To, even for a moment, pretend that I was able to accomplish the work reported herein by myself, would be foolhardy - and a lie. Many tried to offer their assistance and I am grateful to every one, but the following people went purposely out of their way to make sure I understood the tasks at hand and each of the implications. Why in the world they had pity on and saw promise in a young, unpublished, undergraduate, apprentice printer I shall never know - but I shall always remain obliged and indebted to them. Each of them is in the truest sense a scholar and I am eternally lucky they allow me to consider them colleagues.

James Mosley, Librarian, St. Bride Printing Library, London. He taught me a semester's worth of type and letterform history in a week, in a way that I could understand it. James answered my questions, letters, and phone calls without hesitation and as the world's leading authority. Any gains I've made here with respect to type have been a direct result of his inspiration and instruction.

Willman Spawn, Honorary Curator of Bindings, Bryn Mawr College. Willman has handled over 60,000 colonial American bindings in his distinguished career, and seen scores of the best examples destroyed through hostile indifference. He showed me how important books are as objects. He invited me into his home, personally toured me through some of the premier collections of the world, and taught me what an early-American English binding does, and, more importantly, does not look like. He shared his immense knowledge, experience, and insight with me and trusted me with his unpublished work. Willman even says he can make brussels sprouts so that I will like them, which I originally did not believe, but after knowing him for only a few months, you begin to sense that everything (and anything) is possible.

Terry Belanger, University Professor, University of Virginia. Terry's help with every aspect of my work has been, to put it mildly, immeasurable. An avid teacher, I must stand in line to sing his praises and voice my thanks, but stand I shall. His contribution to book history carries a significance and weight that won't truly be realized for many years. His ever-patient guidance as mentor and friend will place me among the truly fortunate. I hope that I haven't been too much of a pest, and that my work continues to be worthy of his favor for many years to come.

Susan Berg, Director of the Foundation Library, Colonial Williamsburg. Susan's preliminary work on Williamsburg Imprints was an inspiration to this project. Her determination and success was a clear indication that such a project was of interest to scholars and of great use to those of us who work with her at Colonial Williamsburg. Had it not been for her initial fortitude in seeing Imprints to a conclusion, this project would never have gotten its start.