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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 11

The Woellmer Foundry

page 7

The Woellmer Foundry.

Woellmer's novelties occupy so large a portion of our space this month that a brief account of the celebrated Berlin foundry is not out of place. The foundry was established by Mr. Wilhelm Woellmer on the 15th November, 1867, and in a very short time took its place among the leading houses in the trade, its reputation being now world-wide. Its modest outfit, at its institution, consisted of one type-casting machine, one furnace, and a single dressing-bench. It now includes more than a hundred type-casting machines, besides a great number of the latest auxiliary machines. The whole of the work, from the original drawings and designs by the artists, is executed on the premises. There is a large galvanic establishment in which the electrotypes are produced by dynamo machines; and a brass-rule factory furnished with every requirement. Foreign accents are supplied with all fonts when required, and nearly all the job letters are provided with the numerous extra sorts adapting them to the Russian language. The specimen-book issued by the firm in 1896 is one of the most complete and beautiful ever produced by any foundry, and two or three supplements have since appeared.

Our first acquaintance with the Woellmer foundry was in the year 1876, when some of its novelties were favorably noted in the London Printers' Register. At this time the German founders had not begun to cast types for the English market. We obtained, among other articles, the rivet and screw designs for one and two colors. This was an original device of the Woellmer foundry, often imitated since. Our box went down with the Queen Bee, off Farewell Spit, and the types we show above lay for a month at the bottom of the sea, with little or no injury. Woellmer also brought out a ribbon similar to that of Stephenson, Blake & Co., with extra characters, and a greater variety of shaded end-pieces. The firm also recut the popular ribbon and flower border, varying the design by introducing some additional characters. These designs, once deservedly popular, are now a little old- fashioned; but as the present issue of Typo abundantly proves, the firm has kept well to the front in the production of novelties.

The manufacture of brass rule is an important branch of the business, nearly a thousand faces, plain and ornamental, appearing in the specimen-book. Of these we are able to show a small selection. The figures on the left show the catalogue number, those on the right the body in German points. Most of the ornamental faces with white patterns on solid ground are also made as half-tint designs, the latter, as may be seen by three examples annexed, being distinguished by the addition of the letter A to the number. We find that the types for the English market, including electros and brass rules, are all adjusted with the greatest accuracy to English height.

From German exchanges just to hand we gather that the firm has received a certificate of honor from the jury of the Berlin Art and Industrial Exhibition of 1896; also a bronze medal from the State Department of Trade—the first ever issued by the Minister of Trade to a type-foundry. Other honors awarded to the firm are prize medals, first or second, at the Exhibitions of Vienna, 1873; Nürnberg, 1877; Sydney, 1879; Melbourne, 1882; and Barcelona, 1888.

page 9

Examples of Renaissance and Light Renaissance Combinations.

W. Woellmer, Berlin.

See also electro examples on pages 7 and 11.

See also electro examples on pages 7 and 11.

page 10

Samples of Rococo borders, W. Woellmer, Berlin.

page 11

Vignettes. W. Woellmer, Berlin.

Series I. 12 characters in all.

Series I. 12 characters in all.

Series IV. 24 characters in all.

Series IV. 24 characters in all.

Series III. (58 characters in all).

Series III. (58 characters in all).

Electro Vignettes.

Electro Vignettes.