John Baskerville
Writing Assignment: Famous Type Designer
Christopher Benson
September 25th, 2010
John Baskerville
January 28th 1706 – January 8th 1775
John Baskerville was born January 28th in 1706, in the village of Wolverley. Wolverley is located near Kidderminster in Worcestershire. He was a printer in Birmingham, England. By the year of 1723 he had became a skilled engraver of tombstones and was teaching writing. In 1726 he set up a school for teaching writing and book-keeping, as well as maintaining work as an engraver. In 1738 he started his own business of japanning ware which was an early type of enameling (fusing powdered glass to substrates). Within the decade John Baskerville had became a wealthy man and bought an estate which is on site of the present day Baskerville House in England. Baskerville also became a member of the Royal Society of Arts and an associate of some of the members of the Lunar Society. Even though he had accomplished quite a lot within 30 years he was destined to accomplish more. In the year of 1958 he printed works for the famous Cambridge University. He got the most recognition for printing an impeccable folio Bible in 1963, even though he was a known atheist. His works made it to the United States by the hands of Benjamin Franklin, which was a fellow member of Baskerville in the Royal Society of Arts. Baskerville’s works were adopted for most of the federal government publishing. Baskerville was also responsible for respectable evolutions in printing, paper and ink production. He developed a technique which made a smoother whiter paper which showcased his unique typeface (Baskerville). The typeface, Baskerville, also created a new style of typography adding wide margins and leading between each line. John Baskerville died January 8th 1775. Upon death, he requested to be buried upright, in unconsecrated ground, in a garden in the Baskerville House located in England. His body was moved numerous times before finally laying to rest in
Christopher Benson
September 25th, 2010
John Baskerville
January 28th 1706 – January 8th 1775
John Baskerville was born January 28th in 1706, in the village of Wolverley. Wolverley is located near Kidderminster in Worcestershire. He was a printer in Birmingham, England. By the year of 1723 he had became a skilled engraver of tombstones and was teaching writing. In 1726 he set up a school for teaching writing and book-keeping, as well as maintaining work as an engraver. In 1738 he started his own business of japanning ware which was an early type of enameling (fusing powdered glass to substrates). Within the decade John Baskerville had became a wealthy man and bought an estate which is on site of the present day Baskerville House in England. Baskerville also became a member of the Royal Society of Arts and an associate of some of the members of the Lunar Society. Even though he had accomplished quite a lot within 30 years he was destined to accomplish more. In the year of 1958 he printed works for the famous Cambridge University. He got the most recognition for printing an impeccable folio Bible in 1963, even though he was a known atheist. His works made it to the United States by the hands of Benjamin Franklin, which was a fellow member of Baskerville in the Royal Society of Arts. Baskerville’s works were adopted for most of the federal government publishing. Baskerville was also responsible for respectable evolutions in printing, paper and ink production. He developed a technique which made a smoother whiter paper which showcased his unique typeface (Baskerville). The typeface, Baskerville, also created a new style of typography adding wide margins and leading between each line. John Baskerville died January 8th 1775. Upon death, he requested to be buried upright, in unconsecrated ground, in a garden in the Baskerville House located in England. His body was moved numerous times before finally laying to rest in
References: Wikipedia.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Baskerville Artandpopculture.com http://www.artandpopularculture.com/John_Baskerville