The greatest publisher, John Baskerville - "The lasting legacy of Birmingham's famous printer"
‘Baskerville’, with its well-considered design and elegant proportions is one of the world’s most widely used, enduring and influential typefaces. It was created by John Baskerville (1707–75), an eighteenth-century Birmingham printer and entrepreneur; an Enlightenment figure with a worldwide reputation who changed the course of type design. This film takes a look at Baskerville’s typeface design, how it was made, how it was printed, and the beautiful books he created using his new type. Using original material in the University Library Cambridge, this film demonstrates Baskerville’s working methods, provides insights into his craftsmanship, and extends our knowledge of Baskerville beyond the man and his books.
Keywords: John Baskerville, Caroline Archer, Birmingham, Enlightenment, typeface, font.
Presented by:
Caroline Archer
Directed by:
Sean Griffiths
Produced by:
ICE Productions
Thanks to:
University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Library, The Birmingham Assay Office, School of Jewellery - Birmingham City University, University of Birmingham, Centre for Printing History & Culture, AnchorCert Group, Film Birmingham, Library of Birmingham
Recorded By:
ICE Productions
Producer:
Michael Gibbs, Executive Producer
Special Thanks to:
Liam Sims, Rare Books Specialist, Maciej Pawlikowski, Head of Digital Content Unit, Colin Clarkson, Head of Modern Research Collections, Francesca Harper, Public Programmes & Events Coordinator, Marion Wilson Director of AnchoCert Academy, Dippal Manchanda, Technical Director of The Laboratory, Ketih Adcock, Senior CAD CAM Technologist, Ann-Marie Carey, Research Fellow
Copyright Date:
2020
