Copper shell for 'M' in Times New Roman 12pt

Copper shell for 'M' in Times New Roman 12pt

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Copper shell for 'M' in Times New Roman 12pt
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Copper shell for 'M' in Times New Roman 12pt

A huge team of people was involved in translating a designer’s ideas for a new typeface into matrices that could cast metal type for printing. Large technical drawings were made for each character using a sharp pencil, set square and French curves. The drawing was placed onto the table of a pantograph while a wax-coated glass plate was placed at the reducing end. The outline of the precise drawing was traced using rules and curves and at the same time a reduced design was cut into the wax. On completion, the wax was gouged out from between the lines, leaving everything but the letter or symbol. When hung in an electrolytic bath a shell of copper formed on its face. This item is a unique example of a copper shell for a reverse capital M in Times New Roman Series 327. It is only a few 1000th of an inch thick. The next stage was to break the edges off, back it with a lead alloy and trim it to form a pattern. The pattern was placed onto the punch-cutting pantograph machine to act as a guide to create a punch. There were many more stages to create a matrix. Checks were made for accuracy at every stage of the process.

Details

Category:
Printing & Writing
Collection:
Monotype Corporation Collection
Object Number:
1995-1486
Materials:
copper (alloy)
type:
shell