The Bodleian Bibliographical Press

The Bodleian’s Bibliographical Press is located in the Old Bodleian Library in a ground-floor room, the Schola Musicae, opening from the Old Schools Quadrangle. Inside are free-standing iron presses (four Albions and a Columbian), a ‘Western’ model proofing press, a star-wheel etching press, a number of table-top presses, and several composing frames, including three seventeenth-century frames, with a quantity of wooden and metal type. The room hosts classes in hand-printing for students from Oxford and other universities, and regular workshops for families, adults, and primary school groups. Latest inspirations Working presses in the Bodleian letterpress studio: Large John & Jeremiah … Continue reading The Bodleian Bibliographical Press

The ‘Bodleian’ First Folio

The Bodleian Libraries hold two copies of the first folio edition of Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (1623). These have not always been in the Library, though; hear about the tangled history of the ‘Bodleian’ copy from Emma Smith, here. And see the fully-digitised copy, shelfmarked Arch. G c.7, here. And read here about the conservation effort to secure this volume. See the list of digitized First Folios maintained by Sarah Werner at her blog Wynken de Worde http://sarahwerner.net/blog/digitized-first-folios/ Continue reading The ‘Bodleian’ First Folio