Printed Book Study
Dawn Jamros LIBR 280
San Jose State University
April 24, 2013
Introduction
For this assignment I went to Whitworth University located in Spokane, Washington and visited The Harriet Cheney Cowles Memorial Library. This is the main library on the Whitworth campus. The library is geographically in the center of campus, serving students, faculty, staff and alumni. The Whitworth Library collection numbers 176,000 volumes. The staff was very helpful and I found my book very easily. I was able to check out the entire set of books and return them in a two week time. The photos taken are my own. Please ignore the date on my photos I did not reset it after the last battery change.
Title, Printer, Publisher, Place of Publication and Context
The title of the book I will be presenting is, The Inland Empire of the Pacific Northwest: A History by George W. Fuller. The book was printed by Shaw & Borden Co. of Spokane Washington. Shaw & Borden was a a prominent printer-engraver-stationer in downtown Spokane, Washington. The publisher is listed as H. G. Linderman. In 1928 Spokane was experiencing major commercial growth. "Parkwater and Felts Field were added to Spokane. The Spokane Airport was located at Felts Field, it was known as the Parkwater Airfield from 1919 until September of 1927, when it was renamed Felts Field in honor of Lt. Buell Feltz, who was killed in a plane crash there May 29, 1927. A total of 2 square miles added during the 1920’s. The city encompassed 41 ½ square miles. A survey counted 402 industries with 10,000 employees in Spokane."(City of Spokane)
Title Page/Colophon
The title page of this book is pictured above.. As you can see it does involve black and red ink on parchment colored paper. The title as well as the author is listed. Also listed below the author's name is his profession of Librarian for the Spokane Public Library. Below the author is a small image of a urn of some sort in red and is the only color throughout this volume. This is Volume one of five and was printed in 1928 in Spokane, Washington.The page prior to the title page is stamped in black ink indicating this book was a gift from J.P. Graves to the University. The page also includes a book template showing this is number 51 of 700 sets and it is autographed by the author.
Forward
The Forward to this volume is written by the author and dated Spokane, July 14, 1928. The forward includes a description of each volume and the contents of each. Also included is a reasoning by the author for writing the books. "The history is intended as much for reading and for reference, and the notes have been held within reasonable bounds." The author also thanks several people for their "suggestions" and includes the city each resides in. He also gives credit to several who provided additional information as well as mentions of the local library, Oregon Historical Society, Washington State Historical Society and the Spokane Chamber of Commerce. Of particular interest is the fact that the author writes that he drew most maps that are included in the book, some photographic prints have been, "carefully restored to make possible their reproduction and the illustrations are all printed from new plates."
Layout
The layout is the same not only throughout this volume but the other volumes as well. Each right facing page is topped with the title "The Inland Empire". Each left facing page is topped with the title of the chapter, for instance, "Fur Traders-North West Company." Each page has text printed in a rectangle approximately measuring 6inx 4in. If a footnote is needed it is placed within this space so as to keep the uniformity of the book. The book itself measures 9in. x 6in.
Pagination,Foliation, Type
Each page is numbered at the bottom of the page and centered. The number is surrounded by a bracket on each side. The same type is used throughout the book. From my research I have decided the type is known as Baskerville. The Baskerville type is, " roman and italic types of John Baskerville, and are considered transitional and partly retrogressive with a return to lower contrast, smooth transaxial modeling, finely modeled bracketed serifs, and long stems. The exquisite design and finish of Baskerville's roman however, combining elegance and strength, was modern."
Binding
This book is bound with a leather cover and then the pages seem to be glued together. At both the front and back of the book are end pages in a green marble which have been glued into place.
Maps and Photographs
This volume includes several maps and photographs. One map in particular that I found interesting was the fold out map shown below. It is a tri-fold map and is printed on a thinner paper than the rest of the book. Each photograph is printed on a glossy paper.
Other
Several items which I did not find in the book include,incipit, explicit, collation paper, color printing,illumination, and painting. I think many of these items are not found due to cost and the type of work the item is. Had this been a work of religion or maybe art these items may have been included. Being a work of history these items are not needed or maybe not offered by the printer in Spokane, Washington in 1928.
Conclusion/Summary
I found this volume of books simply by checking the University's website and I am so glad I did. This volume of books is full of information about where I live and how it came to be the place I call home. Working in a middle school that teaches Washington State history for a semester to 7th graders I plan to pass along this resource to the social studies teachers I work with. The text books are sufficient but I think this particular volume, since written by a resident of the city in 1928 provides a point of view the text book cannot provide.
References
Fuller, G. (1928). The inland empire of the pacific northwest a history. (Vol. 1). Spokane,Washington: Shaw & Borden Co.
City of Spokane 1928. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.spokanecity.org/services/about/spokane/history/timeline/default.aspx?histid=48
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