The Typefoundry at the Private Press of Ian Schaefer

Monotype Foundry

I’ve been studying—albeit sporadically over the past several years—the design and manufacture of once-commonplace metal printing types. I hope that this section will someday reflect great progress in my efforts to establish a small, working typefoundry in my letterpress shop. Recently, a new ‘Monotype’ Compostition Caster was acquired for the foundry. There are some pictures of the successful move.

The Engraving Machine

Yet another project—an old pantographic engraving machine in need of a little attention. More here.

A ‘Monotype’ Disaster

On Tuesday, May 11, 2004, I received a long awaited shipment from Georgia. The freight was three pallets of machinery which I hoped would be my first ‘Monotype’ system, the centerpiece of which was a very fine and relatively new, British-made, 16 × 17 ‘Monotype’ Caster. Then, the story takes a horrible turn…Take a look at the pictures.

Typefoundry Inventory

Since the arrival of my second ‘Monotype’ machine, I’ve started to record an inventory of what’s in the foundry .

ATF to the Rescue!

In the two weeks since the Monotype Disaster, I have received a great deal of support, both moral and practical, from various members of the American Typecasting Fellowship. Many of these folks also happen to have been my instructors at Monotype University Five. I must thank Mike Anderson, Paul Duensing, Rich Hopkins and Jim Walczak for their continued efforts on behalf of my would-be typefoundry. This is quite a community.

A Favorite Word

relish.jpg

I have always liked the word relish. Maybe I enjoy any word that functions as both a noun and a verb, and where the noun is a concrete thing�skirt is another example. Anyway, I had some fun setting this word in 24-point Fournier Ornamented, and embellishing with a dazzling arrangement of 18-point Arrighi Ornaments. The florid, baroque appearance seems to fit the word: couldn’t it be the label on an old tin of minced sweet pickles?
Fournier type was cast by students, including myself, at Monotype University Five. The Arrighi Ornaments are the finely cast product of the Dale Guild.