PRINTER'S MARK

Beginning in 1462, the printing firm of Fust and Schoeffer (and later Schoeffer alone) signed its publications with the first of all printer’s marks: two red shields suspended from a branch (Latin = “Fustis”). When Schoeffer’s son Johann later applied for a patent on the family mark, the document described these designs as “Balken” (rafters) or “Sparren” (chevrons). Although they may the Greek letters Chi (as in Christos) and Lambda (as in Logos), or implements used by shepherds (old German = Schöffer), they have defied convincing interpretation.

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