Metal type came with a Showcard press

Marmaduke
on 29 Mar 21 (14:29)

Hi all,

I have a Showcard press (like a large square panini press) that I’m going to sell, it came from an old department store and came with 2 different sizes of metal type. I’d like to know what the type it is before I sell it.

I thought something like Impact or Grotesque No. 9 but they’re both not quite right. The flick on the R should help, and the ampersand has a flat top.

Thanks in advance

type3a.jpg

type2a.jpg

type1a.jpg

type4a.jpg

winking cat press
on 29 Mar 21 (15:47)

Does the type have a slotted base? and how tall are the letters?

Marmaduke
on 29 Mar 21 (16:24)

Thanks for looking. They’re 2.4cm tall on this one, the smaller set 1.7cm tall. There’s no slotted base on either.

The right hand side is solid, while the left hand side has 2 semi circular sections removed for finger gripping - see photo.

type5a.jpg

Kenneth Burnley
on 30 Mar 21 (02:01)

The Mouldtype Foundry of England’s specimen book of May 1956 shows Narrow Gothic Titling to have the characteristics of your type. Photo attached.

8EF1ED63-2AD2-43A8-BB29-AA86188C1154.jpeg

parallel_imp
on 30 Mar 21 (13:27)

The open sections aren’t for gripping, they are to reduce metal for better casting and weight. Monotype Supercaster?

typenut
on 30 Mar 21 (13:36)

Parallel_Imp is correct, this is standard for large Point sizes above 36 pt cast on British Monotype Super Casters.

Marmaduke
on 2 Apr 21 (02:22)

Thanks to you all, Kenneth Burnley, typenut and parallel_imp, all this is correct and excellent information.