The (Monotype) Matrix Reloaded

March 20, 2008 6:22 PM

I have a Monotype matrix case containing a bespoke font. Please help me see what it looks like in print.

I worked for a publisher that used to commission its own typography. They shut down their printing plant many years ago, and much later, a senior editor gave me a type casting matrix case which they'd rescued from the dump.

The font looks to be an elegant book font. There is a code stamped on the case "403-11", which might be the (British) Monotype reference for that font.

Is there anywhere (in North America; Canada preferred) I could get samples printed of this font? The back of the matrix case is pretty beat-up; looks like a lot of type was cast from this font. The brass matrices appear to be clean, though.

My ideal would be to have this digitized into an outline font, but to do this properly would take time, money and skill. I have none of these.

posted by scruss to media & arts (8 comments total)

I would send these people an email. I know I did prints there as a kid (they had really cool summer camps!), so it wouldn't surprise me if they could do it for you. If they can't, I bet they would know who can.
posted by Ctrl_Alt_ep at 7:22 PM on March 20

You could hand-print some letters, woodblock style, by dabbing ink and paper. The result would be sort of crate-stamping quality, but it should be good enough to show the letterforms.

If you made a sample this way (the word 'hamburgers' is pretty useful) and scanned it, maybe we could identify the typeface that way?
posted by rokusan at 7:24 PM on March 20

To actually use your matrix, you would need a Monotype machine, which is probably not to be found outside of a museum, and possibly not in operating condition anywhere.

Why not try to do this photographically: with a good digital camera and a magnifying lens, take pictures of each letter. Clean them up digitally and create a font using a program such as Fontforge or FontCreator. (The latter says it enables the conversion of images to characters.) This should allow you to use your font on your computer for your own documents.
posted by beagle at 7:29 PM on March 20

You might want to make a call (or better yet, send an email) to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design's print shop, since most of eastern Canada's type is currently in their basement. Ask for the guy in charge. If he doesn't know how to get this done, he can at least point you to someone who can.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:29 PM on March 20

As for identification, here's a possibility. According to this page, Monotype's 403 series was a font called Fontana created in 1936. On the current Monotype site, here's the Fontana family -- 11 might refer to one of the variations. Do the letter in your matrix look anything like this?
posted by beagle at 7:42 PM on March 20

I believe the archetype press at art center college of design in pasadena, ca has one monotype machine* but it's been a while since I was enrolled there. if not, the archetype instructors should know where to go. also consider your local art schools/colleges/university departments. you are bound to run into the right typoholic who lives and breathes this stuff.

also ask in the typophile forums.

(*I realize you're in toronto and this is an impractical solution but thought I'd mention it just in case.)
posted by krautland at 8:38 PM on March 20

I'd use something like silicone sealant to make a giant rubber stamp of the entire font matrix (or several stamps each of a smaller section) then stamp the all font characters onto paper, scan, clean-up, cut up, convert to spline, convert to character, create font.

That is, unless Beagle nailed it, in which case going to the source offers a much better path. (As to the 11, does it look like that might be how many points the font size is?)

Getting to a digital font from a rubber stamp is a fair bit of time, so I'd probably just stop as I reached the clean-up phase.
posted by -harlequin- at 12:21 AM on March 21

rokusan - these are right-reading matrices, not type. I'd have to do something like -harlequin- suggested, but previous attempts haven't been successful and I'm concerned about damaging the characters.

beagle - yup, it's most likely Fontana -- but not that Fontana. This looks like the Fontana designed by Giovanni Mardersteig for William Collins' private use in 1936. A sample of it is here.

I'll follow up the other links/contacts, thanks.
posted by scruss at 4:29 AM on March 21