A New Introduction to Bibliography

By his choice of title Gaskell relates the present work to McKerrow's Introduction to Bibliography for Literary Students of 1927. This is a new and different book, since it surveys of the machine-press period up to I950, whereas McKerrow had stopped at 1800. Although Gaskell agrees with McKerrow that 'bibliography's over-riding responsibility must be to determine a text in its most accurate form', he is concerned with printing and book-trade history and related only indirectly to the establishment of the text. A masterly consolidation of the results of authoritative research during the past half century, the New Introduction is an invaluable work of reference which no library concerned with literary studies, printing history, or librarianship can afford to do without. Although described by the author as a 'manual', it is a most readable, fascinating book, in which a large amount of technical information has been digested and presented with superlative skill. For lucidity and precision Gaskell cannot be faulted; he writes vividly and with zest, and his descriptions of the production routines of the printing house have an actuality which derives from his own practical knowledge and expertise as a printer. CONTENTS: The hand-press period 1500-1800: The hand-printed book -- Printing type -- Composition -- Paper -- Imposition -- Presswork -- The warehouse -- Binding -- Decoration and illustration -- Patterns of production -- The English Book Trade to 1800 --- The machine-press period 1800-1950: Introduction -- Survival and change -- Plates -- Type 1800-1875 -- Paper in the machine-press period -- Edition binding -- Printing machines -- Processes of reproduction -- Mechanical composition, and type 1875-1950 -- Printing practice in the machine-press period -- The book trade in Britain and America since 1800 --- Bibliographical Applications: Identification -- Bibliographical description -- Textual bibliography -- Appendixes --- Reference bibliography.