What it means
A colophon is a short statement about how the book was made. In the earliest printed books it was the only place the printer's name, city and date appeared, before title pages existed; the word is Greek for "summit" or "finishing touch". Today it is the last page of the back matter — or a few lines on the copyright page — describing the typefaces used, sometimes the paper, the binding, the printer and the designer.
Some publishers keep the tradition deliberately: Alfred A. Knopf's A Note on the Type has appeared in its books for a century, and many small presses and fine printers include one as a mark of care.
A colophon is not required, but readers who notice typography love them, and a note that names the faces and the setting system is the honest way to credit the craft that went into the pages.
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