Colophon from 1587 edition of the Magna Charta
Tottel’s printing house was located at the ‘Sign of the Hand and Star’ on Fleet Street within Temple Bar in London. This address appears in the colophon of most books he printed as ‘London in Fleetestreete within Temple Barre, at the Signe of the Hand and Starre.’
His printer’s device (pictured below) includes star and hand motifs, although he seems to have rarely used the device – none of the books in this exhibition include it.
Tottel’s printer’s device from
Records suggest that Tottel’s printing house was commercially successful from its beginnings. It’s unlikely that his privilege was totally responsible for this as the sale of law books was steady and profits were likely to accrue over several years rather than quickly and all at once. The benevolences and dues he gave to the Stationers’ Company from early in his career suggest that he was one of the wealthier printers of the time. By 1556 he had purchased two houses and three shops near the Hand and Star.
Tottel’s watermark showing the hand and star
In 1557 Tottel had a least four apprentices working for him at once, besides several journeymen (itinerant skilled workers) which indicate that he had an extensive business for the period. Between 1556 and 1587, records show that Tottel engaged a total of twenty-four apprentices. He also employed a French bookbinder for several years before and after 1570. In 1583 he possessed three printing presses but was only using one, indicating that at one time he had had the need for more than one press.
Production from Tottel’s house declined significantly from around 1587 and there were very few books printed during the last years of his life.
Richard Tottel 