Special Collections & Archives' Outreach & Engagement: Play!

Decorated Letter from Biblia Latina

This image shows an initial space with printed guide letter 'b.' This feature has carried over from medieval manuscripts which also had decorated capital letters. Decorated capital letters in medieval manuscripts varied from basic pen-and-ink drawn letter to more elaborate letters painted with gold or silver leaf. In both medieval manuscripts and early printed books, these initials were added by an illuminator after the text had been copied. Space for these letters was marked out and left blank with just a small guide letter marked so the illuminator would know which letter to paint. In some manuscripts and books the initials were never added and you can see the space that was reserved for them.

[Biblia Latina cum postillis Hugonis de Sancto Caro]. [Basel: Johann Amerbach for Anton Koberger in Nuremberg, 1498-1502].

Decorated Letter from Biblia Latina

[Biblia Latina cum postillis Hugonis de Sancto Caro]. [Basel: Johann Amerbach for Anton Koberger in Nuremberg, 1498-1502].

This image shows an initial space with printed guide letter 'p.' This feature has carried over from medieval manuscripts which also had decorated capital letters. Decorated capital letters in medieval manuscripts varied from basic pen-and-ink drawn letter to more elaborate letters painted with gold or silver leaf. In both medieval manuscripts and early printed books, these initials were added by an illuminator after the text had been copied. Space for these letters was marked out and left blank with just a small guide letter marked so the illuminator would know which letter to paint. In some manuscripts and books the initials were never added and you can see the space that was reserved for them.

Robert Estienne: Printer's Device

A printer's mark or device was a symbol used as a trademark by early printers starting in the 15th century. This is the printer's device of Robert Estienne (1503?-1559). It shows an arrow surrounded by a snake and ivy. The motto is 'Basilei t'agatho kratero t'aikhmete.'

Eusebius. Eusebiou tou Pamphilou euangelikes proparaskeues bib. pentekaideka. Lutetiae [Paris]: Ex officina Rob. Stephani, typographi regii, regiis typis, MDXLIIII [1543].

Jacopo de Giunta: Printer's Device

A printer's mark or device was a symbol used as a trademark by early printers starting in the 15th century. This is the printer's device of Jacopo de Giunta (1487-1546). It shows a fleur-de-lys.

Bishop of Caesarea. Aurelii Augustini Hipponensis Episcopi Omnium operum tomus primus... Lugduni [Lyon]: apud haeredes Iacobi Iuntae: apud Sebastianum Honoratum, MDLXIII [1563].

Chrisopher Plantin: Printer's Device

A printer's mark or device was a symbol used as a trademark by early printers starting in the 15th century. This printer's device shows a hand holding a compass drawing a circle. Around the device is Christopher Plantin's (1520?-1589) motto: 'labore et constantia' which means 'through hard work and perseverance.' In the printer's device the motto is symbolised by the compass: one leg stands for perseverance and the rotating leg stands for hard work.

Gregory of Nazianzus. Sententiae et regulae vitae ex Gregorii Nazanzeni scriptis collectae: Eiusdem iambi aliquot, nunc primum in lucem editi / per Ioannem Sambucum Pannonium. Antverpiae: ex officina Christophori Plantini, MDLXVIII [1568].

Printer's device from Corpus Juris Civilis

A printer's mark or device was a symbol used as a trademark by early printers starting in the 15th century. This is the printer's device on the title page of Elzevier's magnificent first edition of Corpus Juris Civilis in two volumes folio. Corpus Juris Civilis or 'Body of Civil Law' is the modern name for a collection of fundamental works in jurisprudence, issued from 529 to 534 by order of Justinian I, Eastern Roman Emperor.

Leeuwen, Simon van. Corpus juris civilis: Pandectis ad Fflorentinum archetypum expressis, institutionibus, codice et novellis, addito textu Graeco, ut & in digestis & codice, legibus & constitutionibus Graecis, cum optimis quibusque editionibus collatis; cum notis integris, repetitae quintum praelectionis, Dionysii Gothofredi, JC. Amstelodami: apud Joannem Blaeu, Ludovicum & Danielem Elzevirios; Lugd. Batavorum [Leiden]: apud Franciscum Hackium, MDCLXIII [1663].

Daniel Elzevier: Printer's Device

A printer's mark or device was a symbol used as a trademark by early printers starting in the 15th century. This image shows Daniel Elzevier's (1626-1680) printer's device: An olive tree and next to it Minerva with helmet and shield. The helmet and shield are adorned with the head of Medusa and Minerva is accompanied by an owl.

Hesiod. [Hesiodou Askraiou ta heuriskomena]. = Hesiodi Ascraei quae extant / ex recensione Johannis Georgii Graevii, cum eiusdem animadversonibus & notis, accedunt nota inedita Josephi Scaligeri et Francisci Guieti. Amstelodami: Apud Danielem Elzevirium, MDCLXVII [1667].

Pieter Blaeu: Printer's Device

A printer's mark or device was a symbol used as a trademark by early printers starting in the 15th century. This printer's device shows an armillar sphere between the figures of Hercules. This is the device of Pieter Blaeu (1637-1706).

Cicero, Marcus. Ciceronis De officiis libri tres, Cato maior, Laelius, Paradoxa, Somnium Scipionis / ex recensione Ioannis Georgii Graevii. Cum ejusdem notis, ut & integris animadversionibus Dionysii Lambini, Fulvii Ursini, Caroli Langii, Francisci Fabritii Marcodurani, Aldi Manuttii, nec non selectis aliorum. Accessit Favonii Eulogii Rhetoris Carthaginiensis in Ciceronis Somnium Scipionis disputatio, nec non Caelii Calcagnini disquisitiones in De officiis libros. M. Antonii Majoragii decisiones contra Calcagninum. Iacobi Griffioli defensiones Ciceronis contra eundem.  Amstelodami: Ex typographia P. & I. Blaeu. Prostant apud Wolfgang, Janssonio-Waesbergios, Boom, a Someren, & Goethals, MDCLXXXVIII [1688].

The Riverside Twitter Avatar

Click on the image to go to the jigsaw of the "Illustrated Half-title." Millikin, R. A. The River-side: A Poem. Cork: J. O'Connor, 1807.

Using this jigsaw creator the player can adjust the number of pieces, toggle the mat colour the jigsaw is resting on, toggle the way the pieces are arranged, drag & drop the images, check the picture to be recreated. Clicking on the question mark gives the credit line for the image.

Robert Gibbings' Design for the First UCC Library Bookplate

Click on the image to go to the jigsaw of Robert Gibbings' designed bookplate in Simon Pelloutier's Histoire des Celtes, et particulièrement des Gaulois et des Germains: depuis les tems fabuleux jusqu'à la prise de Rome par les Gaulois. La Haye: Paris: chez Antoine Urbain Coustelier, 1741.

This image was used in the Matters French online exhibition.

Using this jigsaw creator the player can adjust the number of pieces, toggle the mat colour the jigsaw is resting on, toggle the way the pieces are arranged, drag & drop the images, check the picture to be recreated. Clicking on the question mark gives the credit line for the image.

Endpapers with Three Bookplates

Click on the image to go to the jigsaw of the endpapers and bookplates on this copy of Hugh MacCurtin's The Elements of the Irish Language: Grammatically Explained in English. Louvain: M. van Overbeke, 1728.

This image was used in the Matters French online exhibition.

Using this jigsaw creator the player can adjust the number of pieces, toggle the mat colour the jigsaw is resting on, toggle the way the pieces are arranged, drag & drop the images, check the picture to be recreated. Clicking on the question mark gives the credit line for the image.

UCC Library Avatar

A new UCC Library avatar via Babelfis.

Birds from 'Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux'

Click on the image to go to these images of a yellow green grosbeak the jigsaw of the endpapers and bookplates on this copy of Georges Buffon's Histoire naturelle des  oiseaux. De l'Imprimerie royale, 1770-1786.

1. Gros bec, de la chine / Japanese grosbeak (Eophona personata) [bird facing right]
2. Gros bec, de Cayenne / Yellow green grosbeak (Caryothraustes canadensis) [bird facing left]

Using this jigsaw creator the player can adjust the number of pieces, toggle the mat colour the jigsaw is resting on, toggle the way the pieces are arranged, drag & drop the images, check the picture to be recreated. Clicking on the question mark gives the credit line for the image.

William Cooke's Bookplate

Click on the image to go to the jigsaw William Cooke's bookplate. Cooke was the first lecturer of Spanish in UCC and his collection is held in Special Collections. We like how he's added an extra to the bookplate!

Using this jigsaw creator the player can adjust the number of pieces, toggle the mat colour the jigsaw is resting on, toggle the way the pieces are arranged, drag & drop the images, check the picture to be recreated. Clicking on the question mark gives the credit line for the image.

Annals of Ireland by Owen Connellan

Click on the image to go to the jigsaw of the "Illustrated Title Page." Connellan, Owen. The Annals of Ireland: translated from the original Irish of the four masters. Dublin: B. Geraghty, 1846.

This image was included in Andrew Neville's blog post about his online work placement.

Using this jigsaw creator the player can adjust the number of pieces, toggle the mat colour the jigsaw is resting on, toggle the way the pieces are arranged, drag & drop the images, check the picture to be recreated. Clicking on the question mark gives the credit line for the image.

A Shilling Well Laid Out: Tom and Jerry at the Exhibition of Pictures as the Royal Academy

Click on the image to go to the jigsaw of the "A Shilling Well Laid Out" print. This print is one of the illustrations in Egan, Pierce, Life in London or, the Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorn, Esquire, and His Elegant Friend, Corinthian Tom, Accompanied by Bob Logic, The Oxonian, in Their Rambles and Sprees through the Metropolis (1821) and (1822).

This image was included in Patrick McKee's blog post about his online work placement.

Using this jigsaw creator the player can adjust the number of pieces, toggle the mat colour the jigsaw is resting on, toggle the way the pieces are arranged, drag & drop the images, check the picture to be recreated. Clicking on the question mark gives the credit line for the image.