Elsevier (Elsevier, or, more often, Elzevier) – a famous family of Dutch printers, publishers XVI – XVII centuries. The founder of it was Louis E. (1540 – 1617), born in Leuven, nicknamed Helsevier. He was first a bookbinder and studied printing at the famous Christopher Plantena in Antwerp. Zealous Protestant, he fled from the persecution of the Duke of Alba, founded in Leiden, to settle here, a bookshop and became a citizen of Leiden. Publishing it on numerous different languages (to 150), but not different to those virtues, which are renowned for the publication of his descendants. He had seven sons, of which his successors were: Louis (1566 – 1621), founder of the book trade and Haga, Giles (1570 – 1651), who inherited the case of Louis, Jost or Justus, bookseller at Utrecht, and especially Matthew (1565 – 1640) and Bonaventure (1583 – 1652), succeeded his father, and their publications are inscription ex Officina Elzeviriana. The second son, Matthew Isaac (1596 – 1651) – the first printer in the genus E.; his first work, performed by means of his grandfather, refer to the 1617 received the title of Certified typographer, Leiden University, he built a printing plant at the university yard, which became the first in the city . The next son, Matthew, Jacob (1597 – 1652), helped his father, then bought the book trade in E. Haga. Bonaventure E. (1583 – 1652), were the real founders of the glory of E. Not trusting his scientific training, they gave their scientific aspect of the Daniel Geynziusu, and themselves took up the improvement of printing, which they've brought to high perfection. In doing so, they helped Christopher Van Dyck, the inventor of an elegant font, bearing the name of E. overcome the resistance of the scientists who are generally smart E. Try to use Abraham made a whole revolution in book format to the introduction of in-12. Activity House E.was in this era is extremely extensive, he had many branches, he was the first in the famous Frankfurt Fair and even in Paris, by the issuing of Corneille and other prominent representatives of French literature. Total Bonaventure and Abraham afar to five hundred names; Leyden Academy after the death of the latter knocked the medal in his name. They succeeded by his son John Abraham (1622 – 1661) and son Daniel, Bonaventure, but it continued to fail. The widow of John liquidated book trade, and when his son Abraham II (1653 – 1712) the case came to a complete standstill. The eldest son Jost, E., Louis (1604 – 1670) for a long time and traveled throughout Europe as a representative of Leyden House E., then founded in Amsterdam, book business. He has published more than 350 titles, among which are now especially known for "Le pastissier francais" (1655), devoid of any internal values, but built in the extraordinary rarity bibliolatry, and brought him fabulous prices. Louis E. had left his business to his companion, elder son Bonaventura, Daniel (1626 – 1680), publisher of 260 books (among other things – works of Moliere). "His death – a public loss," he wrote after his death, the famous Locke. His face disappeared from the scene last outstanding representative of the Netherlands Typography. Total E. a distance more than 1500 works – 968 Latin, 44 Greek, 126 French, 32 Flemish, 22 in Eastern languages, 11 German, 10 Italian. Their publications on the accuracy and serviceability of the texts can not compete with publications Manuzzi and Etienne, but given its unique beauty and are appreciated by amateurs. Typographic characters distinguishing them, are three: the emblem of Louis I was an eagle with a sheaf of seven arrows and the motto "Concordia res parvae crescund"; know Isaac was elm entwined with vines, which disrupts the philosopher, standing in front of a tree, motto – Non solus (a sign of Leyden printing ), Louis III, 1642 to mark its publication of the image of Minerva, and olives, with the motto Ne extra oleas.Especially prized are small in-12 Latin editions E., of whom more rare – Pliny the Elder (1635), Virgil (1636), "Imitatio". Are also important edition of Livy, Tacitus (1634), Cicero, Homer, Ovid, Geynziusa (1658), the New Testament (1658). There are a lot of fake books, covering familiar E., on the other hand there is authentic edition É without signifying their firms. The extensive bibliographical and genealogical literature of Elsevier summed up in the fundamental work A. Willems, "Les Elsevier" (1880). For Russian readers curious catalogs remarkable for the dignity and the number of copies of the collection of E. gathered in the hall of incunabula of the Imperial Public Library in St. Petersburg: Walther, "Les Elzevir de la Bibliotheque imperiale publique" (1864, also in German).

May 17th, 2010 Subscribe to the RSS feed!