American dictionary of printing and bookmaking

(New York :  H. Lockwood,  1894.)

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AGG
 

AMERICAN DICTIONARY OF
 

small pica and one of half long primer.    He therefore
called the former ruby.

This line is set in agate.

Aggiunte (Ital.).—Words not in the copy.

Ahle, die (Ger,),—The bodkin.

Ais a Desserrer, 1' (Fr.),—The letter-board,

Aitken, Jane, a printer in Philadelphia, was the
daughter of Robert Aitken, After her father's death
in 1802 she continued the business. In 1808 she pub¬
lished a translation of the Bible, executed by Charles
Thomson, who was the secretary of the Continental
Congress for its whole existence. The manuscript is
still preserved, and is probably the oldest specimen of
American copy extant. " She obtained," says Thomas,
*' much reputation by the productions which issued
from her press,"

Aitken, Robert, a printer of Philadelphia, was
born at Dalkeith, Scotland, about 1734, and served an
apprenticeship as a binder in Edinburgh, He went to
Philadelphia as a bookseller in 1769 and became a print¬
er in 1774, In 1775 he published a magazine of which
Thomas Paine was the editor, and in 1782 an edition of
the Bible in duodecimo, with brevier type. This was
the first edition in English with an American title-page,
and was recommended to the country by Congress as
a pious and laudable undertaking. After the Revolu¬
tionary War he printed several valuable works, among
others"^ the Transactions of the American Philosophical
Society. He died in July, 1802, leaving an excellent
reputation.

Ajouter (Fr.).—To add.

Akkolade (Ger.)—A brace.

Alabama.—Printing was introduced into Alabama
in 1812, at Huntsville. It is a sparsely-settled agricul¬
tural State, and in consequence little printing has been
done there, except that of local newspapers. Mobile is
the largest town. By the last report there were seven¬
teen dailies and 158 other periodicals.

Alaska.—Printing has been done more or less in
Alaska since it was acquired by the United States. The
first newspaper was published in Sitka, May 1,1868, by
W. S. Dodge. Under the Russian Government no book
or paper was published in that Territory, but several
valuable charts were engraved and printed there.

Alauzet, Pierre, a noted press-builder in Paris,
was born on June 15, 1816, at Rodez, in Southern
France. He was brought up on a farm, but conceived
the idea of becoming a mechanic. His first experience
in this way was in a forge, where he learned to be an

accomplished smith.
At Marseilles he be¬
came attached to a
regiment, which was
shortly after sent to
make a part of the
garrison of Paris.
He accompanied it,
and ever after re¬
mained in the capi¬
tal. When his en¬
gagement ended he
entered the shop of a
press - builder, learn¬
ing the business very
thoroughly, and also
taking scientific les¬
sons. In 1846 he as¬
sociated himself with
his father-in-law, whose name was Gillimann, and be¬
gan the inanufacture of machines and tools for printers.
A short time after he bought some ground, upon which
he put up a building. Subsequently he added other
edifices, until the whole now consists of some of the

12
 

PIERRE ALAUZET.
 

largest structures in the world of their kind. He stead¬
ily paid attention to the improvement of the presses he
built, introducing many new forms and new devices, as
well as improving their workmanship. He died Janu¬
ary 22, 1881.

Albany.—This was the second place in the colony
of New York in which printing was begun, the origi¬
nal conductors of the press being Alexander and James
Robertson. They were Scotchmen and probably learn¬
ed their trade in North Britain. "They were patron¬
ized by Sir William Johnson, then Superintendent of
Indian Affairs, who advanced them money to buy a
press and types," says Thomas. Business was begun
about the year 1771 and continued until the beginning
of the Revolutionary War, the printers having also for
a part of that time an establishment in Norwich, Conn.
They issued, after public feeling was aroused, some
highly inflammatory pamphlets on the Tory side, which
created much sentiment against them, and in 1775 they
judged it expedient to leave the city hastily, going to
Norwich. They left their press and type in the care of
a friend who resided in the vicinity of Albany, who re¬
moved them privately to his farm and there buried
them. In 1782 they were dug up by Solomon Balan-
tine, who began publishing the New York Gazetteer
and Northern Intelligencer, in conjunction with a part¬
ner. The Robertsons had issued a paper called the Al¬
bany Gazette. Webster began at about the time peace
was established another paper of the same name, which
was continued till 1845. After a few years Albany be¬
came a great centre of printing, and has since remained
so. The capital there employed in this industry is very
large, and several houses are still in existence that be¬
gan over half a century ago. Joel Munsell, who car¬
ried on business there for a long time, was justly rank¬
ed as one of the foremost printers of the New World.
Nine dailies and thirteen other periodicals are now pub¬
lished in Albany.

Albatype.—A system of making poster types by
analyzing the letters, cutting them into squares and
then composing them so that they shall come together
properly. For instance, an I can be made of four
blocks, two for the body and one for each of the serifs.
H would require nine blocks, the two uprights, with
four pieces each, and one for the crossbar. This idea
is extended so as to include the circles and ovals.

Albert EnYelopes.—In England, small square en¬
velopes to take Albert note-paper in half, 4)^ by 33^
inches.

Albert Note.—In England, a kind of writing-paper
cut to 6 by 3^ inches.

Albertype.—This is a process of reproducing pho¬
tographs on gelatine, which is printed very much like
a lithograph. It was invented by Joseph Albert, of
Munich, in 1869. A sheet of plate-glass is coated with
a thin film of chromatized albumen and gelatine, laid
face down on black velvet and exposed to light. It is
then washed and dried. The insoluble film adheres
firmly to the glass and serves as a foundation for the
second film, which consists of chromatized gelatine.
This is exposed under a negative which has been re¬
versed by stripping. The plate is then soaked in water
to remove the soluble bichromate, the film is hardened
with chrome alum and then dried. The result is an
almost invisible picture in gelatine, which has become
insoluble in water, and actually repellant to it; while
the gelatine, which was protected by the negative (the
whites), retains its absorbing power. The plate is fast¬
ened by plaster - of - paris to the bed of the press, and
the printing is then conducted as in the lithographic
way. A wet sponge is applied to moisten the whites,
and an ink-roller to ink the picture. A sheet of paper
is placed on the surface, and on applying pressure the
ink is transferred to it. The picture may also be
printed on linen, silk, &c.   See Process Printing.
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