Appearing in an exhibition in the Treasure Room of Widener Library are a number of books which constitute part of an important gift to the Harvard College Library. The gift, which was made by Phillip Hofer '21 of Cleveland, Ohio, comprises about 600 volumes illustrative of the art of printing and was made with the purpose of establishing a special department in the Library to be devoted to typography.

Hofer Made Honorary Curator

Mr. Hofer has been made an honorary curator of books on the Fine Arts and is soon to have an office in Widener Library. In the near future the collection will be installed in Mr. Hofer's office, which he hopes to make the center of interest for fine printing in the University.

Mr. Hofer's gift includes valuable and important additions to the Library's collection of books from the press of Bruce Rogers, from the Merrymount Press of D. B. Updike, from the Kelmscott Press of William Morris from the Ashendene Press, from the Grolier Club, and from the Nonesuch and other contemporary presses. These books will be shown in the Treasure Room by means of exhibits which will be changed approximately every week.

Rare Reprint in Collection

Of interest in connection with Mr. Hofer's donation is the recent publication by the Cygnet Press of a facsimile reprint in Italian of the "Life of St. Jerome" which has been taken from several copies of an edition of his "Letters" printed at Ferrara by Lorenzo de Rossi in 1497 which are now owned by G. P. Winship '93 and Mr. Hofer. The Cygnet Press was founded by Mr. Winshop and Mr. Hofer, both of whom are members of the Signet Club of Harvard. In accordance with its name, the Press has adopted a young swan as its emblem.

Mr. Winship stated that the "Life of St. Jerome" is the first of a proposed series of publications in which Mr. Hofer liopes to show that the Harvard group of bibliophiles is capable of producing fine books as well as of collecting them.