Caxton Celebration, 1877
Catalogue of the Loan Collection of Antiquities, Curiosities, and Appliances Connected with the Art of Printing, South Kensington
Cambridge Library Collection - History of Printing, Publishing and Libraries Series

The Caxton Celebration of 1877 commemorated the 400th anniversary of William Caxton's production of the first book printed in England. It centred on an exhibition in the South Kensington Museum (later the Victoria and Albert Museum) of Caxton's and other incunabula, together with significant artefacts in the later history of typography, printing and binding. The organisation of the celebration involved many of the great and good of Britain, Europe and the United States, from librarians and bibliographers to writers, musicians and statesmen. A leading light was William Blades (1824?90), whose two-volume biography of Caxton is also reissued in this series, and this catalogue was compiled by the librarian George Bullen (1816??94). It is arranged in sections, from the start of printing in Britain to the most recent technological innovations, including stereotyping, electrotyping and photography, and provides a fascinating survey of the development of the art of printing.

Introduction; 1. Caxton and the development of the art of printing in England and Scotland; 2. The development of the art of printing in foreign countries; 3. The comparative development of the art of printing in England and foreign countries; 4. Specimens noticeable for rarity or for beauty and excellence of typography; 5. Specimens of printing; 6. Printed music; 7. Book illustrations and other specimens of engraving, printing in colours, and other processes; 8. Portraits and autographs of distinguished authors, type-founders, printers, and booksellers; 9. Books relating to printing; 10. Curiosities and miscellanies; 11. Type and other printing materials; 12. Stereotyping and electrotyping; 13. Copperplate printing, lithography and photography; 14. Paper and paper-making; Caxton Celebration advertiser.