Category: Hot metal: Linotype and Intertype
Later topic: I can't remove my magazines on C4
Earlier topic: More Linotype Oddities

Linotype Matrix, of a Linotype Matrix?

Sort-ing through the cabinet of Linotype sorts I picked up last week, I came across two Linotype matrices which would cast a line drawing of a Linotype matrix. Seems very odd to me, but I was wondering if anyone knew about these. Were they a promotional from Linotype or Intertype?

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Those are sorts mats, no distributor teeth notches cut in them. Used for ornaments, to indicate a type face, as in a type specimen sheet, was a machine set face rather than hand set, promotional use, and for the fun of it. We used to have hot metal geeks just as there are computer geeks now, and this would be a neat mat to have, even if there was no practical use for it. Seen on business cards, letterheads, etc. And that was back in the days when printers actually printed their own cards and stationery, but I digress as usual.

I was just flipping through an old Linotype specimen and made note of these ornaments, they were shown being used as a border.

Found another with the word “LINOTYPE” on the face and the casting image is a 6pt square with the entire alphabet in it in micro text. What precision work!