This founder
is treated to an excellent exposition by Philip
Gaskell in his book on the
eighteenth-century printers to Glasgow University. He the subject of some discussion by
Johnson and Berry in their book on types.
This founder
is treated to an excellent exposition by Philip
Gaskell in his book on the
eighteenth-century printers to Glasgow University. He the subject of some discussion by
Johnson and Berry in their book on types.
Wilson's first known specimen sheet was issued in 1772¹ however, William Rind seems to be using these types as early as February, 1770 in his Virginia Gazette.² Wilson types are also found in the work of other printers prior to the release of the first specimen indicating a strong word-of-mouth promotion of the fonts among printers and/or agents supplying printers. (This particular subject deserves more study and will be treated to such by the project in the future.)
The foundry was first established at St. Andrew's in 1742 in a partnership with John Baine. In 1744 the whole operation was moved to Glasgow and Wilson began work with the Glasgow University Printers, Robert and Andrew Foulis.³
Specifics:
The Rinds, William and later his wife Clementina, used Wilson's types exclusively in their printing. While only ten Wilson fonts have been conclusively identified so far (running from about 6 to 36 points in height), this number represents approximately 90% of all the sizes the Rinds used.
The author is hopeful that this newly-found connection from Williamsburg to Scotland will lead us to even more revealing archival evidence in the manuscript collections of the University of Glasgow, where the Wilson foundry papers are presently housed.
