Branding the printed book. The use of colophons by the first printers of the Low Countries

This articles investigates the earliest printed colophons in the Low Countries during the second half of the fifteenth century, analyzing how printers used them to communicate and implement commercial strategies. Originally providing basic information like identification, location, and date, colophons quickly became a means of early advertising and self-representation. The research explores selected examples to understand printers' conception of their new art and its contribution to the book economy.
Printers used colophons to highlight technical innovation, such as the Mainz Psalter's description of printing "without any use of a pen". Later, printers like John of Westphalia emphasized the modernity and quality of their typefaces, while Johann Veldener detailed his mastery of the printing process and the visual appeal of his books. Emphasis was also placed on the accuracy and philological quality of texts compared to error-prone manuscripts. For devotional works, the purpose of edification for the faithful was a recurring theme. Some printers, like Dirk Martens, positioned themselves as cultural ambassadors, bringing Italian knowledge to Flanders. Additionally, colophons occasionally contained personal reflections, including devotion, appeals for peace during turbulent times, or tributes to deceased masters.
These diverse colophons demonstrate the early printers' efforts to distinguish their work and attract customers. They reflect a conception of typography initially focused on it being a new production method replacing manual writing. The evolution of colophons, particularly with the later emergence of the title page, illustrates the changing landscape of print culture.