Matrix identification help

Hello, I came across this forum while I was doing research into a set of letters I picked up which I think are probably matrix sets. I’ve attached some pictures and I wondered if you might be able to help me identify what they are exactly, there aren’t any markings on them that I can see. Some of the punctuation seems a bit unusual?
Any help is much appreciated!

image: 1-IMG_3617.JPG

1-IMG_3617.JPG

image: 2-IMG_3622.JPG

2-IMG_3622.JPG

image: 3-IMG_3623.JPG

3-IMG_3623.JPG

image: 4-IMG_3625.JPG

4-IMG_3625.JPG

image: 5-IMG_3634.JPG

5-IMG_3634.JPG

image: 6-IMG_3641.JPG

6-IMG_3641.JPG

Log in to reply   7 replies so far

What material are these? Bakelite or other plastic?
They can’t be for making printing types or rubber stamps. The working surface as cast or molded would be a thin hairline, without the serifs shown, and nothing like the heavier weight we see.
On the other hand, their low alignment eliminates direct signage or photographic use. Maybe pantographic masters?

Thanks for your reply, that’s interesting. They’re a hard plastic or bakelite, I’m not sure which. All the tokens are the same height and have the same side profile as though they could slide on to a rail. Some of them are cut in slightly at the sides like the bottom left ‘Y’ in 5-IMG_3634.JPG and the final ‘V’ in the row above. (I’ve just attached a couple more images as well)

image: 1-IMG_3615.JPG

1-IMG_3615.JPG

image: 2-IMG_3616.JPG

2-IMG_3616.JPG

Those appear to be for a pantograph. The shape/back looks just like my New Hermès masters, though mine are made of brass.

Thanks stevegarst, that’s helpful

Possibly unfinished characters meant for the Hadego Machine, from Holland I think it was.

Thank you harrildplaten, I searched for that on flickr and found quite a few images
https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=hadego

They do look similar with how some letters are cut in like on this photo:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/henkgianotten/34995845921/

The letters do seem deeper though and it seems at least in some cases they have flat backs, maybe mine are something similar at least

The Hadego was a photo typesetter, invented by one of the members of staff of the Johannes Enschedé’s typefoundry and printing works. They were used to set headlines on film.