Friday, May 29, 2020 -- Solid Body Mould
This is an interesting 48 pt. mould, received from the late John Eickhoff about fifteen years ago. It casts a solid body that is 0.849" high. Presumably spacing material produced from this mould was used for attaching plates or such in the old days. Note that Monotype moulds for 48 pt. usually produce type that have the recessed body to save weight.
If type was cast from this mould, theoretically, it would necessitate a matrix 0.069" deep (the standard depth for Monotype would be 0.065" or about 0.004" less). Now we do have matrices for Abbey Condensed, with a depth of about 0.100". These matrices are for a body slightly greater than 48 pt., having been created prior to the standardization of type sizes around 1880. However, it is close enough to use. Note the use of a mould top that has been cut down to clear the oversize matrix. More to follow.
Friday, May 29, 2020 -- Solid Body Mould
This is an interesting 48 pt. mould, received from the late John Eickhoff about fifteen years ago. It casts a solid body that is 0.849" high. Presumably spacing material produced from this mould was used for attaching plates or such in the old days. Note that Monotype moulds for 48 pt. usually produce type that have the recessed body to save weight.
If type was cast from this mould, theoretically, it would necessitate a matrix 0.069" deep (the standard depth for Monotype would be 0.065" or about 0.004" less). Now we do have matrices for Abbey Condensed, with a depth of about 0.100". These matrices are for a body slightly greater than 48 pt., having been created prior to the standardization of type sizes around 1880. However, it is close enough to use. Note the use of a mould top that has been cut down to clear the oversize matrix. More to follow.