William Davison of Alnwick (1781-1858) found it necessary to produce two separate lists (each with a different beautiful border of typographic ornaments and woodcut showing Alnwick Castle), reflecting the different aspects of his business as both apothecary (for which he was trained) and bookseller, stationer and printer.

His list as bookseller reveals the diversity of the bookseller’s trade. In addition to every conceivable element of stationery, he sold hair and nail brushes, the camera lucida, compasses, scales and mathematical instruments, paper hangings, etc. Booksellers traditionally sold musical instruments, together with their accessories: hair for violin bows, violin and violoncello strings, bridges and pegs, violins and bows are alluded to here. This list also makes mention of ‘letter paper, embellished with beautiful engravings by Bewick and other artists’. The association of William Davison with the engraver Thomas Bewick is well known.

John Johnson considered W. Davison to be ‘the most brilliant ornamental printer of his time’. A stockbook of Davison’s ornaments is shown at no. 101.

JJ Booktrade Northumberland: Davison of Alnwick (both)