1Q 



Rosengarten.] -"-^ [Jan. 4, 



M. Gruel poiats, with pride, to the worlv of early bookbinders, who, 

 like himself, have also been bibliographers in the best sense of the word. 

 He calls attention to the handiwork of the Planlins, who, like their con- 

 temporaries, signed their bindings with the same bookmark that desig- 

 nated their printing. Among these were Pliilippe Pigouchet, Denis Roce, 

 Robert Mace, the Gryphes of Lyons, the brothers Augelius, Jean Bogard, 

 Madeleine Bourselle, widow of Frangois Regnault ; Jacques Dupuis, and 

 the Elzevirs. Christopher Plantin was born near Tours in 1514. His first 

 occupation was that of a bookbinder, which he learned in the workshop 

 of Robert or Robinet Mace, at Caen, who was both printer and book- 

 binder. Plantin went to Antwerp, where he became famous as founder 

 of the printing and publishing house that existed in his family from 1549 

 until 1876, when it was made a public museum, one of the most interest- 

 ing, indeed the only one of its kind in Europe, and well worth a visit. M. 

 Gruel shows that in 1522, Plantin bound the account books of the city of 

 Antwerp ; that he added to his other pursuits that of fine work in leather, 

 boxes, coyers, coffers, richly decorated — an artistic handiwork that Gruel, 

 too, has made part of his own trade. 



In the Plantin Museum at Antwerp, there is a single example of Plan- 

 tin's binding with his mark, and the metal stamp is preserved along with 

 the type and the woodcuts used in the volume. M. Gruel reproduces from 

 Plantin's account books the items that show his industry as a bookbinder, 

 giving the prices of the material he used, the mark, a compass with the 

 motto, "Lahore et Constantia," the press, the wages paid his journey- 

 men and the bills rendered to his employers, thus bringing us back to the 

 time when bookbinding was an art in the hands of artisans who made it 

 part of their business of printing and illustrating books. 



The catalogue of the Museum Plantin 3Ioretus, by M. 3Iax Rooses, the 

 keeper, is interesting even to those who have not enjoyed a visit to this 

 curious relic of tlie faithful pursuit of one business by the same family 

 for over three hundred years. In 1549 when Plantin established himself 

 at Antwerp, that city was next to Paris in importance. He soon gained 

 reputation for his bindings and his other work in leather. He became a 

 citizen in 1550, and that year a member of the Guild of St. Luke as a 

 printer. In 1555, he printed his first book ; but his work was interrupted 

 on a charge of heresy, and he took refuge for a year in Paris, returning to 

 Antwerp, where he was protected and employed 1)y Philip the II, 

 Cardinal Granvelle, and other notable persons. He printed, under their 

 auspices, a Bible in five languages ; Breviaries and 3Iissals and Liturgies 

 for Spain, for a privilege from Rome for Spain and its colonies was the 

 foundation of his fortune. In 1576, he moved into the building which 

 to-day is the Museum perpetuating his name and work. His son-in-law, 

 Moretus, succeeded in 1589, on his father-in-law's death, to the business, 

 and transmitted it with its traditions on his death, in 1610, to his two sons. 

 One died in 1618, the other in 1641, and was succeeded by his son, who 

 died in 1674. The business passed then to liis son, who died in 1692, 



