[a. late L. colophōn, a. Gr. κολοφών summit, ‘finishing touch.’]
† 1. ‘Finishing stroke,’ ‘crowning touch.’ Obs.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., III. iv. II. i. (1651), 693. His Colophon is how to resist and repress Atheism.
1635. Swan, Spec. M., ix. § 1 (1643), 420. He [God] comes to the Creation of man, and makes him the Colophon, or conclusion of all things else.
2. spec. The inscription or device, sometimes pictorial or emblematic, formerly placed at the end of a book or manuscript, and containing the title, the scribe’s or printer’s name, date and place of printing, etc. Hence, from title-page to colophon.
In early times the colophon gave the information now given on the title-page.
1774. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, iii. 140. The name and date of illuminator, in the following Colophon, written in letters of gold. Ibid. (1824), (1840), I. 187, note. The volume has this colophon. ‘Here endeth the lyfe of the moost ferefullest and unmercyfullest and myschevous Robert the devill which was afterwards called the servaunt of our Lorde Jhesu Cryste. Emprinted in Fletestrete in [at] the sygne of the sonne by Wynkyn de Worde.’
1816. Scott, Antiq., i. The volume was uninjured and entire from title-page to colophon.
1856. De Morgan, Difficulty of Descr. Bks. (1902), 16 (L.). When the colophon, or final description, fell into disuse … since the title-page had become the principal direct means of identifying the book.
1884. Sala, in Illustr. Lond. News, 31 May, 519/2. A literary vampire—who collects nothing but title-pages and colophons.
Hence Colophonize v., to provide with a colophon or tail-piece.
1837. Sir F. Palgrave, Merch. & Friar, v. (1844), 186. The corrected slips of the report of said speech, duly colophonized, ‘The honourable Member sat down amidst loud and repeated cheers.’
