August 24, 1456

It is believed that on August 24, 1456 the first printing of the Gutenberg Bible was completed, an event which marks a significant turning point in the history of literature and printing. Also, as we have mentioned here before, August 24th is Saint Bartholomew's Day, or the Feast of Saint Bartholomew, and he is the patron saint of bookbinders and leather workers. So, it should be no surprise that August 24th came to have some significance in the book trades.

Since there was a feast already in the works, August 24th came to be a time for master printers to host a party for their journeymen and apprentices at the end of the summer season, an event which became known as a wayzgoose. The term wayzgoose is now used a bit more broadly and can refer to various types of social gatherings, open-studios, parties, etc., hosted by printshops or binderies at any time of year.

As far as I know, there were no specific wayzgoose events happening locally this weekend; however, the Halifax Art Book Fair took place here on August 22-23, and it could certainly qualify as such. There were about 35 exhibitors ranging from book artists to small presses to special libraries. An apt time for celebrating these contributions to the modern book scene!


Halifax Art Book Fair
halifaxartbookfair.ca

Saint Bartholomew's Day and the Wayzgoose

August 24th is known as Saint Bartholomew's Day or Bartlemas. Saint Bartholomew is the patron saint of bookbinders and leather workers, as well as several other trades that involve the use or manufacture of leather and parchment. This day came to be known as a time for master printers to host a party for their journeymen and apprentices at the end of the summer season, an event which became known as a wayzgoose.

Detail of St. Bartholomew by Pinturicchio (Bernardino Di Betto) c. 1497

According to Wikipedia, the wayzgoose marked the end of the long summer days and the beginning of the shorter autumn days when work was done by candlelight. Over time, the wayzgoose became a yearly dinner and/or party for the staff at printshops and newspapers. It is possible that the wayzgoose was held on Saint Bartholomew's Day because he was the patron saint of leather workers, parchment makers, and bookbinders. The wayzgoose holiday was also a day that papermakers took a break from making paper for printers, instead using their leftover pulp to make paper for windows. Parchment was traditionally used for covering windows before paper was common, so papermaking also came to be under Batholomew's jurisdiction. Also, coincidentally, on August 24, 1456 the printing of the Gutenberg Bible was completed. There is a more detailed article about this on the Convivio Bookworks website, which they posted recently as they prepare for their own wayzgoose event this week. Many other printshops and binderies still hold annual wayzgoose celebrations too, though not necessarily on Saint Bartholomew's Day. Here in Nova Scotia, Gaspereau Press in Kentville hosts an annual wayzgoose, scheduled for October 21st this year.

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Submitted by Rhonda Miller