Astrophel & Stella by Philip Sidney, Nonesuch Press
Contributed by Florian Hardwig on Sep 25th, 2016. Artwork published in
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Edited by Mona Wilson. The fancy script typeface used on the label as well as on the title page is Union Pearl, the oldest surviving decorated type — in all caps, no less!
This private press edition of Sir Philip Sidney’s sonnet sequence is currently available from McNaughtan’s Bookshop & Gallery, Edinburgh:
No. 7 of 1,210 copies, 8vo, pp. xl, 195, [1]. Original boards covered in patterned cream paper, printed label to front cover, green board chemise and patterned slipcase.
The book’s interior is set in Bembo Italic, with the Roman used for emphasis. Monotype’s Bembo 270 was released in 1929.
1 Comment on “Astrophel & Stella by Philip Sidney, Nonesuch Press”
Something I mean to investigate if I can is where the swash cap and terminal form in the last picture came from. As far as I’m aware Monotype didn’t sell Bembo italic with swashes.
The 'a’s with and without terminal forms seem quite similar, so it isn’t obviously a borrowing from a different font. Nor does the 'A’ match either Garamond or Centaur’s swash capitals, or the one Monotype now includes with Fairbank (although I believe that’s not original anyway). Monotype made some custom letters for the Nonesuch Press for Plantin and Baskerville, but I haven’t seen mention of any for Bembo.