Herman Strepel’s Advertisement sheet for scripts, c. 1450 (The Hague, KB, 76 D 45) – Image: medievalbooks.nl

It was a slow day in 1450 and Herman Strepel, a scribe in Münster, Germany, was bored. With the last manuscript almost complete, he needed a new client. So, his eyes lit up when a passerby stepped into his store. His clothes spoke of a wealthy merchant. Perhaps even a member of the aristocracy, although Herman would have probably recognized him. The man stopped to gaze admiringly at the wall, where an advertisement sheet hung, showcasing samples of Herman’s versatile handwriting. Much like every other scribe in the city, Herman had been using such posters to cover his walls and part of the window, in order to entice clients into ordering.

He walked next to the potential client and pointed at a script name, written in appealing golden letters. “We have two categories of…