The Aldine Anchor was the printer's mark of the Aldine or Dolphin Press (1490-1597) The dolphin symbolized speed and rapid change of the late fifteenth century. The anchor was symbolic of stability and caution. Together with the words "festina lente", or hasten slowly, the Aldine Anchor set the guiding principle for a printer who hoped to make the age one of education for the common man. Aldus' intent was to produce high quality but inexpensive books. To make them more convenient than the large format editions of the day, he devised a small six by three and a half size. To fit more type on the page, he enlisted the skills of Francesco Griffo de Bologna, artist, goldsmith and type cutter. Griffo found he could place more on the page when he gave it a slant after the style of handwritten script. This he called his "Adino" type. Today we know it as Italic. At that time, Aldus used it for the entire text of a 456-page book printed in 1501. Over the next five years, new editions came out about every two months with a press run of 1000 copies. The popular pocket books were copied and the style imitated. The work of Aldus the Elder was carried on by Aldus the Younger, the grandson, and other family members of Manutius until 1597. [annotation adapted from: http://www.printersmarketplace.com/aldus.html]

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