nov/1952
ODNB NPG ODNB NPG ODNB IMDb NPG ODNB ODNBRobin Phillips, 1/May/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r, p.[1]
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 17 NEW SERIES JUNE 1953 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+3)pt. Ehrhardt; 2 collotype illustrations; 4-page colour-printed insert after p.28; wrappers mottled cream card printed dark green up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 17’, and on front cover: ‘SIGNATURE 17 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 JUNE NUMBER, 1953 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
[1]4 [2-4]4 χ1 [5-8]4 χ1.
[2, 1-3] 4-6 [+2] 7-8 [9] 10-18 [19] 20-22 [+2,23] 24 [25] 26 [27] 28 [+4,31] 32 [33] 34 [35] 36 [37] 38-40 [41] 42-44 [45] 46-48 [49] 50-51 [52] 53-54 [55] 56 [57,+1]; 2-page unpaged inserts of laid paper after p.6 and p.22, 4-page after p.28.
Arnold Bank designed the Trajan Roman title used on this front cover in dark green on cream, and in other colours for numbers 16 and 18.
[1]2r,p.[3]
| The shifting scene: Five journeys · Printer and illustrators by Oliver Simon with 1 collotype plate | p.3 |
| Nicolas de Staël by Denys Sutton with 1 inset in colour | 23 |
| The achievement of Bulmer and Bensley continued, together with a note on the work of Bulmer and Bensley for the Roxburghe Club. by Sir William Croft with a handlist of Bensley's work; 1 collotype plate | 31 |
| Fünfhundert Jähre Mainzer Buchdruck. Festgabe zum 70. Geburtstag von Aloys Ruppel [ed. Josep Benzing and Helmut Presser] reviewed by Victor Scholderer | 55 |
p.19 replicates t.p. of Mzi.
9/Jun/1953
Robin Phillips, 2018, revised 21/Sep/2018
| British Library: | P.P.1622.bcn |
[1]2r, p.3
[within a 4-rule border] SIGNATURE A QUADRIMESTRIAL OF TYPOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC ARTS EDITED BY OLIVER SIMON 18 NEW SERIES FEBRUARY 1954 SIGNATURE 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW LONDON
Back cover at foot.
Crown 4o: 10¾" × 7¼", trimmed, white wove, Basingwerk Parchment; 14(+3)pt. Ehrhardt; 8 collotype illustrations; mottled cream paper wrappers printed black up spine: ‘SIGNATURE (NEW SERIES) NO. 18’, and on front cover: ‘SIGNATURE 18 NEW SERIES PUBLISHED BY SIGNATURE, 9-17 NORTH STREET, PLAISTOW, E.13 APRIL NUMBER, 1953 PRICE: FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE NET $ 1.50 U.S.A.’, and on back cover an advertisement.
[1]4 [2-3]6 [4-7]4 [8]6.
[4, 5] 6-22 [23] 24 [26] 26 [27] 28-30 [31] 32-38 [39] 40-42 [43-4] 45-6 [47] 48 [49] 50-55 [56] 57-61 [62] 63-5 [66]; un-paged 1-leaf inserts after pp.22 24 26 31 34.
Arnold Bank designed the Trajan Roman title used on this front cover in black on cream, and in other colours for numbers 16 and 17.
[1]4r, p.4
| To Oliver Simon poem by Edmund Blunden | p.5 |
| Horace Hart and the University Press, Oxford, 1883-1915 by Charles Batey with 8 collotype plates | 5 |
| The Revue Blanche [Paris art and literary fin de siècle magazine], by Denys Sutton | 23 |
| Der Sturm: a document of expressionism by Edith Hoffmann | 44 |
| [20th-century German art movement in painting and poetry] | |
| Supplement to list of books printed by William Bulmer and Thomas Bensley by Sir William Croft | 56 |
| Meisterbuch der Schrift [by Jan Tschichold, 1952] reviewed by Berthold Wolpe | 62 |
| Etching and engraving: techniques and the modern trend [new edn 1953 by John Buckland-Wright] reviewed by Brian Robb | 63 |
| Index to Signature New series, Nos.16 to 18 | 66 |
This was the final issue of Signature produced. Edmund Blunden's contribution is a poem addressed to Oliver Simon. On 24/Jan/1956 Oliver attended his last board meeting, and he died on Sunday 18/Mar/1956.
13/Feb/1954
ODNB NPG ODNB NPG ODNB NPG ODNBRobin Phillips, revised 26/Nov/2021