author
William Blades
1824–1890
An English printer, bibliographer, and devoted book collector, William Blades helped transform the study of early printing through his groundbreaking research on William Caxton. His lively classic The Enemies of Books remains a spirited defense of books and the people who preserve them.
5 Audiobooks
The Enemies of Books
by William Blades
Shakspere & Typography
by William Blades
The biography and typography of William Caxton, England's first printer
by William Blades
Books in chains, and other bibliographical papers
by William Blades
The Pentateuch of printing
by William Blades
About the author
William Blades (1824–1890) was an English printer and bibliographer born in Clapham, London. Apprenticed to his father’s printing business in 1840, he later became a partner in the firm Blades, East & Blades. His professional work led to a lifelong interest in the history of printing and early English books.
Blades became especially known for his detailed studies of William Caxton, England’s first printer. For The Life and Typography of William Caxton (1861–1863), he examined and classified around 450 volumes produced by Caxton’s press, using the changing forms of type to trace their history.
His other notable works include The Enemies of Books (1880), his most popular book, and several reprints and studies of early texts. He supported the 1877 Caxton celebration and the foundation of the Library Association, and his personal library later became the foundation of the St Bride Library in London.