tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233344012024-03-14T11:54:53.032+00:00Holmfirth Typographical Society<b>INCORPORATING TUNNELLING AND CLOSED TRENCH EXCAVATION NEWS</b><br>
<p>Due to a dearth of information on decent letterforms, furniture, tunnelling equipment &c it was felt a society was required. It is, of course, fully affiliated.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-3475792720829986422010-04-20T18:15:00.003+01:002010-04-20T18:29:38.217+01:00The Strange Case of Upper LaneThis road sign has been bothering me for some time<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqHrQ3bQ0oq-14_rcNUDMXasxqRAz9hrzz_WOyoz5FgDtp0DVJToP3cv7pXXE-nnrcsc3Dh72vecaa-5lzqkLn6_mxsIes5R1ZEAnyC2QjxaNIF3nAZ5Ht0i73EHXtoooDqEQFQ/s1600/upper-lane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqHrQ3bQ0oq-14_rcNUDMXasxqRAz9hrzz_WOyoz5FgDtp0DVJToP3cv7pXXE-nnrcsc3Dh72vecaa-5lzqkLn6_mxsIes5R1ZEAnyC2QjxaNIF3nAZ5Ht0i73EHXtoooDqEQFQ/s400/upper-lane.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>it's in caps, but the first letter is lower case.<br />
<br />
Or it would be in most typefaces,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtL6zaFt775-9Xv4DgMS8aYDp_PUwYDJ6gZPFeUhR3dR9XQ8z4_6oroM6E-iRS9iaAVO1Nm79VHibjMcxoKh_ncxWPk4NOlviX-GNpYoip-xr104hGE_Pmu771qPR5eSRpPw0ylw/s1600/times.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtL6zaFt775-9Xv4DgMS8aYDp_PUwYDJ6gZPFeUhR3dR9XQ8z4_6oroM6E-iRS9iaAVO1Nm79VHibjMcxoKh_ncxWPk4NOlviX-GNpYoip-xr104hGE_Pmu771qPR5eSRpPw0ylw/s400/times.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0aWtleSOuIdkkFrgkYlkk4Jo5udg_SMhZxOQlR0jbhvPojn6Ya0cr0itgXs3uq30yH4edF_vezSH9JOQ8oIW7WhBB4Xkt2ctDwjjBkWujQGzomh7Oaua55eTFKZW3GBUVlxQqgg/s1600/garamond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0aWtleSOuIdkkFrgkYlkk4Jo5udg_SMhZxOQlR0jbhvPojn6Ya0cr0itgXs3uq30yH4edF_vezSH9JOQ8oIW7WhBB4Xkt2ctDwjjBkWujQGzomh7Oaua55eTFKZW3GBUVlxQqgg/s400/garamond.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>but then a little sifting finds the typefaces where the uppercase U has a spur on the bottom right<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8r0vQ_wsnI4SWfC0qUG4R3SsOAwPg3rAMlyI1G0bC2xq1y6K5cQkDbQiZO4qETSpP_p4RAmVy7S-V2IRXHXz6noyCxu1aMmWQJz60dI9LVxSoae9nbqHx_siNKgvjBO187CY7Q/s1600/holland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8r0vQ_wsnI4SWfC0qUG4R3SsOAwPg3rAMlyI1G0bC2xq1y6K5cQkDbQiZO4qETSpP_p4RAmVy7S-V2IRXHXz6noyCxu1aMmWQJz60dI9LVxSoae9nbqHx_siNKgvjBO187CY7Q/s400/holland.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-70200184064211725312010-02-18T17:15:00.003+00:002010-02-18T17:17:03.408+00:00UNDER A TYPE TRAY<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUt3gffvEnBfB3bkR6xSOverqPK8e9NHvdHvhcd3Zug1lPkQMTk-Kafz3m1QX_uPNLYZCfkklV6jdHnedcD4bOka-mp5xXBgP39HQvBKnBiGZyfuKDOvCpdTAgRQJm4cEbgGjVlQ/s1600-h/under-tray-fix.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUt3gffvEnBfB3bkR6xSOverqPK8e9NHvdHvhcd3Zug1lPkQMTk-Kafz3m1QX_uPNLYZCfkklV6jdHnedcD4bOka-mp5xXBgP39HQvBKnBiGZyfuKDOvCpdTAgRQJm4cEbgGjVlQ/s400/under-tray-fix.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439633591801835874" /></a><br /><br />from the attic of the Old PrintworksUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-88368576905617811402009-06-16T23:11:00.006+01:002009-06-16T23:31:54.895+01:00Meanwhile back in the Gotthard-Base tunnelDeep under the Swiss Alps, just before midday, and half a year ahead of schedule, Gabi 1, the 500 tonne tunnel boring machine, breaks through the last few metres of rock between the Erstfeld and Armsteg subsections:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHX88c1ljXtNk_quPLMqDTZD0OLpOVXHqwUOwA7HQ6fDLZeEX-a02BsmZVwkA_BiIQGRWkYeLm-tS3MkOAksh5geI1gDaCQf-GqPvx1ARx4d3Fxiud2Y5K93VaccNL3eDNJqJZ-g/s1600-h/durchstich-tunn%E2%80%A6,height%3D349.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHX88c1ljXtNk_quPLMqDTZD0OLpOVXHqwUOwA7HQ6fDLZeEX-a02BsmZVwkA_BiIQGRWkYeLm-tS3MkOAksh5geI1gDaCQf-GqPvx1ARx4d3Fxiud2Y5K93VaccNL3eDNJqJZ-g/s320/durchstich-tunn%E2%80%A6,height%3D349.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348052770147624898" /></a><br /><br />more on the story <a href=" http://holmfirthtypo.blogspot.com/2006_11_01_archive.html"target="_new">here</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-47059983694207091342009-02-26T18:39:00.003+00:002009-02-26T18:40:27.820+00:00Found in the Oxfam shop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRi1bbWwxLrz-0OPkCOMPF2b_1Rs7lh98Di1uEDun_CK1ogUSN8Kf9qMdXhkLy0M1pV6nKFaUZe4oOp7Fb44HCzrPeyPaoSYmlqWChqMuz5_G-MDw9YHdFU10q6DuJLv_WGVDkhQ/s1600-h/type-tray-2.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRi1bbWwxLrz-0OPkCOMPF2b_1Rs7lh98Di1uEDun_CK1ogUSN8Kf9qMdXhkLy0M1pV6nKFaUZe4oOp7Fb44HCzrPeyPaoSYmlqWChqMuz5_G-MDw9YHdFU10q6DuJLv_WGVDkhQ/s320/type-tray-2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307177762136822146" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-67980597166621992222009-02-19T00:08:00.004+00:002009-02-19T00:13:47.194+00:00Stories from the Printing Office, part I<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6l3Qy8p_AhmmD1OZuNngUUgw4nrmzyIMWYga4HpID3CaQDIaCNsenO53qgqu-2oyt7hunO07omD-W61w-Ce3WxXAQPuXI1m22fhEiTRjk3IkY1n-z099Irs7rY7yP0doiaeEETQ/s1600-h/walkersprinters.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 57px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6l3Qy8p_AhmmD1OZuNngUUgw4nrmzyIMWYga4HpID3CaQDIaCNsenO53qgqu-2oyt7hunO07omD-W61w-Ce3WxXAQPuXI1m22fhEiTRjk3IkY1n-z099Irs7rY7yP0doiaeEETQ/s320/walkersprinters.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304294311837079154" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0uwGdMPcac0_8DFvFBqQjc2qPil3dAvYg5jpPI5QSKVSpZatyVuRHupuxrugINWVl2rcowc3JcR-NcNo_IvxYvV08N11-QI5sbKKqErsau70j-GjaP0obnO4_weFBX4wqptliQ/s1600-h/walkers.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0uwGdMPcac0_8DFvFBqQjc2qPil3dAvYg5jpPI5QSKVSpZatyVuRHupuxrugINWVl2rcowc3JcR-NcNo_IvxYvV08N11-QI5sbKKqErsau70j-GjaP0obnO4_weFBX4wqptliQ/s320/walkers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304294312862011266" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1m3JIvar8QTvvow_lqfBGwnS4kc8hNcil6tGzBAT-OeKY2iTBzTwBKdG-xpeYwOFLfdXdPFTc_FF-ISeCzMq9gZdti4QItrdJWULIWKPruUGK55HQ9QygCosXu4dPpd2_WeG4MQ/s1600-h/print-office.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 205px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1m3JIvar8QTvvow_lqfBGwnS4kc8hNcil6tGzBAT-OeKY2iTBzTwBKdG-xpeYwOFLfdXdPFTc_FF-ISeCzMq9gZdti4QItrdJWULIWKPruUGK55HQ9QygCosXu4dPpd2_WeG4MQ/s320/print-office.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304294306516560034" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-34652584042818846882008-05-29T13:42:00.002+01:002008-12-10T04:03:33.757+00:00Washpit Mill, Holmfirth<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkvIknwub48kuPDi3rF_9_OeFofj6UOO4RzqG8HjSmnkpBkV-PZn4jKXQPIUwdoW_W5ssPmlepZfYWJs2p4ETAyvFNSroXKpk2lVSUGS5JaO-jVGDCu_PUZM592mLRIcAK2MPeQ/s1600-h/slow-918.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkvIknwub48kuPDi3rF_9_OeFofj6UOO4RzqG8HjSmnkpBkV-PZn4jKXQPIUwdoW_W5ssPmlepZfYWJs2p4ETAyvFNSroXKpk2lVSUGS5JaO-jVGDCu_PUZM592mLRIcAK2MPeQ/s400/slow-918.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205779447144563490" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-20458041127122485042008-02-05T08:29:00.000+00:002008-12-10T04:03:33.867+00:00More clarification<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3tSQ6tWQa_TzBUz9CcHtvh0B7pzIbChLTvvPvYLxox1Aa6E4OMAK5CkAGxhJBO9sRTHsXR1sn66DrtYsOkrHdmgrgJGixkzdPBAol-2FsHTZ6VIxKX2yuq9M1QDmpqPB6Rp7lA/s1600-h/letter+labelling+22.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3tSQ6tWQa_TzBUz9CcHtvh0B7pzIbChLTvvPvYLxox1Aa6E4OMAK5CkAGxhJBO9sRTHsXR1sn66DrtYsOkrHdmgrgJGixkzdPBAol-2FsHTZ6VIxKX2yuq9M1QDmpqPB6Rp7lA/s320/letter+labelling+22.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163480000241394018" /></a><br /><br />To create something it's necessary to be able to describe it's constituent parts as a result most everything has a name<br /><br />[click to read in more detail]Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-16071740418956051872008-01-14T21:51:00.000+00:002008-12-10T04:03:34.205+00:00Die Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCSA_RwUX_IrYiWqKduR4SikfnFQJns_pF7H-ZkB2ejaog4V7qYP2PE2Trg4-lcx2CF7OkcrecmrJ3_3x_d_QkmQYUM2eDmbJjtMJ09JKFgFjsVRKL5nWEMLxyy6ASvNjWgVkQA/s1600-h/ausgang-630.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCSA_RwUX_IrYiWqKduR4SikfnFQJns_pF7H-ZkB2ejaog4V7qYP2PE2Trg4-lcx2CF7OkcrecmrJ3_3x_d_QkmQYUM2eDmbJjtMJ09JKFgFjsVRKL5nWEMLxyy6ASvNjWgVkQA/s400/ausgang-630.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155454911373942130" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PjTsNQfVDbkp3t-vAwkTqCJoDp47hi8vfejXialExE3zIO0d7GLJM5fpkIVI_-EY10z30jWSUCojNCJ5um0rl4qMT8HIi4S7jVeXvOBb3Q5M09dsMWEWAiW3-6t1hwUren3ZSw/s1600-h/leipzig-626.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PjTsNQfVDbkp3t-vAwkTqCJoDp47hi8vfejXialExE3zIO0d7GLJM5fpkIVI_-EY10z30jWSUCojNCJ5um0rl4qMT8HIi4S7jVeXvOBb3Q5M09dsMWEWAiW3-6t1hwUren3ZSw/s400/leipzig-626.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155454945733680514" /></a><br /><br /><br />Some hand-lettering in the old wool spinning mills of Leipzig.<br />Admittedly it's not strictly typography, but hell, life's too short to bother about that kind of thingUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-35586981728089128912007-12-23T19:54:00.000+00:002008-12-10T04:03:34.369+00:00Working Drawing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SamzeiGzkmGE5yT3PAKSXv-suj-LOi4DMtS3EanzzxFaw8ljdUn8e_gA-svHjUb9K4qcjNKzzjp7Q51Obnzomjct7XwEue6dgRjNr4hoGoW5MsI8c8o7ES_JKAwPqvVIqFdFfQ/s1600-h/uground.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SamzeiGzkmGE5yT3PAKSXv-suj-LOi4DMtS3EanzzxFaw8ljdUn8e_gA-svHjUb9K4qcjNKzzjp7Q51Obnzomjct7XwEue6dgRjNr4hoGoW5MsI8c8o7ES_JKAwPqvVIqFdFfQ/s400/uground.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147259842663914642" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-91614890578163124762007-12-11T16:24:00.000+00:002008-12-10T04:03:34.600+00:00French Homework<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvwDFn1IuX0bMjRmlCvjyFCS19LxEu_z8gB_LeI0ya694rEvhsbf7XCrEFsvzl1agxeEmZQ5WkU3Iu9UzFKY9VBWMYU3Mg9wXO68tGCswF0-IFLWS0DGsByMLqSoYvtPgmJXhig/s1600-h/type+names.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvwDFn1IuX0bMjRmlCvjyFCS19LxEu_z8gB_LeI0ya694rEvhsbf7XCrEFsvzl1agxeEmZQ5WkU3Iu9UzFKY9VBWMYU3Mg9wXO68tGCswF0-IFLWS0DGsByMLqSoYvtPgmJXhig/s400/type+names.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142754178550930722" /></a><br /><br />learn all this by next weekUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-33494856968862742682007-12-08T15:48:00.000+00:002008-12-10T04:03:34.783+00:00Extreme DangerIf Tunnel Men get into trouble they have to call in the Rescue Men:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WVfSrxTu9aaK462OJ_ZRpFcjpHS2Ra9quiXOR3mUL1wibSefe7bmKetmr95m6fSILSwMv5KnhSlA4M1B9neU_3r1xGqLLuT0wTVwhoQqP5YcQQfygX9K8MmkAL2zlDnkLFDp-w/s1600-h/1915-mine-rescue.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WVfSrxTu9aaK462OJ_ZRpFcjpHS2Ra9quiXOR3mUL1wibSefe7bmKetmr95m6fSILSwMv5KnhSlA4M1B9neU_3r1xGqLLuT0wTVwhoQqP5YcQQfygX9K8MmkAL2zlDnkLFDp-w/s400/1915-mine-rescue.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141629803357478146" /></a><br /><br /><i>image from <a href="http://www.shorpy.com/"target="_new">Shorpy</a></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-79996841730333769252007-12-06T13:50:00.000+00:002008-12-10T04:03:34.972+00:00HomeworkLearn all this for tomorrow:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmwr33W3KuPrwfRlBpFGoYdcm1QdJ-0fhjvop4Knjs1csis_CNYyLzNNq2PZPFiVTjTTOHUMOSg72ojmNSVQNflKEZg5RmWA7ExNFrouSVwFyqOlZzg654MbSHRqnt9bzplb28g/s1600-h/type_anatomy.png"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmwr33W3KuPrwfRlBpFGoYdcm1QdJ-0fhjvop4Knjs1csis_CNYyLzNNq2PZPFiVTjTTOHUMOSg72ojmNSVQNflKEZg5RmWA7ExNFrouSVwFyqOlZzg654MbSHRqnt9bzplb28g/s400/type_anatomy.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140857369107733634" /></a><br /><br />[click it to see it bigger]Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-89380084573178732212007-11-27T13:48:00.001+00:002008-12-10T04:03:36.869+00:00Life without rulers and stringMr Jones, our esteemed Chairman, had recent recourse to a dying art, namely: signwriting. Most things these days are computer generated, enlarged, laser cut and stuck on. But Mr Jones wanted it right, wanted it done proper, wanted it done, in fact, like these things used to be done. So a Signwriter was called in.<br /><br />Now you’d expect all manner of strings and levels and marking devices, tracings, letter-shapes, layouts and the like. But there was none. Your man took Mr Jones’ business card, business card mind – not renown for their largeness it has to be said, put up two ladders, drew out the first letter and started in on the painting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszur6Z6s77Vsud_sVMOPjuxFw8DLK4hyiQN6p2pPIh-l7d8U171YqSi5pPavfswD0iStNIJe66huXnKjOoIxCznJsp75OrRQwMZa7pCCDwyV_16q2YB_MIU8fR1OMh-lksr0svw/s1600-h/SJ-102.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszur6Z6s77Vsud_sVMOPjuxFw8DLK4hyiQN6p2pPIh-l7d8U171YqSi5pPavfswD0iStNIJe66huXnKjOoIxCznJsp75OrRQwMZa7pCCDwyV_16q2YB_MIU8fR1OMh-lksr0svw/s400/SJ-102.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137517224558849954" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIiNrd9EguEMGCSE9bi1qhp_iqTJcIcl4aPpWyi2zZV1csdnQRj3kfzfpi2Vbe-RrQeHkECSJgQLBNqVDdKJ5lAbRecuANZuRNwarin8M9KW-McW4PFg25u3yOwxDw1Nsq2Kdxw/s1600-h/SJ-105.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIiNrd9EguEMGCSE9bi1qhp_iqTJcIcl4aPpWyi2zZV1csdnQRj3kfzfpi2Vbe-RrQeHkECSJgQLBNqVDdKJ5lAbRecuANZuRNwarin8M9KW-McW4PFg25u3yOwxDw1Nsq2Kdxw/s400/SJ-105.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137517237443751858" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUTnsJDlLNfjoOAAr8rV_fRxlrfHvG8iwS4sBtH1JoakRJ3sYGlpaAErxigoW_yOKEBPujjJoE1XZiuviqR0Dw4RHp_Pf2X-C-nt49MNg8t19zelf3nWkmn51Yv81-lo63mwBhQ/s1600-h/SJ-111.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUTnsJDlLNfjoOAAr8rV_fRxlrfHvG8iwS4sBtH1JoakRJ3sYGlpaAErxigoW_yOKEBPujjJoE1XZiuviqR0Dw4RHp_Pf2X-C-nt49MNg8t19zelf3nWkmn51Yv81-lo63mwBhQ/s400/SJ-111.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137517250328653762" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnbu1w9Vr8DRco16bvPFPm4WuPWKg_S2RhIzg_yR4BsMinM8tZUcXuONFFC_C-69B9F_cBmRYskEj6gDt3drW2uJX3xl1LYXfIu7bEF87fN_R3PcTIkElkhM_fL9Em-bXz8avbw/s1600-h/SJ-112.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnbu1w9Vr8DRco16bvPFPm4WuPWKg_S2RhIzg_yR4BsMinM8tZUcXuONFFC_C-69B9F_cBmRYskEj6gDt3drW2uJX3xl1LYXfIu7bEF87fN_R3PcTIkElkhM_fL9Em-bXz8avbw/s400/SJ-112.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137517267508522962" /></a><br /><br />Ok, so the e is dropped a gnat’s gnidget, but, Hey! this guy did it all by eye, in about 2 hours.<br /><br />Your present interlocutor has done his share of signwriting, oh yes, I’m not a stranger to Keep’s Enamel, nor Hamilton’s brushes, nor, indeed, the mahl stick. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qciJYAFrnH1UD-MFdiMkTRc76rMtqQs3NcuuSQ_uP_fTiGebdO0kLzCUpO3ERkVlp8vYk4f2smAJ6P7aTPmw__a-MiXFkzmL1QUJqCoKEV7Cm5b2dcnJrhS9GxYKjTvBAszItQ/s1600-h/keeps-enamel.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qciJYAFrnH1UD-MFdiMkTRc76rMtqQs3NcuuSQ_uP_fTiGebdO0kLzCUpO3ERkVlp8vYk4f2smAJ6P7aTPmw__a-MiXFkzmL1QUJqCoKEV7Cm5b2dcnJrhS9GxYKjTvBAszItQ/s400/keeps-enamel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137517306163228642" /></a><br /><br />It was the winter of ’81, if I remember, in the South of France, signage for a series of campsites, and I admit it, I used a ruler. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNDKxoDOC-VxNo3sNLlgvji-zlRgUDkQ5VusKsOP0AigA7s_ZjdCGQV8lOQmzQTHD8lxtLgbwD4vt19-tuQkjhc4hjfq-8QUvIxH2G9-Tv9sQ0R-IqYZsqsMiuw5o9dhTMOwXvQ/s1600-h/pgl-signs-01.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNDKxoDOC-VxNo3sNLlgvji-zlRgUDkQ5VusKsOP0AigA7s_ZjdCGQV8lOQmzQTHD8lxtLgbwD4vt19-tuQkjhc4hjfq-8QUvIxH2G9-Tv9sQ0R-IqYZsqsMiuw5o9dhTMOwXvQ/s400/pgl-signs-01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137517821559304178" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dthsEUJIPhG_cLSDV6YN2THehNf-qM7Ud8PAkjmou1-1uySycPTJVbJvEQrGQ7PBAa5KWCBRZB3TS9BBck1B-w_BVJf2UklERTgdGPQt5EI1k2LtnTUFZltry905TEKLi2ATcw/s1600-h/pgl-signs-02.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dthsEUJIPhG_cLSDV6YN2THehNf-qM7Ud8PAkjmou1-1uySycPTJVbJvEQrGQ7PBAa5KWCBRZB3TS9BBck1B-w_BVJf2UklERTgdGPQt5EI1k2LtnTUFZltry905TEKLi2ATcw/s400/pgl-signs-02.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137517885983813634" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-73311968457009469672007-10-20T23:20:00.000+01:002008-12-10T04:03:37.823+00:00Tunnel BoysIn Olden Days, before digital watches, when tunnels were low and dark, and before we knew better, not far from the Tunnel Men working in coal mines you’d find the Tunnel Boys.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzC1VCb8hQYEDL4GpbMRSP5o-odIRpDnCEOR29QbqEL8GnMwKe0J3tExism_qE7hJ74FV3m_JrDKNMa-3b8W4qksRcB0M3pXxo7Hu61Q3JFrnUXRndU_AOIA-J6uqbqUhAp06Bg/s1600-h/tunnel-boys.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzC1VCb8hQYEDL4GpbMRSP5o-odIRpDnCEOR29QbqEL8GnMwKe0J3tExism_qE7hJ74FV3m_JrDKNMa-3b8W4qksRcB0M3pXxo7Hu61Q3JFrnUXRndU_AOIA-J6uqbqUhAp06Bg/s400/tunnel-boys.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123763780863528290" /></a><br /><br />They’d be working a 12 hours day, in the dark, from the age of 7 or 8 years.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6yuIHAXMGEJYb5GKjiYyEYLt1SFZpHI7NuV31s7pki0xMu5yyZcDg9btgdmH7ms7fVovxohdE5smMZ0cpdPuHNeUsUl71hhuUo20DvpMxubOiBdHAlw9xa-_pHxiUFF-Ssfcq4g/s1600-h/trapper.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6yuIHAXMGEJYb5GKjiYyEYLt1SFZpHI7NuV31s7pki0xMu5yyZcDg9btgdmH7ms7fVovxohdE5smMZ0cpdPuHNeUsUl71hhuUo20DvpMxubOiBdHAlw9xa-_pHxiUFF-Ssfcq4g/s400/trapper.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123763785158495602" /></a><br /><br />A Trapper, sitting in the dark for ten hours at a time opening and closing a gate, or trap, every hour or so as a train of coal came through. <br /><br />“The motorman would blink his light at me, and I’d throw the switch and open the door for him. Then, I’d jump into the manway until he was past, and run out and close the door. A trip would come along about every hour. Was I bored or lonely? Well, it was my job.”<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRE5hte35ytOD-tsfEwvCmk69y2eAEjRcx7j6-x-sWdEIqH3yXYJt5kTASgrL88qfjz4BBUeLoVC7YewFeFsTwpcpZG59I5OpJx0-Qdk_zdwSRUzQaOZdlVb4FbF6zfElCkXMHqQ/s1600-h/greaser-boy.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRE5hte35ytOD-tsfEwvCmk69y2eAEjRcx7j6-x-sWdEIqH3yXYJt5kTASgrL88qfjz4BBUeLoVC7YewFeFsTwpcpZG59I5OpJx0-Qdk_zdwSRUzQaOZdlVb4FbF6zfElCkXMHqQ/s400/greaser-boy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123763789453462914" /></a><br /><br />A Greaser, clambering amongst the loaded tubs in the mine, greasing the axles, covered in oil and coal dust.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQewtjK_7TV5_kJTGYRBa57AbrOjUZpuy1mGd-RfSENg92AcFwvFEXiiIGJETRF4KhyphenhyphencCFrODzxbAfHLjFB2a70rdAEqsrHsVKr2ZkiCmKYjj_INIE5COyQhA3cAxPPR7JF0jvAA/s1600-h/breaker-boys.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQewtjK_7TV5_kJTGYRBa57AbrOjUZpuy1mGd-RfSENg92AcFwvFEXiiIGJETRF4KhyphenhyphencCFrODzxbAfHLjFB2a70rdAEqsrHsVKr2ZkiCmKYjj_INIE5COyQhA3cAxPPR7JF0jvAA/s400/breaker-boys.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123763793748430226" /></a><br /><br />A Breaker- sitting astride a conveyor belt as the coal left the mine, sorting out the slate from the anthracite.<br /><br /><i>thanks to <a href="http://www.shorpy.com/"target="_new">Shorpy</a> for the photographs here.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-70988233983692769982007-10-19T10:26:00.000+01:002008-12-10T04:03:38.462+00:00That Helvetica ThingHelvetica is the only typeface to have a <a href="http://www.helveticafilm.com/stills.html"target="_new">feature documentary</a> made about it. Developed in 1957 by Max Miedinger, at the Hass type foundry in Münchenstein, Switzerland, Helvetica was key in the paradigm shift that occurred to graphic design in the sixties. It was orignally called:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSiSaj2l9a7kJwtGSHKNWio-GgIfHjQekQPDDl0VKNmFWI9jXvZvui3J4uDq9jBHapTpaX4-A1iclrrLyyQYh1Jed7-zTPBmtyoiDb2CGCJZJlsO9ATZWMDJKW8f5V4vu50hyphenhyphenqA/s1600-h/neuhaasgrot.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSiSaj2l9a7kJwtGSHKNWio-GgIfHjQekQPDDl0VKNmFWI9jXvZvui3J4uDq9jBHapTpaX4-A1iclrrLyyQYh1Jed7-zTPBmtyoiDb2CGCJZJlsO9ATZWMDJKW8f5V4vu50hyphenhyphenqA/s400/neuhaasgrot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122981023073832226" /></a><br /><br />But this was changed to Helvetica [Helvetica being part of the Latin name for Switzerland] to make it more appealing outside, German speaking, Switzerland. <br /><br />Two years later Letraset was founded in London and by 1960 it was producing the dry transfer lettering, with which is name is synonymous, and which allowed designers to break the shackles of cold metal type, shake off the chains of hot metal type and go round corners with relative ease. Helvetica together with Letraset was a powerful tool in the shaping of new typographic thinking.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBiLKtmQEOAExdeuzOOJXIVAB75F3-WC_nMbT_UhK-QuSQgcOYlnY7htlV8PdZfxXzuEKL30rGjb-Uo4MbrYYlT9P6b8yDrzu83Ik1D-F-8bp5gzbgilUQPT-H9YWJZEJBsJBoQ/s1600-h/letraset.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBiLKtmQEOAExdeuzOOJXIVAB75F3-WC_nMbT_UhK-QuSQgcOYlnY7htlV8PdZfxXzuEKL30rGjb-Uo4MbrYYlT9P6b8yDrzu83Ik1D-F-8bp5gzbgilUQPT-H9YWJZEJBsJBoQ/s400/letraset.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122981023073832242" /></a><br /><br />In the early eighties when Microsoft wanted a typeface for it’s word processing software they approached Hass for the Helvetica typeface but Hass weren’t interested. Microsoft sulked, and threw a few toys out the pram before going round to Monotype where together they developed Arial. Arial to most people is indistinguishable from Helvetica, which is a shame because Helvetica is fonts ahead of Arial. <br /><br />There was a lot of angry mutterings in the graphic studios of the Western World, the graphics studios in the Eastern World couldn’t give a fuck, they were too busy trying to get a typewriter that could operate with their complicated pictographic system: <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmN2yGL5bX4cjvF4es73ctLsneKd-zW_6b5N3pDTNbucnfMt4w9yeVm2BK-At3UxIMyH2zPNlr_BvEWRqeiRDPeTRojGGNecTXHfsRjk7vmsewNqOhu6qZfFsCavexcccWA9Y-Gg/s1600-h/chinese-typewriter.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmN2yGL5bX4cjvF4es73ctLsneKd-zW_6b5N3pDTNbucnfMt4w9yeVm2BK-At3UxIMyH2zPNlr_BvEWRqeiRDPeTRojGGNecTXHfsRjk7vmsewNqOhu6qZfFsCavexcccWA9Y-Gg/s400/chinese-typewriter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122981027368799554" /></a><br /><br />Designers felt Microsoft and Monotype had just ripped off Helvetica, what with Arial’s glyph widths being almost identical to Helvetica’s and the fact that, to most people, they were indistinguishable. <br /><br />How to tell the difference between Helvetica and Arial:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_J3z0ruwpvCZcYSeRwJsBwEoezJefhF7udDkdDZCPPW85TZlIvh962E9WFKCPeb4ZP1Dko0ak4WpOhs-upGZ-yzu9LIO0BrLjAyk1jwYXGi29kY8A-HhoHua3Ya3LBgozqmwUw/s1600-h/H-v-arial.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_J3z0ruwpvCZcYSeRwJsBwEoezJefhF7udDkdDZCPPW85TZlIvh962E9WFKCPeb4ZP1Dko0ak4WpOhs-upGZ-yzu9LIO0BrLjAyk1jwYXGi29kY8A-HhoHua3Ya3LBgozqmwUw/s400/H-v-arial.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122981027368799570" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-36979567245739150492007-10-14T20:58:00.000+01:002008-12-10T04:03:39.043+00:00Gotthard Base Tunnel - UPDATEAs of the 1st of October, <a href="http://holmfirthtypo.blogspot.com/2006/11/work-progresses-on-worlds-longest.html"target="_new">the tunnel</a> is 68% complete. Tunnel men have so far dug out 105.1km of tunnels out of the 153.5 km planned. In September they drove a total of 480m of tunnel, hard going at times clearly, in the Sedrun subsection, driving east, they are advancing 1.4 meters a day. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWVMtS-jwgUWjYrm0snBk8EKn_q96y1tQvZhOnW-XSowo_Sw26pr1buo3byqL_Df1R3SbOp4T4dHn43Lt1tYZ-bV9liOXsewnqURWctdFN0SBZlmPmuCAJM0Nl_Jk5m-aaR4FaA/s1600-h/GBT-14.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWVMtS-jwgUWjYrm0snBk8EKn_q96y1tQvZhOnW-XSowo_Sw26pr1buo3byqL_Df1R3SbOp4T4dHn43Lt1tYZ-bV9liOXsewnqURWctdFN0SBZlmPmuCAJM0Nl_Jk5m-aaR4FaA/s400/GBT-14.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121289506038877426" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEazuXdJoVRDIRUSf2obrlrH4kxVLzE6JuWlWxkj5lTWJuK9qaTDvYwE4FARTDniV9P9RdcVvzhstOKYBsiaLQA6Fi4F9N7siLUnQ_TXH36r-E1GY65hXJRicXx9opahsnl4IIdA/s1600-h/Ceneri-5.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEazuXdJoVRDIRUSf2obrlrH4kxVLzE6JuWlWxkj5lTWJuK9qaTDvYwE4FARTDniV9P9RdcVvzhstOKYBsiaLQA6Fi4F9N7siLUnQ_TXH36r-E1GY65hXJRicXx9opahsnl4IIdA/s400/Ceneri-5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121289506038877442" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSu2TgsNbh6H1F6UmAfU8hEV1kSNVFZxJAG7LZaMkqhP0FHul1F2TeK_yTw8uSGvuI4wXmVJHe6V6TLysUw03OV1ZHnl5kZVoi943ZFrPTpvFP-C28hMdaKPTttG2mtL5EwX5ag/s1600-h/aktuell+15.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSu2TgsNbh6H1F6UmAfU8hEV1kSNVFZxJAG7LZaMkqhP0FHul1F2TeK_yTw8uSGvuI4wXmVJHe6V6TLysUw03OV1ZHnl5kZVoi943ZFrPTpvFP-C28hMdaKPTttG2mtL5EwX5ag/s400/aktuell+15.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121289510333844754" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-88598174669692367192006-12-31T12:49:00.001+00:002008-12-10T04:03:39.912+00:00ETAOIN SHRDLUAnd while we’re on the subject of Linotype, we should pause for a moment and tell of the Great Etaoin Shrdlu. Etaoin was a Bangladeshi typesetter known for his speed and accuracy, it is said he could set lines in hot-metal faster than any man. Here he is as a young boy in his grandfather’s printing works in Dhaka:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwlph3gXZyYT4jft1Sx4XCGiOMBHMlGN9b9IsUs-ipGyp8jMX-EypwdbI2UrizChBxmu7gq8FeMHnG1DHJRHGdnw46trr5h-0fiRHsXd3vC9ABMwJ8QKXctRa2KqrZjakPIwAmQ/s1600-h/etaoin.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwlph3gXZyYT4jft1Sx4XCGiOMBHMlGN9b9IsUs-ipGyp8jMX-EypwdbI2UrizChBxmu7gq8FeMHnG1DHJRHGdnw46trr5h-0fiRHsXd3vC9ABMwJ8QKXctRa2KqrZjakPIwAmQ/s400/etaoin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015519156498044914" /></a><br /><br />In his youth Eato ik’olkjjjjjjF fhkm wqlKJNU ,.,2., IUYK,LK JKK;ok <br /><br />The Holmfirth Typographical Society would like to apologise for this article, which, as you will no doubt have realised by now, is complete nonsense. The perpetrator has clearly been at the turpentine again. Normal service will be resumed just as soon as we get a new lock on the typewriter case.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNQPv1I91H7gNAdxBVjlw6QNPc7wS1XnT4Ma8tK0bbHyFyMCa1i9lHzJ38jZGhVIIHLC8rojcSdOybLlDEX6W9mUK6npd0ezu5Iw69B9r0W5BvJoFOOduvHdqPAV0NRy0NUxtWw/s1600-h/typewriter.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNQPv1I91H7gNAdxBVjlw6QNPc7wS1XnT4Ma8tK0bbHyFyMCa1i9lHzJ38jZGhVIIHLC8rojcSdOybLlDEX6W9mUK6npd0ezu5Iw69B9r0W5BvJoFOOduvHdqPAV0NRy0NUxtWw/s400/typewriter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015518950339614690" /></a><br /><br />Right, where was he? Etaoin Shrdlu, or rather, as it was wont to appear, either ETAOIN SHRDLU or etaoin shrdlu. These were the letters as arranged on a linotype keyboard: <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-R8twP1S5h39Sh0L4ZEDf8W72DhkgqL1-mwZliKXaWz-IbR1RKjwJbgL8O5wKqL8I0DzEV5zVdLmgtjLIOa2kCY9OcquCea2AVOMqmI6xQhnR5Wy_s46BxZV0MMuTq2zIFn7ww/s1600-h/Linotype-keys.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-R8twP1S5h39Sh0L4ZEDf8W72DhkgqL1-mwZliKXaWz-IbR1RKjwJbgL8O5wKqL8I0DzEV5zVdLmgtjLIOa2kCY9OcquCea2AVOMqmI6xQhnR5Wy_s46BxZV0MMuTq2zIFn7ww/s400/Linotype-keys.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015518606742230994" /></a><br />[click on the image to see a bigger version]<br /><br />Now when you’re typing at a linotype machine, as I’m sure you’re aware, you can’t correct a mistake, you have to go through the business of casting a whole line, then eject the hot slug with the mistake in it. If a mistake is made at the beginning of a line the operator would simply run their finger down the keys on the left hand side of the keyboard and PRESTO! etaoin shrdlu would be cast along with the mistake. If the slug wasn’t ejected a proof reader could easily spot etaoin shrdlu in the galley. But, such is the nature of human error, they would sometimes miss it and ETAOIN SHRDLU get through into the paper. <br /><br />Indeed this happened so much that it got appears in dictionaries. Here it is in our copy of the Random House Dictionary of the English Language [unabridged]:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKV-_vMCmrr3dJ83J3lPN_2MzGg0woL9xW-7miVbz7orz4Tfbu5hA6XwY6MAhZ8h1E681yhLSllBraYn2JVsNEXbGrkOeTgBqfIXpL-hO0CjC9qqUSW1fz-9AsIPLOuQisXXTiQ/s1600-h/etaoin-shrdlu.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKV-_vMCmrr3dJ83J3lPN_2MzGg0woL9xW-7miVbz7orz4Tfbu5hA6XwY6MAhZ8h1E681yhLSllBraYn2JVsNEXbGrkOeTgBqfIXpL-hO0CjC9qqUSW1fz-9AsIPLOuQisXXTiQ/s400/etaoin-shrdlu.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015518061281384386" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-34326905896358096932006-12-30T17:33:00.000+00:002008-12-10T04:03:40.891+00:00Mr Mergenthaler’s canny invention.Here is the man largely responsible for a great deal of teenage back ache:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0PiZyvuaJBnhtNKWyvnN-tSXH92Agztt7vjFDD_I4EV3QUMOhU9nfe9XQW7LPzgX6pLwoNuy1qPlk9zOTlNgN1W_xaPL6UX8COeKkJDRfHBg_dUqvHmzm5UqfIfptdmj7RQyug/s1600-h/mergenthaler.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0PiZyvuaJBnhtNKWyvnN-tSXH92Agztt7vjFDD_I4EV3QUMOhU9nfe9XQW7LPzgX6pLwoNuy1qPlk9zOTlNgN1W_xaPL6UX8COeKkJDRfHBg_dUqvHmzm5UqfIfptdmj7RQyug/s400/mergenthaler.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5014375767484372722" /></a><br /><br />Ottmar Mergenthaler, born in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, in 1854. He made an impressive contribution to the story of printing, and enabled the Sunday Times to reach its unfeasibly large volume and weigh down the paper sacks of diminutive delivery people everywhere. <br /><br />Here’s what he invented:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLy7oZztGShOuae1SbumVRTBAs_XJ6xa6UA1Lfyy1v6LLasI980J2RUttKzjaBPEYSnEYa4vjcVyVXSEatQQ1jsrx2JBxJ4hrfNEDpQwj9M2vKEVCUAwTOPcar9kEKjSkW8auJDw/s1600-h/linotype.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLy7oZztGShOuae1SbumVRTBAs_XJ6xa6UA1Lfyy1v6LLasI980J2RUttKzjaBPEYSnEYa4vjcVyVXSEatQQ1jsrx2JBxJ4hrfNEDpQwj9M2vKEVCUAwTOPcar9kEKjSkW8auJDw/s400/linotype.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5014375767484372738" /></a><br /><br />Now, I’ve picked over the <a href="http://holmfirthtypo.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_archive.html"target="_new">ancient business of typesetting</a>, with two cases of type [the upper case and the lower case, if you recall] and a composing stick. Well the compositors who handled these crude tools could set lines of type at a fair lick, even so, no newspapers ran to more than eight pages. Until Mr Megenthaler came along with linotype.<br /><br />Basically here was a machine that set lines of type as fast as you could type a line. So papers grew in content and, to the abject disappointment of paper-boys and paper-girls everywhere, bulk.<br /><br />My brother-in-law had one and I remember using it to set a line of type, or slug as it was known, of my name. The keyboard was not of a QWERTY layout, <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaGeJZOWkmsbI0uP0hIGFDRWakXjO9SczU1VP8B6gKo3FKCwPVEgpV_Q5hG3lai8_-doR1GySUAMFLi3kuhuIzVFGy5OpJ_5CNmza5xkRfCq4_6U-md3V7YNxZDG_yv4Ir5E5iA/s1600-h/linotype-3.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKaGeJZOWkmsbI0uP0hIGFDRWakXjO9SczU1VP8B6gKo3FKCwPVEgpV_Q5hG3lai8_-doR1GySUAMFLi3kuhuIzVFGy5OpJ_5CNmza5xkRfCq4_6U-md3V7YNxZDG_yv4Ir5E5iA/s400/linotype-3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5014375771779340050" /></a><br /><br />You punched the keys and all hell broke loose. Little brass matrices, <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6G4BrzBkH5Q9JvNWv285NHmhxWzJ2bm7ZOcJSU4meH2kH9Tp0TTvKsg3cQfPrcVeOaJEQdzZGu1o60DIFSj8q3qdWls9PgEj7-By2_6UI5JJ1DbGkUOgOrO0n0Plm4ay-qEMSyA/s1600-h/matrice.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6G4BrzBkH5Q9JvNWv285NHmhxWzJ2bm7ZOcJSU4meH2kH9Tp0TTvKsg3cQfPrcVeOaJEQdzZGu1o60DIFSj8q3qdWls9PgEj7-By2_6UI5JJ1DbGkUOgOrO0n0Plm4ay-qEMSyA/s400/matrice.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5014375771779340066" /></a><br /><br />tinkled down shoots into a line where, when a whole line was assembled wedges were driven up between the words <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMG307MqPifFWD0TJqxPBbn8F3GjQEiNGcmXwJzdAV9lMC3UG9NhruNPwshXPlADMRUxv4LSCQRDe0bJYThxfSKRCDlivzTvm170TPAcrUAZD9dklSn3xYbJLSL-L8vQZUTTowvA/s1600-h/matrici_rigo.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMG307MqPifFWD0TJqxPBbn8F3GjQEiNGcmXwJzdAV9lMC3UG9NhruNPwshXPlADMRUxv4LSCQRDe0bJYThxfSKRCDlivzTvm170TPAcrUAZD9dklSn3xYbJLSL-L8vQZUTTowvA/s400/matrici_rigo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5014375771779340082" /></a><br /><br />to justify the text, then a hefty lever shot them over to be confronted by hot lead from which the line of type was cast. <br /><br />So rather than plucking plucky characters from the lower case, or indeed the upper case, Mr Mergenthaler’s machine used hot-metal. Behind this machine was a bubbling pot of molten lead. So there was a wonderful sound of crashes and clunks as lines of type-matrices were shuttered along to be cast and the tinkling of the brass tumbling down and back into the racks. Then there was the smell and warmth of hot metal, coupled with an ever-present twang of turpentine and printing ink. A heady cocktail indeed.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.woodsidepress.com/LINOTYPE.HTML"target="_new">more information on linotype</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-1164631068504835602006-11-27T12:26:00.000+00:002006-11-27T20:09:00.206+00:00Work progresses on world’s longest railway tunnelThe Gottard Base tunnel, which will be 57 km when complete, runs under the Alps from Switzerland to Italy and takes Tunnel Men through some pretty impressive rock. From the abundant, though varied, Aar-Massiv through a slice of Tavetscher Zwischen-massiv, then a thin sliver [geologically speaking that is] of Urseren-Garvera-Zone, into the Gotthard-Massiv, with a hint of Pioramulde before they finally chomp their way through some Penninische Gneiszone. Ah! The romance of the Alps.<br /><br />And you'll be please to note that, though 54 kilometres will be dug with Tunnel Boring Machines, 4 kilometres, due to the strata, will be blown away with explosives. Hoorah!<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/1600/374898/Sedrun-32.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/400/303804/Sedrun-32.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>Tunnel Men examine the first blast on the Porta Alpina</i><br /><br />Tunnel Men will be removing 24 million tons of rock, about the equivalent of 5 times the Great Pyramid on Giza <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/1600/260409/great-pyramid-giza.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/400/260836/great-pyramid-giza.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>the Great Pyramid at Giza</i><br /><br />Which if hollow could accommodate the five cathedrals of: St Peter's, Rome, Florence, Milan, Westminster and St Paul's, London. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/1600/589697/Westminster-Abbey.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/400/718475/Westminster-Abbey.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>Westminster Abbey, London</i><br /><br />So, technically, and with a future increase in the following of certain Western Orthodox teachings, 25 big cathedrals could be built with what comes out the tunnel. But a lot of the spoil is being used to make an island in a lake instead.<br /><br />There are two Tunnel Boring Machines, Gabi I and Gabi II weighing in at around 500 tonnes each. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/1600/294763/Amsteg-6.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/400/718847/Amsteg-6.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>Gabi I</i><br /><br />latest update from Tunnel Men at Amsteg:<br /><br />On October 16, 2006, the core machine was transported almost 11 km back to the assembly cavern on the construction railway. The journey was extremely successful and was completed in only five hours. The cutting-head centre, main bearing, and base frame of the TBM will now be transported out of the tunnel by lowloader. Dismantling of TBM Gabi I is 95% complete. To repair the collapse at TM 118,670, drilling work for the injection pipes is continuing. Dismantling of TBM Gabi II has already started. The status of the kicker construction sites is as follows: west tunnel 8,200 metres, east tunnel 6,250 metres.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/1600/947599/Bodio-%2814%29.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/400/482634/Bodio-%2814%29.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>the tunnel face after Gabi II was reversed out</i><br /><br />Meanwhile on the Faido section of the tunnel concreting of the TBM driving invert in both single-track tunnels, and of the reinforced base inverts in the tunnel branchoff west south, is still in progress, you’ll be pleased to note.<br /><br />Once the Conventional Driving [a term used by Tunnel Men to signify the relentless forward thrust of the massive TBM] is complete and the Tunnel Boring Machines have be removed, steel arches are inserted and the whole thing sprayed with concrete - made out of the graded spoil from the tunnelling no less.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/1600/814387/Sedrun-31.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7606/176/400/906680/Sedrun-31.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>reinforcing the Sedrun section</i><br /><br />Guess what Tunnel Men call the fallen, shattered, blasted rock after an explosion? <br />Muck. <br />You don’t mess with Tunnel Men.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-1162574823997410672006-11-03T17:22:00.000+00:002006-11-03T17:27:04.006+00:00THINGS EVERY GOOD BOY SHOULD KNOWNot that we're ruling out bad boys you understand, nor girls, either good or bad.<br /><br />Anyway, having cleared that up, <a href="http://www.paper-paper.com/weight.html"target="_new">here's</a> what everyone [good, bad, mildly annoying, male or female] should know.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-1158835668930224062006-09-21T11:32:00.000+01:002006-09-21T11:47:48.953+01:00What! What? Where're We Been?We've been busy. Variously riding motorbikes to remote parts of Europe, filming in Kosovo, and generally expanding the Digital Universe.<br /><br /><i><b>BREAKING NEWS:</b> Helvetica to be eponimous star in <a href="http://helveticafilm.com/"target="_new">feature film</a><br /><br /><b>FORTHCOMING ATTRACTIONS:</b> William Caxton, from piece dealer to printer.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/caxton-chaucer.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/caxton-chaucer.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />A page from Caxton's edition of Chaucer - <i>thanks to the <a href="http://www.bl.uk/"target="_new">British Library</a></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-1146048477246267622006-04-26T11:41:00.000+01:002006-04-26T17:46:20.633+01:00Minutes of the meeting of the 25th of April.Present: <br />Mr. Jones, Chairman<br />Mr. Holroyd, Treasurer<br />Mr. Coombes, Secretary<br />Mr. Duckering<br /><br />Mr. Jones [Chairman] leafed through the notebook and accepted the minutes of the last meeting, introduced Mr. Duckering and the meeting was brought to order,<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/road-sign.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/road-sign.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Mr. Holroyd expressed his interest in Road Signs and proposed a special mention to Mr. Jeremy Tankard, who he believed was largely responsible for the typeface used on British number plates before they went all to shit and allowed any old crap typeface to define the letters. But this is clearly not the case as Mr. Tankard is no’but a lad, graduating, as he did, in short trousers, from the Royal College of Art in 1992 and The Great British Number Plate coming about in 1903. <br /><br />Edward Johnston, now <i>there</i> was a designer, he designed the famous London Underground typeface. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/Underground-type.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/Underground-type.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />He also clarified the London Underground logo <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/Underground-Symbol.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/Underground-Symbol.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />after its corruption from the General Omnibus logo when the Underground group bought the London General Omnibus Company in 1912.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/general-logo.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/general-logo.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />However the main item on the agenda was Mr. Holroyd’s passion for vacuuming in general and Charles Dyson in particular. This may seem like an opportunity to go into the Life and Times of Mr. Dyson, but as he has done little to further the cause of typography, or tunneling, we shall have to pass on that one. Suffice it to say Mr. Holroyd was interested in challenging the patents on the cyclone system, which is so central to the operation of Mr. Dyson's Hoovers, with a view to patenting his own wind-up clockwork beer-mat vacuum cleaner for use in the Immerging World. <br /><br />At this juncture Mr. Jones [Chairman] pointed out that the best van he ever saw was in Batley.<br /><br />There was a brief pause [which in some of the cheaper Westerns would be denoted by sage brush blowing down an empty High Street] and the meeting moved swiftly on.<br /><br />After a particularly smutty and unbecoming comment from Mr. Coombes, Mr. Jones [Chairman] proposed creating <i>another</i> website, that could be used for fun and profit.<br /><br />Following a train of thought known only to himself, Mr. Holroyd pointed out that the famous climber and mountaineer Michael Schumacher, is also quite a good racing driver. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/schumi.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/schumi.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Mr. Duckering replied that they had a platen printing press in Trumpton, thereby confirming two things: 1. he's on the same wavelength as Mr. Holroyd and: 2. he's an ideal member of the Holmfirth Typographical Society. He went on to remark that said printer printed the poster: <br /><div align="center"><b>DON’T FORGET <br />THE BAND CONCERT <br />AT 3 O’CLOCK.</b></div><br />But as the print rate was about one poster an hour most people probably missed the band concert. Whether Michael Schumacher uses a Dyson vacuum cleaner was not established.<br /><br />As the meeting moved into its Twiglet phase the matter of Internet Chairs was brought up – after Mr. Jones [Chairman] pointed out that internet suits were available that enabled you to enjoy the murkier pleasures of the World Wide Web [see Mr. Jones’ Other Website] in a more intimate fashion. It was proposed that the Society look into developing Internet Chairs to help online customers experience their bank balances at a more fundamental level.<br /><br />The Treasurer’s Report failed to materialize for the third week and certain members of the Society are beginning to doubt the commitment of the Treasurer.<br /><br />Mr. Holroyd did however, proposed another excellent money-making venture for the Society, which didn’t involve either Charles Dyson or vacuum cleaners. He pointed out that some lesbian acquaintances of his were making a fine living by washing their nether garments in the local launderette, collecting the detritus from the filter in the drier and selling it as Lesbian Fanny Fluff for a 100 notes a bag on EBay. Readers wishing to purchase this kind of thing should go to Mr. Jones’ <a href="http://theotherwebsite.blogspot.com/"target="_new">OTHER</a> website.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-1145794820597015742006-04-23T13:14:00.000+01:002006-04-23T13:21:43.826+01:00Great Letter Men<b>Claude Garamond</b><br /><br />Born in Paris in 1490, at the age of 20 young Claude was apprenticed to the notable Parisian Punchcutter Antoine Augereau. Here Claude trained as a Punchcutter with Simon de Colines and Geoffroy Tory and went on to eclipse his masters. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/garamond.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/garamond.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />When he were no’but a young ‘un Claude would spell his surname: Garamont, not out of ignorance or youthful high-spirits but because that was the custom. Indeed most things were spelt which ever way the writer wrote them, and everything was rather confusing. But seeing as nobody could read anyway this didn’t matter very much - as often as not it was the writer who read the writings. But with the onset of printing, and Adult Literacy Programs kicking in all over Europe, well-meaning philanthropists decide the Fifteenth Century was a good time to standardize spelling. It’s taken them five hundred years and we’re still arguing some of the finer points. <br /><br />[can you have ill-meaning philanthropists?]<br /><br />In 1523 Claude Garamond [now, you’ll notice, standardized with a d at the end] designed and cut a typeface which he derived from Griffo’s Roman typefaces, and he called it, not entirely unreasonably: Garamond. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/garamond-type.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/garamond-type.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />The first book to use Garamond typeface was <i>Paraphrasis in Elegantiarum Libros Laurentii Vallae</i> by Erasmus. Not one of his best sellers it has to be said – the film rights are still on option we believe.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/erasmus-holb.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/erasmus-holb.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><i>Desiderius Erasmus, revising for a spelling test.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-1145016141082006912006-04-14T12:31:00.000+01:002006-04-19T23:35:11.420+01:00Smoke proofWhen the Punchcutter gets close to finishing cutting his punch he makes a smoke proof to check the quality of the letter. He holds the end of the punch in a candle for a moment then presses it onto some paper. The soot deposited from the candle flame creates a fine imprint which can be checked for accuracy and detail.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/coombes-stamp-344.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/coombes-stamp-344.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>the punch my great grandfather used to identify his tools</i><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/smoke-proof-339.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/smoke-proof-339.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>smoke proof of my great grandfather’s punch</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23334401.post-1144922930703964502006-04-13T11:00:00.000+01:002006-04-13T11:09:52.523+01:00ScumfishingIn the Dark Ages castles were both a Good Thing and a Bad Thing. It depended on your point of view. If you were in one and wanted to stop people pinching your chickens and your daughters, they were a Good Thing. If you were outside one with a view to a bit of pillage and a chicken supper, they were a Bad Thing. <br /><br />Once the gates were shut, the portcullis was down and the draw-bridge was up just about the only option open to you was to lay siege to the place and hope they ran out of cheese before you did.<br /><br />You’d camp round the castle for months or sometimes years and build huge siege engines that could hurl rocks into the walls. These had limited effect, it has to be said – some of the castles had walls sixteen feet thick.<br /> <br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/1600/treb-dad.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7606/176/400/treb-dad.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><i>the trebuchet</i><br /><br />All this is well and good you say, but what’s it got to do with tunneling [or typography for the matter of that]? Well when they found they couldn’t get through the walls, and struggled getting over them, what does any self-respecting Siege Army do? Call in the Tunnel Men obviously.<br /><br />The Tunnel Men or Sappers as they called themselves, because they also dug trenches, or saps, which zigzagged up to castle walls, would dig under the foundations and lay fires there to de-stabilise everything. By the 15th Century, when Black Powder had filtered through from the East, they were putting gunpowder in the tunnels and blowing up the walls from below. <br /><br />On the Scottish Borders, where the living was hard, and the ground was harder, they couldn’t roll siege engines across the rocky terrain and they couldn’t use tunnels to get at the foundations so they would pile wood and damp straw up against the lower walls and round the gates and doorways of a tower and set fire to it to smoke the occupiers out – this was called Scumfishing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0