A Note to Academic Programs with Working Presses, Working Printing Museums and Centers for the Book Nov. 6, 2006 FOUNDRY TO CLOSE IN 18-20 MONTHS (winter '08) The Foundry is scheduled to close in 18-20 months. It has been working only about a week each month for the last year, as the owner is away for the remainder. For several years, the owner has been looking for an apprentice to keep the craft alive, and to take over the foundry. A few men have made an attempt, but sans success. It is a monumental task at the least, as there were multiple levels of each discipline at ATF, viz. design, artwork, matrix engraving, matrix justification, casting, finishing, fonting, shipping and advertising. There are few capable of acquiring a working knowledge of matrix works and casting. We are still looking for that unique individual that will carry on the craft. Suggestions are welcomed. One obvious conclusion is that the advise given below may be the manner in which foundry type continues. That is, its use. If you have been thinking about a large font, your window is closing rapidly. Stock is shrinking daily as several have have learned. Fonts of Cloister & Tory Initials are sold out and will not be cast again. 72pt types will not be cast again. Our remaining stock can be found HERE. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Facing the shortsighted scrapping of Letterpress printing programs in the 70s and 80s, the survival of a working press, with its fonts of type and related accoutrements is no small triumph. Small fonts however, even many of them, have limited usage. The printing of a small 4-page booklet, a small format chapbook or even a more ambitious work, is the logical goal of the working press. Printing a minimum of two pages up assumes that at least four formes have been composed, standing on galleys ready for backing up the pages first printed. Purchasing a sizable holding of a particular typeface by job fonts is not an efficient way to acquire type. We have for some years, provided genuine bookfonts especially schemed for straight text, poetry or Latin usage. We have tried to eliminate all the excess sorts which remain unused in cases, and made an effort to supply more of the useful sorts which allow more text set for the patron's investment in type. Small bookwork requires an ample supply of type. Our book font schemes start at 300 36pica/6-inch sort lines of Barth-cast, ATF quality foundry type. In terms of weight, this would equal apprx. 75# of 12 point types, apprx. 85# of 14 point types, or apprx. 100# of 16point. These fonts will set anywhere from 4pp to 16pp, depending on format and length of text-line, and require three California job-cases or an upper & lower case, for disribution. For bookworkers, be they private press typographers or artisans, we usually recommend the casting of a 500# font. This was the traditional weight font used for private press book printing, and allows for much latitude. The independence and security of knowing one will not run out of sorts, in an environment where the availability of quality metal types is at some risk, is a comfort to the practicing fine press or book artisan. We invite your inquiries on the above. daletype@world.att.net |