Information regarding a late 17th-18th century Dutch colonial document

Artyom Anikin
Artyom Anikin Posts: 2
in History of Typography
Hello,

I have a photocopy of a document that I discovered in an American collection and was printed at some point before 1769. I am curious to know whatever I can about the typeface, the unusual shape, how old it might be, whether it seems to have been made on a Dutch or an English printing press, what kind of press, etc. Thank you.



Comments

  • Ramiro Espinoza
    Ramiro Espinoza Posts: 839
    Hi there,

    IMHO, the letters are too small and its contours too blurry to be able to identify the type. 
  • Artyom Anikin
    Artyom Anikin Posts: 2
    Alright, I will see if I can get a higher resolution photograph.
  • John Hudson
    John Hudson Posts: 3,227
    I agree with Ramiro that the quality really isn't good enough for a definitive identification. That said, the proportions suggest 17th Century to me, rather than 18th, and the overall colour makes me think Plantin / Van Dijck.
  • Ben Blom
    Ben Blom Posts: 250
    It is an official document about the valuation and taxation of the most important inhabitants of a town. At the beginning of the document, it says these valuations were determined at the town hall on February 2nd, 1674. This suggests that the document has been printed in 1674.
  • Robin Mientjes
    Robin Mientjes Posts: 132
    edited May 2017
    Not just any city. It mentions ‘Niew-York’; this is a Dutch-language text from a city that was, at the time, just re-captured from the English. That didn’t last long. In any case, this is complicated by it being from a time of upheaval, in a town of many nationalities.

    The footnote also mentions Fort Willem Hendrik, which is still an historic site on the tip of Manhattan, albeit rebuilt several times.

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