Wood type ID - ornamental script upper case confusion
Just picked up a set of wood type. It’s an ornate script. The way it was cut is very interesting, allows interlocking of the upper and lower case. The upper case have chamfered corners which also allows you to either set the upper case square at the beginning of each line or locked up against other upper case letters. Picture of the upper case:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Amb9Z23KyYkLYchm1
2 questions -
1) I’m looking for help identifying the letterforms. My best current guesses as compared to the photo:
A-C-E-J-L-O-R
U-V-W-Y-Z-D?-alternate M?
B-F-H-I?-K-M
N-P-T-X-?-?-S?
Unidentified letters are D, G, Q, and I’m not sure about the I or S.
2) anyone know of a specimen that matches? I can post lower case as well, didn’t get a chance before needing to turn in for the night.
Mike
Nice find, Mike! Maybe it will be easier to identify the individual characters once you’ve printed them. I guess from looking at your photo that it was a printer who took a hacksaw to some of the characters in order to get a better ‘kerning’. I’ve got a similar fount, Kuenstler Script and there too, someone has been cutting parts away.
kuenstler_2.jpg
kuenstler_1.jpg
Mike,
Most of your character identifications seem correct; I show:
A C E J L O R
U V W Y Z D M
B F H I K alt-M
N P T X alt-C G S
Note: which C or M is the alternate is difficult to name, unless the whole font is viewed. I considered the main character as having the greater number.
T.J. Lyons had a similar font cut by Hamilton (No. 225) shown here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/39182740@N04/3950324504/in/album-721576224...
His font is missing the figures but, otherwise, seems complete.
Most wood-type mortising was done by individual owners, from my observation. Many metal fonts had factory mortising.
Dave Greer