Note 52 — INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER THE TYPES AND TYPEFOUNDING OF THE FIRST PRINTERS.

The cost-book of the Ripoli press contains several entries pointing to an early trade in type and matrices. In 1477 the directors paid ten florins of gold to one John of Mentz, for a set of Roman matrices. At another time they paid 110 livres for two founts of Roman and one of Gothic: and further, purchased of the goldsmith, Banco of Florence, 100 little initials, three large initials, three copper vignettes, and the copper for an entire set of Greek matrices.