Sunday, January 13, 2019 -- Lino Matrix Holder
The fabrication above is another idea from the past, just after we designed the original foundry matrix holder, the “Mark 1”. Back then, there was an interesting font of English Linotype matrices floating around town. At the last commercial Lino shop in Toronto, or at least the last one I knew about, on Ossington Street, there was a font of English Linotype 12 pt. Pilgrim. Designed by Eric Gill, it is a light face with great subtleties and a nice resemblance to Gill’s Perpetua, I believe in the same manner that many of Goudy’s faces are recognizable when seen together. These mats were owned by Bill Morgan of Lunar Caustic Press.
I had just completed a long run of 18 pt. Perpetua in foundry metal (12% Tin and 24% Antimony) and the possibilities encouraged the development of a simple Linotype matrix holder for my Mark 1 design. The holder was tool steel ground down to be exactly as thick as the matrix was wide. Holes would be bored in a 12 pt. Monotype mould to clear the ears of the Lino mats so no alteration would be needed. I was told the English Linotype mats had a deeper drive than the 0.043” depth of American Linotype, so the type cast could be milled down to size. However, Bill passed away, the Lino shop closed, the mats were sold, and that was the end of that.
Shown above is the holder and one chrome plated Lino mat for experimentation purposes. The above Lino holder would slip into the original foundry holder, see below.
Sunday, January 13, 2019 -- Lino Matrix Holder
The fabrication above is another idea from the past, just after we designed the original foundry matrix holder, the “Mark 1”. Back then, there was an interesting font of English Linotype matrices floating around town. At the last commercial Lino shop in Toronto, or at least the last one I knew about, on Ossington Street, there was a font of English Linotype 12 pt. Pilgrim. Designed by Eric Gill, it is a light face with great subtleties and a nice resemblance to Gill’s Perpetua, I believe in the same manner that many of Goudy’s faces are recognizable when seen together. These mats were owned by Bill Morgan of Lunar Caustic Press.
I had just completed a long run of 18 pt. Perpetua in foundry metal (12% Tin and 24% Antimony) and the possibilities encouraged the development of a simple Linotype matrix holder for my Mark 1 design. The holder was tool steel ground down to be exactly as thick as the matrix was wide. Holes would be bored in a 12 pt. Monotype mould to clear the ears of the Lino mats so no alteration would be needed. I was told the English Linotype mats had a deeper drive than the 0.043” depth of American Linotype, so the type cast could be milled down to size. However, Bill passed away, the Lino shop closed, the mats were sold, and that was the end of that.
Shown above is the holder and one chrome plated Lino mat for experimentation purposes. The above Lino holder would slip into the original foundry holder, see below.