Why would a graphic designer (me) in his right mind produce a facsimile (replica) edition of the original German Śrī Īśopaniṣad from the scratch?
All that in addition to a polished version for print and electronic delivery that he has already produced?
And reproducing all perceived imperfections and small mistakes of that very first edition – including typography that does not follow the German language rules?
And why would he create his own font family based on the original typeface of the IBM Composer Selectric of yesteryear – by adding all diacritic glyphs for transliteration of Sanskrit?
Because…
Because this very first edition of the German Śrī Īśopaniṣad was also the very first book of Śrīla Prabhupāda in German language.
Before that I only had the English abridged “Purple Gītā” and “Easy Journey to Other Planets.”
My English was a little better than rudimentary at the time.
Because this original edition was instrumental for me to finally be serious about becoming an aspiring devotee – as a youngster of 17 years of age.
Because this edition was translated from English by Mandali Bhadra Prabhu and his good wife Hari Priya devi dasi – into very beautiful German. With utmost dedication and devotion.
Because this edition was produced at ISKCON Press in Brooklyn, N.Y. *) – by Vaiṣṇava devotees. Devotees who where equally
devoted and dedicated as the translator team. Devotees who were sold out to their spiritual master, always ready to learn new skills: –
Tedious typesetting on an IBM Composer Selectric, proofing and correcting, pasting the output onto art board with a cutter and rubber cement, then making films of
it, then do page impositioning to assemble entire printing sheets, then contact-exposing those to printing plates. And finally printing, folding and collating, binding (which is an art and craft
in itself), finishing and packing for shipment.
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*) My godbrother Patita Pavana Prabhu informed me that the first print was produced at ISKCON Press in Boston – before the press moved to New York City. He did the binding of the book (which is still in good shape after half a century, by the way.) So, the copy I have could be an early and unchanged reprint.
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Below is a small image gallery of the project which is still work in progress:
