In this colophon, Schœffer claims superior skill as a letter-cutter. This pretension must be tested by his works. His first types, on English body, appeared in 1459, at least four years after Gutenberg's expulsion from the partnership; his next types, on Great-primer body, appeared in 1462; his last types, a very bold-faced Round Gothic on English body, were first shown in 1462, and this new face is but a font of small letters fitted to the capitals of the English of 1459.[1] These are the only types made by Schœffer. If we compare them with the types of Gutenberg, it will be perceived that they are fewer in number and of inferior design and execution. It is absurd for Schœffer to claim even equal merit with Gutenberg either as letter-cutter or type-founder.
Fac-simile of the Types of the Latin Grammar of 1468.
A bold-faced Round Gothic on English Body.
[From Bernard.]Schœffer's real merit is to be found in his eminence as a man of business. He was, no doubt, chosen as Gutenberg's successor, for his presumed ability as a manager and a sharp financier. This presumption was warrantable. His subsequent management of the printing office shows that he was a thorough man of business—a born trader. He has not shown that he was a mechanic or an inventor. Like John Fust, he practised printing, not because he loved it for its own sake, but because he loved its excitement and its promised rewards.
- ↑ It seems that this was done to avoid the expense of making a new mould, and to save the labor of cutting new capital letters—an evasion of duty not at all creditable to the alleged inventor of the type-mould, Gutenberg made four sizes of Pointed Gothic—the Paragon of the Bible of 42 lines, the Double-pica of the Bible of 36 lines, the Double-great-primer and Meridian of the Psalter of 1457—and three sizes of Round Gothic, the large English of the Letter of Indulgence of 31 lines, the small English of the Letter of Indulgence of 30 lines, and the Pica of the Catholicon of 1460. They were cast on seven distinct bodies. Schœffer's three faces of types, one of them imperfect, were cast on two bodies.
