The Old Blue Linotype

[Jimking]

First posted by George Finn in 2012 now on page 7 of the forum.
The keyboard return springs clearly identify this as a M/1.  It is not an Intertype rebuild, the amount of work on it would be beyond the scope of most workshops i.e. to move the delivery buffer to the rear of the machine would require a new column lever and replacing the fork stopping mechanism with a more up to date version.  There is obviously more than one machine of this type.  This machine has been nagging me for the last 7 years but I think I have finally found the answer.

When Mergenthaler amalgamated the Canadian and American companies he set up the former as a unit and parts manufacturing unit to supply the main asembly line in the US.  However, come the turn of the century with the returned leased machines clogging up the warehouse, it was decided to resolve this problem by setting up an assembly line in Canada and all the machine parts were shipped there.

They then produced this machine using the matrix circulatory system of the M1, the machine body was rebuilt using the more modern machine parts.  I'm guessing they produced approximately 150 machines which to protect the North American market were shipped to South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

Perhaps George Finn with his knowledge of working for the Canadian company may be able to cast a little more information on this.

I would appreciate any comments.

Cheers Jim

[Dave Hughes]

Have you got the title of the 2012 post Jim? I've had a look through George's 2012 posts and didn't spot anything.

[Mechanic]

I think Jim is referring to Canadian-American Linotype 1908. The URL for Flickr is no longer valid. I can't remember what the photo was, but I was told by the service manager who was working for Canadian at the time that Mergenthaler  acquired  Canadian Linotype that a rep from Mergenthaler came to Toronto and went around and stamped an "R" in front of all the completed machines. What the machines looked like I have no idea.
I found this machine, it is not blue but green. It is similar to the machines made in Montreal.

[Jimking]

Hi Dave

Oops sorry, page 6, identifies this Linotype model.  Jim

[Jimking]

Hi George Very nice photograph of the Square Base, it's a pity that we only ever see the front view and we cannot get an idea of the layout of the rear of the machine.
Regarding Canadian machines being numbered with a capital R, the story is that when Mergenthaler combined the 2 companies in 1891 he was annoyed to find that the Montreal works produced a superior machine. This is why he insisted on them being marked with R to say they were rebuilt.  These machines were subsequently all exported and I assume were Square Base. It is a matter of record that all the machines sold in Canada between this date and 1908 (the formation of the Canadian Linotype Company, Toronto) were American built machines.
Any comments ?
Cheers Jim