page 67

Our Exchanges.

English Hymnology is the subject of an able article in the Printer and Stationer of 28th March. The issue of 4th April contains a good biography of Robert Hattersley, the well-known inventor of type-composing and distributing machines. He was born in 1830; his first patent was taken out in 1857, and was practically the machine on which he labored all his life, though many subsequent improvements were made. He died on the 13th February last, in his 59th year. The number for 25th April contains an illustration of the new Phonetic Institute, erected by Messrs Isaac Pitman & Sons of Bath, at a cost of £4,000.

The Printing Times, under its present management, is more readable than before, and of equal technical value. Its literary standard is high, and it devotes more attention to the ethics of journalism than most of its contemporaries. The character of periodicals is after all of more essential importance than their exterior qualities.

The Stationery Trades Journal (London) is one of the best organs of the trade that reach us. Its readers are kept fully abreast of all stationery novelties; the original articles are valuable and well-written, and the legal intelligence is very full and interesting.

We have received the first number of the English Typographic, published for the advancement of typography and typefounding, by Messrs Austin Wood & Co., London. A paper under a somewhat similar title was issued by the same house three or four years ago, but only reached three numbers. The present venture is better than the last, it is to be published quarterly, and is a very neatly-printed small quarto, on fine quality paper, with a colored wrapper. It contains some interesting technical matter; but the specimen pages are very disappointing. We fail to find a single « new » or original style. The series of roman faces is not uniform, and we do not think it is new. The new floral border is somewhat ungraceful; and it must be quite fifteen years since we first saw it in Caslon's specimens. The new card ornaments, seven series, are all from designs originated by the Johnson Foundry, 1880-84, and though not obsolete, are now mostly out of fashion; the « Commercial Title » is the « O1d-style Bold » of the Central Foundry, St. Louis, under another name; and the « Wide Latin » is from S. B. & Co.'s wellknown design. And this specimen represents (in a measure, at all events) the old Austin Foundry, the proprietors of which, sixty years ago « boldly claimed to be the only letter-founders in London who cut their own punches. »

We welcome a new exchange, the American Bookmaker, now in its eighth volume. This paper, like our own, has a department for criticism of new styles of type, but with the advantage that it shows specimen lines. The Bookmaker is a well-printed, thoroughly healthy concern, and deals in a practical and intelligent manner with every branch of the trade. It takes a high place in American trade journalism.

Conners' Messenger is beautifully printed as usual. The body is in a nonpareil « Metropolis » —not so dreadful as the « Cosmopolitan » certainly, but still a trying letter. Why not keep to the good old roman? To read a periodical printed in « Metropolis » is like making a dinner of sponge-cake.

The December number of the American Art Printer completes its second number. The frontispiece is a portrait of the late H. W. Beecher, in brass-rule, a clever piece of work, by B. Slater, Poughkeepsie.—The leading article deals with the subject of « Profit-Sharing, » —the ultimate solution, probably, of the conflict between capital and labor. The other side— « Loss-sharing, » however—when it comes to a loss from bad times or other causes, has not so attractive an appearance. The workman who shares the loss now—either by losing a situation or by working half-time—does not always appreciate the difficulties of the responsible head of the business.—The New Zealand letter bears the signature of our ubiquitous friend, Mr T. L. Mills, whose contributions turn up in all sorts of places in English and American trade journals. The Art Printer is a thoroughly practical paper, and always marks the highest level of American art printing.

The Paper World for May opens with a beautifully-illustrated article on the « Ives » and other processes of photo-electrotyping. Seven pictures are given, each copied from a different class of work, and each faithfully reproducing its characteristics. The rest of the number is as usual full of valuable and well-arranged information.

The Southern Printers' Journal comes to us this season with a brightly-printed cover, and the title, running obliquely across the page, is set in the new and striking « Erebus, » with « Hades » worked in as a shade. (The style of these letters, by the way, is in better taste than the titles.) It is published by a supply house at New Orleans, and is occupied chiefly with specimens from the Boston and Central Foundries.

Revista Tipografica, Madrid, regularly resets its four pages of advertisements, introducing type novelties each issue. The typography is always good, and the display ingenious. A very pretty and original effect is produced in the last number in a full-page advertisement, by Schelter & Giesecke's little border No. lxiii, 1, so set as to form a background resembling the heraldic « ermine. »

The Export Journal (Leipzig), No. 20/21, shows progress, and widely-extended advertising support. It is crowded with information relating to English and continental manufacturers and publishers, and is indispensable to all large importing houses. The present issue encloses nine advertising supplements.