How to Identify Prints

by Bamber Gascoigne

Since its first publication in 1986, this comprehensive guide has established itself as the essential reference book for print and book collectors, dealers in prints and illustrated books, art librarians, art professors and students, and everyone interested in graphic art. Is a particular print a woodcut, an etching, or a lithograph? Is it an original stipple engraving or a photogravure reproduction? Is the color printed or added by hand? Arranged in self-contained sections that can be consulted individually or as part of a larger research operation, this book helps identify accurately any printed image. Included are all the manual methods and also the mechanical processes that constitute the vast majority of printed images around us. In all, some ninety different techniques are described, both monochrome and color. Essential aspects of printing history and the printmaking craft receive full coverage, and examples are given of the features that reveal the type of print, such as varieties of line and tone. Of particular interest are the many illustrations of enlarged details showing the different appearance of various techniques under strong magnification. The one great change during the past twenty years has been the high-quality inkjet and laser prints that are now part of everyday life. How can one tell whether an attractive image is valuable in its own right or merely an appealing reproduction? As cheap printing becomes more sophisticated, it inevitably becomes harder to identify correctly an image of this kind. Bamber Gascoigne's new observations in this area, added for this revised edition, will prove invaluable. 275 illustrations, 40 in color.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Reference, Art History, Books About Books

216 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1986

About the author

Bamber Gascoigne was an Eton and Cambridge educated television presenter and author. He was for several years a drama critic for the "Spectator" and the "Observer", and has written a number of books on theatre, art and cultural history.

He came to fame as the presenter of the popular television quiz show, University Challenge (1962 - 1987) and subsequently wrote and presented a 13-part TV series, "The Christians" (1977), from which he also wrote a bestselling book. Gascoigne has remained a well-known figure for his television presenting and his books on history.

Reviews

[Hal Zenner]

I'm adding a brief review of this book. I've read many "how to" books and by far this is the best of the best. If you're interested in printed matter--a novice or an expert--I'm pretty sure this book will be useful. The only negative is that it doesn't contain a chapter on the "drawn" arts like watercolors, ink, pastels, etc. It would have been useful if the author briefly touched on these topics...I've come across some "prints" under glass that were difficult to tell apart from a watercolor, for example.

[Stephen]

I've utilized this reference for nearly a decade and realized I have certainly covered the entire volume several times over. Thorough. Useful. Helpful and complete.

[Andrew Volpe]

I got this at Powell's Bookstore in Portland, OR, while on visit. I happened across it in the "Rare Books" section of the store, and saw a hardcover copy on the attendant's desk. The attendant allowed me to look in the book, as it was his personal reference, but was able to find out there was a paperback in the store - what a great find!

[Alison]

The absolute most useful book I read in grad school.

[ACRL]

Read by ACRL Member of the Week Jennifer K. Sheehan. Learn more about Jennifer on the ACRL Insider blog.