A dictionary of the art of printing

Description

"The pneumatics of Hero of Alexandria" by of Alexandria Hero is a technical reference work written in the early 19th century. It presents itself as a comprehensive dictionary and practical manual of the printing art, covering tools, methods, legal matters, alphabets, and shop customs. The likely focus is to give working printers clear, hands-on guidance while also serving authors and librarians as a reliable reference. The opening of this work begins with a detailed transcriber’s note on how the e-text renders special characters, ligatures, tables, and footnotes, followed by title pages and a preface outlining a practical, comprehensive dictionary of printing. The preface emphasizes sources (notably Moxon), inclusion of statute law, extensive alphabets and abbreviations, imposition tables, records, emerging electrotype methods, fine presswork techniques, and wood-engraving practice, all explained in a plain style for apprentices and practitioners. The dictionary entries then start with “Abbreviations” (a long list of Latin and English shortenings), “Accented Letters” and “Accents,” legal extracts on advertisements, algebraic symbols, the English alphabet, margin alteration, and “Ancient Customs” of the printing-house, plus brief notes like “Apostrophe.” It proceeds into an extended treatment of Arabic script—letters, forms, pronunciation, vowels, and orthographic signs—where the excerpt breaks off. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Subjects

• Printing -- Dictionaries
• Z