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Our Exchanges.

Hedeler's Export Journal for January is as full as ever of laboriously-compiled information relating to the book, paper, and printing trades. It is, we believe, the first attempt at an international publication of the kind, and it is meeting with wide support. Its list of new publications in art, literature, and music, in all the European languages, is a valuable and interesting bibliography. The present number opens with Edwin Bormann's poem Brudergruss, with French and English versions in parallel columns. The poem sets forth that while a world is in arms, and nations watch each other with distrust, true brotherhood is found in the Paradise of Peace—art and science:

And so one have but skill our hearts to gladden
We ask not for the land that gave him birth,
But bid him gladly welcome, and, ungrudging,
Bind round his brow the laurel crown of worth.

So greet we them in every land as brethren,
Who, midst the strife and turmoil of our time,
Still hold this Paradise, this one oasis,
Sacred alone to thoughts and deeds sublime.¹

The English version, from which we quote, is by E. Gordon Wells. A specimen plate from Jobmann's Treasury of Monograms, beautifully printed by H. Dora, Leipzig, appears as a supplement. The specimen fully bears out the reputation for originality and artistic beauty which this work has gained.

Paper and Press for January contains 96 pages, and is in every respect a magnificent number. It is difficult to imagine a finer-surfaced paper or cleaner and sharper presswork than is here displayed. Every kind of illustration is to be found here, from the ordinary-wood-cut to the most delicate of modern « process » engravings. The « Moss, » the « Ives, » the « Kurtz, » the « Electro-light, » Zeese's « Photo-zine, » and other processes are all exemplified by the finest specimens procurable. Among the portraits are those of Mr John Marder, the Chicago typefounder, and Mr Louis Prang, the New York art-lithographer. The February number to hand by same mail, is also full of good things.

The Paper World for February opens with an illustrated article on « the evolution of the printing press, » from hand-presses to the Hoe Quadruple. « Where it will end, no one can say, and even a Yankee guess would be rash. We can only say that the end is not yet in sight. » There is the usual variety of interesting trade notes and literary reviews, and there are in addition two beautiful full-page engravings on fine plate paper.

The Paper and Printing Trades' Journal for December is to hand. As usual, it is full of clever advertising notions. « The One-eyed Sphinx » is a novel and striking adaptation of an old optical experiment. A mediæval initial in a square border is shewn—it can be used with either of the four sides up, and is a different letter in each position. Mr Tuer has a notice « To Certain Sinners, » who copy without crediting. However, he sometimes comes under the same category himself. Every progressive printer should subscribe to this useful quarterly.

Revista Tipografica (Madrid) for December contains specimens of new combinations and original styles of letter by Schelter & Giesecke; an elaborate article by the editor, Sr. C. Schomburg, in reply to Hr. Berthold, on the subject of the German standard and the Didot point. It bears out the observation we have already made—that the continental bodies diverge seriously, and have no true relation to the « meter. » In the same issue we find a complimentary reference to the original articles in our own journal on technical matters.

Tidning för Boktryckarkonst (Stockholm) is a 12-page quarto, beautifully printed in roman type, and containing seven pages of well-displayed advertisements, in which Schelter & Giesecke's novelties figure prominently. We have made use of some of the interesting items in the copy to hand. We note a very just remark in a paragraph on the use of the &. The writer says that from the dimensions of this sign in many modern founts—titling-letters, fancy styles, and scripts— « one might suppose that the &-sign was the most important character in the whole alphabet.