Monotype Recorder Search

The Printing Museum in Wellington, New Zealand recently acquired an almost complete set of “Monotype Recorders” starting from January 1902 right up till the most recent new series. These came from the Monotype Corporation library, were bound into volumes and hence are in superb condition. When finances allow, the Museum intends to have them all scanned professionally and made available. A comprehensive index of contents is nearing completion and will be published on The Museum’s website, www.theprintingmuseum.org.nz where the latest newsletter details the story.

However, two of the early volumes disappeared from the set some time ago. These contained the monthly issues from February 1902 to December 1905. We would love to hear from anyone who can shed any light on these missing volumes—they will be slim versions of those in the picture. Alternatively, any information on locating copies that might be scanned to complete the collection would be most appreciated.

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It may interest you to know that a major international project to scan and publish (online) every issue of the Monotype Recorder, Newsletter and Bulletin is nearing completion. The scanning (at 400dpi) has been done to a very high standard, using Sony professional equipment. I can say no more about this project at the moment as it would pre-empt a formal announcement by the people who are funding it.

You might wish to concentrate your resources on other areas, rather than duplicate their efforts.

Thanks for the info, Bob.

Do you know if St Bride’s has a complete set?

Yes indeed. I think St Bride has the world’s only complete set. We loaned several very early issues to the co-ordinators of the scanning project. Remarkably, many original flyers and loosely-inserted leaflets are still tucked between the pages of even the earliest issues at St Bride.

Can’t wait to see the online archive! I have been maintaining a post-it note for at least a couple of years now with reference to a 1959 newsletter that I would like to view. Plus many issues of the Recorder, such as those with Frederic Warde ornament arrangements that I glimpsed recently in small images.

Side note, could wish for higher than 400 dpi scans, but that is a start! (600 dpi is considered minimum for reproduction at same size for bitmap images, and 1200 dpi is best.)

- Matt

Matt,

Feel free to get in touch through the museum website if you would like some one-off scans of a particular article or newsletter. The museum has newsletters 56, 60-95 (minus 71). The index allows searching for major references such as one yesterday for an Australian enquiry.