Printers to Hendrik Niclaes: Plantin and Augustijn van Hasselt

AbstractFrom the chronicles of the Family of Love we know that, besides printers in Deventer and later in Cologne, both Plantin and Augustijn van Hasselt printed for this religious sect. On the basis of this information quite a large number of publications have hitherto been attributed to Plantin, while only one single edition in Latin was reckoned to be the work of Augustijn. An analysis of the typography, however, shows that apart from Hendrik Niclaes's chief work, Den Spegel der Gherechticheyt, Plantin only printed two of his minor writings and that all the other ascriptions to Plantin must be revised in favour of Augustijn van Hasselt. In 1561-2 Augustijn was running a printing shop in the Dutch town of Kampen, specially set up by HN for the purpose of publishing those of his works that had not previously been printed. Plantin, who was partly involved in this enterprise, took the opportunity to have a book printed on this press for his publishing business. The analysis providing the typographical evidence of this collaboration proves for the first time the accuracy of the literary sources as regards Plantin's involvement in the publication of the works of Hendrik Niclaes. In the presentation of the new evidence it was necessary to establish more clearly the date of Plantin's '[1561]' inventory and which roman and German types he owned at what times. The article ends with some notes regarding the end of the 'Bohmbargen' press at Cologne.