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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 3

Inventions

Inventions.

Case for Spaces.—Caslon's Circular, No. 51, shows a new « justifying case, » containing spaces from nonpareil to two-line great primer. It has, to our mind, a fault common to every such case that we have yet seen—almost the same space is devoted to each sized fount. There is a little difference in the three smallest sizes, which together occupy the space of two larger. Such a case should be always on the stand, as is the custom in America. In fact, the new Yankee job cases make no provision for spaces and quads, and the common system of having say pica justifiers distributed in perhaps fifty or sixty cases in various parts of the office involves much loss of time and material.

Improvement in Finishing Photographs.—Messrs Wrigglesworth and Binns, Wellington, have devised and patented a process by which ordinary photographs can be given all the effect to be obtained on opal. The glazed finish of ordinary photographs is offensive to many, and by the new process, which has been named « Matt-opaltype, » it is entirely obviated. The Evening Press, describing the effect, says: « Details are brought out with equal fidelity, and over all there is a beautiful soft bloom instead of the glaze of the enamel. Some of subjects look very much like choice specimens we have seen of the platinotype process; others resemble carbon transfers on small opal plates; but to our mind the prettiest effect is given by those that look as if printed on very fine egg-shells, or plates of thin porcelain, or biscuit china. »

The New Stone Types.—The invention of Franz Jurschran, a sculptor at Vienna, of producing large types, especially poster type, from a composition resembling stone, and which is, when finished, hard and durable like granite, promises to be introduced into many printing offices, as it puts every printer in a situation to produce, of at least to multiply, his own types without great outlay or difficulty. The whole apparatus for the manufacture may be had at about four to five pounds sterling. The matrices are made of gutta percha, and wooden or any other kind of type, even cuts, may serve as models. They are put into iron receptacles, where the type material, consisting of stone powder (not cement) and some chemicals, is poured in and pressed afterwards. The process is said to be a very short and simple one, the only drawback consisting in the length of time, nearly two days, required for drying the types or clichés. When dry they are ready for the press; they are always cast type high; and the material is very cheap. The types take any sort of ink readily, and are said to be as useful as wooden or metal ones.