Archive for the “Letterpress Type” Category

What we have here: 2 Slip Galleys with assorted metal and wood type, in the centre is the word Lotus in two styles in a 30″ wood stick we used to set poster type. This rests on an old Mahogany Wood Poster Type Case holding various wood type. As a Comp we never referred to it as ‘wood type’ it was poster type, as that is all we used it for. The battered piece below is an old  door I used across trestles as a bench.

As an aircraft buff I

composed this and had

a plate of a Spitfire

made names include:

Seafire, Spitfire,

Seafang, Swordfish,

Gannett, Sea hawk,

Fury, Scimitar,

Buccaneer, Harrier

There’s more, I cannot

make out, if you can

lets know.

Thanks

The shiny letters are lead type. I composed this as a clock, note numerals 12 3 6 9 as a metalic finish. Then decided it can double as a other useful items. Names include Best, Busby, Charlton, Edwards, Robson, Copple, Crerand, Nobby, Pearson, Carey, Delaney, FA cup. You’ll guess I was an fan in years past. I sent one to Man U, they confessed they couldn’t understand it and returned it. Made in 1984, there may be other names, if you find any please let me know. Thanks

A Tae Kwon Do outfit I trained with

So what names can you see?

A superb alternative Bronze finish; identical to equally superb Wood Type base- from which a neoprene mould made. Actual metal powders used: sides have Brass, Bronze sides.

Names of English brews include: Trumans Coke Flowers Pint Whitebread Half 7Up Bass.

The metal area is 8.25″ cube (210mm), I’ve distressed the pine base and top, stained and waxed it to complimet the battered appearance of the metal finish, and it seems to work well.

Manchester United

names, base up:

Best, Busby, Robson Charlton, Edwards Coppell, Delaney Crerand, Pearson, Carey, Nobby, Morgan, FA Cup. Numerals 12 3 6 9 one side as a wall clock. I sent this to the club in 1984, asking if they like some to sell in their shop? Their reply said; “they couldn’t understand it,” so I didn’t bother any more with other clubs. And so the seperate sides remained in a metal box, until I found ‘em again in March 2010. This is in Brass.

The number of cases of hardwood type dumped or burned runs into hundreds-of-thousands in Britain alone. That said, a great number was kept, simply because letterpress printers didn’t know what to do with it all; let alone the presses and other equipment to compose mainly posters, so it remained un-used in 24 drawer cabinets. Then when the business closed down for various reasons, mainly because the owners passed away or sold the premises, it was dumped. I managed to get my hands on about 200 cases plus countless cardboard boxes of mixed sizes and fonts, and only now after 25 years am I sorting them. All this requires at least a double-sized garage, lots of benches, trestles and planks of wood, and somewhere to plonk all the other stuff we stack there. And I haven’t even begun cleaning it, re-gluing/repairing the beautiful dovetail Mahogany cases. Then when I did, I had to ensure I didn’t break the pea-sized gecko’s eggs who took over most of the cases.

Shows 4 sides see all sides on other pages with all names

Impressive table lamp scattered with text to form names, dates related to a family.

I can see on the left: HOWARD, ROMA, Jube.

On the right: DANCE, Timothy. If you see more please let me know.

The other two sides are equally impressive with letters and numerials forming words and names.

It measures 19″ high x 10″ square (48 x 26cm) and it’s pretty heavy.