history of the book

Maurice Annenberg (1907-1979) was a Baltimore printer, businessman, entrepreneur, and author of works on the history of printing, advertising, and the graphic arts. He wrote three books: Advertising, 3000 B.C.-1900 A.D., Type Foundries of America and Their Catalogues, and A Typographical Journey through the Inland Printer, 1883-1900.

The Maurice Annenberg papers are a fascinating collection within Literature and Rare Books collections in Special Collections and University Archives at Hornbake Library. The collection consists of correspondence; typography and other printing samples; trade catalogs; publications; photographs; programs; and speeches about the history of printing and advertising. The Rare Books collection also holds a portion of his personal library, which supported his interest in typography and the history of the printed book. The collection contains his reference books pertaining to typography, publishing, and the history of the book; a collection of periodicals pertaining to printing, publishing and bibliography; and a large collection of type foundry catalogs. Also included in this collection are printing and paper samples.

Explore the Maurice Annenberg papers finding aid.

To view any items in the collection visit the Maryland Room in Hornbake Library or contact us for more information!

What is a finding aid?

A finding aid is a description of the contents of a collection, similar to a table of contents you would find in a book. A collection’s contents are often grouped logically and describe the group of items within each folder. You rarely find descriptions of the individual items within collections. Finding aids also contain information about the size and scope of collections. Additional contextual information may also be included.

We recently brought out treasures from our rare book and special collections stacks for a visiting History of the Book class from UMD’s iSchool. Many of the books on display represented a wide variety of illustrations, from early incunable woodcuts and the delicate wood engravings of Thomas Bewick to more modern lithography, aquatints, and engraving techniques.

Also on display were landmarks in literature, philosophy, and politics that showcase the changes in book production, marketing, and reception from the 16th century through the present day. Early works on display included French revolutionary pamphlets and philosophical works, such as our first edition Thomas Hobbes Leviathan, printed in 1651. The rise of the modern paperback novel were represented by early editions of Harriet Beecher Stowe, Ernest Hemingway, and James Joyce. The two artists books by Werner Pfeiffer, Out of the Sky (2006) and Alphebeticum (2006) are wonderful examples of how modern artists use typography and construction to push the envelope of how we experience books.

Browse our rare book collections online or contact a librarian for more information.