Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 1

Recent Specimens

page 33

Recent Specimens.

The enterprising Central Type Foundry, of St. Louis, have forwarded the last number of their Printers' Register. We note that since we had our last parcel of type from thence, the foundry has dropped the old irregular bodies, and adopted the point system. Moreover, they have cast the separate sizes of each series systematically to line at head and foot, so that no cards or pieces of paper are required in justifying together. Thus reforms come in one at a time. But our own experience is that the American « point » is not yet a fixed quantity—nor will it ever be until it is adjusted absolutely to 1/72-inch. The American 6-line pica, instead of being an exact inch, is (supposed to be) fixed at the peculiar fraction of ·996-inch, and pica therefore, instead of 72 ems to the foot, is (approximately) 72·2892. This absurd scale is adopted solely to conform to the foreign metrical system. In any case, the gain would be infinitesimal; but how does it conform? Not in one of the sizes in actual use! The pica corresponds to ·4217 centimeters; the 6-line to 2·5301. It is not till we reach 83 picas = 35 centimeters—that we touch the metrical scale. Of course the practical advantage of a correspondence with scale in every 83 lines pica—(and this does not apply to the other bodies)—is of no value whatever; yet to gain this, correspondence with the national standard has been sacrificed altogether. This system, it is evident, cannot last; and when the standard point of 1/72-inch is accepted we may at last expect uniformity. One reform only will then remain—to make the width of every character to even points, as in the « Shieldface » of Messrs Schelter & Giesecke. But this digression must not lead us to overlook the novelties before us. First, we note a very beautiful script called « Steel-plate, » sharp, delicate, and graceful. It is cast to 30 point, and has two sizes of lower-case. « Washington » and « Victoria » are two eccentric but bold and legible faces. They have a strong resemblance to each other, but the former has a lower-case, and the latter has not. The « Atlanta » has something the same character as the « Victoria, » but is more expanded. « Grimaldi » is something like the « Modoc, » but wilder in conception, and as the lines run out at various angles, it has an intoxicated look. The « Santa Claus » is another quaint design, worthy of the foundry which originated the « Harper » series. It is an irregular letter in outline, with the oddest of word ornaments, and initial caps for one and two colors. Some bold Old-style founts follow, and a page of Christmas cuts, besides some good novelties from other houses. Altogether, this is an excellent number.

Messrs Farmer, Little, & Co., New York, send us their latest specimen circular. The « Scribble » face of the Caslon foundry is here shown; several « star » combinations, much in favor in American advertising, by which the effect of a large letter is secured with all the lightness of ordinary nonpareil caps, a « Broad Gothic, » the most expanded sanserif we have seen; « Barb, » a peculiar letter, flat at the top and sharp-pointed at the foot; « Abbey, » an old-style latin, very legible, and carrying plenty of color; « Gothic Lined, » an original but not very pleasing style, the horizontal lines being disproportionately thin—almost to the vanishing-point. There are also bold figures and fractions for news work, to the singular width of three-fifths of an em. Bruce's patent figures—two-thirds of an em—are doubtless very convenient as well as clear; but three-fifths strikes us as a very awkward fraction.

Messrs P. M. Shanks & Co., of the Patent Type Foundry, London, have forwarded us their specimen book of printing types. There is an excellent selection, including many familiar English and American faces. A specialty of this house is a neat series of pica and nonpareil borders.

We have received from Day & Collins, London, a small specimen book, in paper covers, showing an excellent selection of wooden types and borders. Enclosed are several loose sheets of novelties, including some useful logotypes, and a selection of the well-known « Chinese » ornaments, cut on a large scale for posters.

From Messrs Gould & Reeves, London, we have a large specimen sheet of zinc combination rules, from half-nonpareil to great primer. The patterns are similar to those of Stephenson & Blake's well-known brass borders, &c. The rule is well cut, and is much less costly than brass. Over seventy kinds are displayed in the sheet, besides numerous combination patterns. Some of the latter are nearly an inch in width, and are bold and effective.

Messrs J. C. Paul & Co., King's Cross Road, London, have sent us a sheet of specimens of wooden types, end ornaments, and borders, comprising the newest styles.

No. 19 of Hailing's Circular has been forwarded to us. Mr Thomas Hailing, of Cheltenham, is known as one of the best printers in England, and the circular before us (the first we have seen) justifies his reputation.

We have the January number of Ullmer's Circular (London), exhibiting American and German novelties, displayed to advantage.

Messrs Vanderburgh, Wells, & Co., wood type manufacturers, &c., New York, send us an illustrated catalogue showing all imaginable labor-saving appliances in typography, engraving, and stereotyping.

Messrs Wimble & Co., Melbourne, send us two sheets of cuts. One contains a selection from the « æsthetic » series brought out by the Western Electrotype Foundry, and the other sundry subjects, including two good « Jubilee » portraits of her Majesty.

Messrs F. H. Levey & Co., New York, send us two neat specimen books of their printing inks. The larger of the two contains an excellent selection of inks for general work, and the smaller exhibits some beautiful « art shades »—olive, brown, terracotta, satin brown, russia leather red, &c.

The Union Type Foundry, Chicago, send us their card—a remarkable example of the « selenotype » groundwork. This and similar processes are supposed to be profoundly secret, but anyone who has ever cast a metal plate ought to be able to see how they are produced.

Jolly & Co., stereotypers, Port Chalmers, have sent us a specimen of « auroratype » printing in four colors. This is the same process as is variously named « owltype, » « chaostype, » « selenotype, » &c., and for certain classes of work it forms an appropriate decoration.

The proprietors of the « Liberty » job press, New York, send us price-lists and circulars.

From Messrs Fergusson & Mitchell, of the Otago Paper Mills, Dunedin, we have received a parcel of samples of brown and gray papers and paper bags, of excellent quality.

Messrs Edwards, Dunlop, & Co., Limited, Sydney, have sent us a specimen book containing samples of writing papers, billhead papers, tinted posts, duplex papers, plain and tinted cardboards, &c.

From Messrs Whitcombe & Tombs, importers, Christchurch, we have samples of large post and double foolscap papers.

Messrs T. Renn & Co., Austral Paper Works, Sydney, send us a large parcel of samples of printed tea-papers, brown papers, bags, &c., also specimen sheets of stereo blocks suitable for bag and tea-paper printing.

It is not (says the Australasian and South American) the sole province of commerce to produce, to sell, and to transport. Her mission is also to aid in the physical, mental, and moral elevation of the human race, and in her true sphere she is as much a daughter of God as religion or liberty. Every supernal influence operating for the good of man is opposed by powers malign. Hypocrisy and superstition counterfeit religion, treachery seeks to assassinate liberty, and greed works to defeat the glorious designs of commerce.