Summer vacation is here and book historians, armed with their tools, flock to research libraries. What sorts of tools, you might ask? Well, a tipometro (a typographic ruler), is an invaluable one for those interested in pre-standardization types. Both Alonso Victor de Paredes (circa 1680) and Martin-Dominique Fertel (1723) describe the instrument as one used by the typecaster for measuring type. Chinese manufacturer SEAGO makes a UV light wand that may be used to more easily see watermarks (product number SG-151). Canon's Powershot 1100 is a good, reliable, easy-to-use digital camera for taking no-flash photographs of books. Most special collections libraries stock their own book supports, futons, weights and snakes. But a favorite pencil is essential. Mine is the Mirado Black Warrior (HB 2). And now, after reading Martin Boghardt's "Druck-analyse und Druck-beschreibung, " I have a curious envy for the McLeod Portable Collator as it's very "Inspector Gadget."[upper image: The McLeod Portable Collator/Photograph: Pamela Harris; lower image: tipometro/typometer, from the Argentinian "Museo Virtual de la Imprenta"]
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