Category: Press and typeface identification
Later topic: serial number list for C&P Pilots?
Earlier topic: wood type ID

Tuscan Condensed

Howdy all. I have a few letters missing from this typeface. I am unsure of the actual name, but for now, Tuscan Condensed it is. Anyone have a recommendation / best practice for filling in the missing letters and expanding what I have? The letters are 9.1875 tall and unmarked.

Thanks in advance

Tony

image: TuscanE.jpg

TuscanE.jpg

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This looks similar to Antique Tuscan No. 9, which is shown in Kelly, on page 118. The capital ‘E’ is not shown, but here is a showing of a font that I used to have in my collection:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/39182740@N04/3906569804/in/album-721576222...
This font had one of the shortest descenders of any font that I had ever seen, but none of them were shown in Kelly, so it was a difficult one to match. While the one in Kelly is by Page, mine had no markings, but I attributed mine to Bill, which would put it in the early 1850s.
As far as filling-in missing letters, I hand-cut mine, from any actual showings, on end-wood..
Dave Greer

Thanks Dave for the identification, I only have upper case letters of the font. Would you elaborate some on your process “I hand-cut mine, from any actual showings, on end-wood.” please? Where could I resource end-wood? I am in Texas.

Tony

I was thumbing through the 100-font RRKelly book and on page 84, this: Gothic Tuscan, looks to be a perfect match to the the letters I have. What do you think? Any thoughts to the age of the type?
Attached:

image: GothicTuscan_6367.jpg

GothicTuscan_6367.jpg

I recommend Petrusca Press. They have a facebook page, “Petrescu Press” where you can get in touch. They have made several odd wooden type sorts for me from gothic to ornate - great work, fair price.

Yes, Tony.
That is the same page, shown in the thick Kelly book, on page 315, and the face was known as Gothic Tuscan, Antique Tuscan, and Antique Tuscan No. 9, by Page, in 1859. It seems that my photo did not appear, so I will check the URL, again.
My method of cutting a replacement letter was very crude, but it involved cutting a blank, from end-grain maple, and just drawing the replacement letter in pencil. Using a drill press, I could rout-away most of the area and I used engraving tools to make the counter, and smooth the rough spots.
I do not have any samples, as the wood type was sold to John Horn, last year.
Here, again, I will try to show my printed page:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/39182740@N04/3906569804/in/album-721576222...
It shows the lower-case and figures, which were missing from Kelly.

I second emthree’s suggestion of Petrescu Press. They can take a digital file and make type from it. You might also contact Virgin Wood Type or Scott Moore / Moore Wood Type. They are all making new wood type from pantograph and laser cuts and could probably make some new sorts for you.

This is cut on my CNC Router using Hard Maple.

Casey
Inky Lips Press
http://www.inkylipspress.com/#woodtype

image: IMG_3067.jpg

IMG_3067.jpg