What do we mean when we say ‘old prints’? These are the printed books that were made with pre-industrial techniques. These books are largely produced by hand: the letters, the composition, the paper, the hand-cranked printing press, the binding, etc. That is why every copy made with those techniques is unique. Even within the same editions, which are books that were produced at the same time in the same way, there are still notable differences between copies. Sometimes more ink is applied, or the binding is slightly different. This is what makes old prints so interesting.
A distinction is made between different periods in these old editions. Books before the first of January 1501 are called incunables or cradle prints, because they were made during the period where the printed book slowly became distinct from the tradition of the manuscript or the handwritten book. These books are very rare. Books produced between 1501 and 1540 are called post-incunables. After 1540, the printing processes were considered ‘perfected’, so we just refer to them as old prints.
Roughly between 1800 and 1840, the production of printed books became more and more industrial. Paper was made by machine, and books were now made in great numbers in a factory setting. Even though the mass production of these books meant that knowledge could spread more quickly, the rapid industrialization inevitably meant a decline in the quality of printed books.
The core of our collection goes back to the library of the former Sint-Ignatius Handelshogeschool (Saint-Ignatius Trade School, a predecessor of the current university) which was established in 1852 by the Jesuits in Antwerp. Throughout the years, this collection was supplemented and enriched by various donations and acquisitions. Our purchasing policy is still aimed at the future collection profile, which is majorly influenced by the academic activity within the university.
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