The working Linotypes at the TYPORAMA in Switzerland

[Franz]

A visit to the TYPORAMA in Switzerland is a must. You should pay for the individual guided tour, and if you contact them in advance, I would say you have pretty good chances they fire up your favourite model for you.

Unless proven otherwise, I would claim that they have the largest number of operating Linotypes (including an Intertype and a Neotype) on permanent display worldwide (that's a bold claim, so please challenge me).

All eleven machines on display are operational, and they have two more on pallets that they take to external events. In addition to the Linotype, they have operating Typographs, Ludlows and Monotypes, a large hand composing room and a print shop with everything from a pedal driven cylinder press to a Miehle vertical to Windmills galore, all operating as well.

You wouldn't go wrong become a supporting member and you can even adopt a machine.




(view along the Linotype aisle, front and back)

[Franz]

A model 4 "Ideal" from 1912, with single magazine. This machine has a lower overall height (and weight) as other models, achieved by using shorter magazines that hold fewer matrices of each type. Originally developed as a budget-version, it was said to be used amongst other places on passenger ships. Later, the principle of shorter magazines was reused in special purpose versions of the model 4, a version with special magazines to be able to cast large type was developed, and a version with a wider magazine with additional channels (similar to the models with a side-magazine, but in one magazine) for advertising or foreign language work.

[Franz]

A model 29Q "Quadriga" with QuickSetter from 1973. Four magazines, no mixer. There was a lot of discussion about these late German constructions here in the forum,  but they did exist. This Quadriga here is one of two that can be visited in Museums in Germany (the one in Hamburg is not currently operational) and if you want you get a model 22s "Europa" in Munich for little money right now.



This machine has electronic and hydraulic control of all functions that you normally use when operating, allowing its control with a punched tape. This includes switching magazines.   

[Franz]

A model 20 "Universa" from 1968. This machine has three normal magazines, which can be used with a mixer, and three large type magazines. Here, even changing the mold is automated, and the change commando travels with the line. So, the idea is that you can set one line with one slug size, lets say 12pt, send it to the first elevator, then choose a large type magazine and choose a different slug size, maybe 36pt, and send this, without having to leave your chair, or check that the former line has been cast already.



A marvel is how it controls the magazines. The large type magazines have much wider channels, thus the keyboard uses an electric system to link keys to the bars in order to control different channels from the same key depending on which mag is active

[Franz]

A Linotype "Elektron", built in Germany 1962. Already discussed elsewhere, the main feature of this machine is the "straight line delivery", speeding up the delivery of matrices to the first elevator and allowing setting type without having to pause when transferring the line. Although built in Germany, I believe that the construction is identical to the US Electron.



Straight line delivery

[Franz]

A Neotype 2N-104 "Rossija", built in Russia 1989. Delivered to the GDR that same year, everybody can guess its fate: It stayed wrapped on its pallet and shortly after hot type was history in this part of Germany as well, as much of the eastern German industry. It came then to the museum and was taken into operation in 2001, maybe the last ever taken into operation "straight" from the factory.

Basically a version of the Model 16, I find it remarkable not only because of its provenance but also because it sports the same "straight line delivery" as the Linotype Electron.

[Dave Hughes]

Thanks for these great posts @Franz showing this little-known but important collection of linecasters.

I have made the Topic "Sticky" so it will remain near the top of "Linotype Chat."

Would you like to see your local letterpress-related restoration project featured here? Take a leaf out of Franz's book and let us know about it with pictures.

[realdougwilson]

Amazing and thank you for sharing! @Franz do you know where they got their collection of Linotypes?

These look *very* similar to the Linotypes from the museum which used to be outside of Basel, Switzerland which I visited and interviewed for my film back in 2011.

I know that museum was being threatened with shutting down and the 35–50 Linotypes that they had were going to be homeless, but I never heard anything else about it.

[Franz]

@realdougwilson

I must have missed that part when in your film, must watch it again. Did you include it? But I believe you refer to the collection in Fahrnau close to Basel (but in Germany). I don't know much about that collection, but it is dispersed now. As far as I can read out from whats on the net, that wasn't a working collection, maybe with or two exemptions.

The Typorama collection is independent, and was brought together since the late 70s by Paul Wirth, who also travelled Switzerland and Germany, and trained Percy Penzel, who is now director of operations and does travel fixing Linotypes. But I wouldn't exclude that one or other piece from Fahrnau has ended up at Typorama. Need to ask Percy about it.

All machines at Typorama are operational, and they have quite active volunteer staff and a large printing department as well.

Also, I think Typorama has the only currently working Linotype Elektron, as the one in Haverhill is not fully up and running, and they won't prioritize it, as I understand.

These machines would look *very* similar, as Germany and Switzerland was the domain of Mergenthaler Setzmaschinenfabrik GmbH in Berlin, later Linotype GmbH in Frankfurt. And they from very early on designed their own machine and sold models that were different from the US models, in particular the later models from the 60s and 70s.

Feel free to reach out any time, if there is anything I can help with.

Cheers,
Franz

[realdougwilson]

@Franz If I recall correctly, the Basel museum (which, yes, was the collection in Fahrnau) did not make it into the final cut of the film, but it is an extra on the DVD/Blu-ray. You are correct, it was more of a collection of machines and I believe only a few of them were running when I visited in 2011?

Thank you for the information about TYPORAMA. It seems like a place I must absolutely visit! You are correct that the Elektron at the MOP in Haverhill is not *yet* running, but I know they are slowly working on it and still have the goal of getting it up and running.

If you have any further information on the differences between the three Linotype companies (MLC, L&M, and GmbH) and their different machines, I would greatly appreciate it as I am finding it difficult to understand how much they did or did not coordinate and work together because they were totally separate companies.

[Franz]

@realdougwilson

got your newsletter the other day and that reminded me that I didn't answer here yet.

The question about the different Linotype companies is a fascinating one.

In addition to the ones you mention, Mergenthaler Linotype Company in the US, Mergenthaler Setzmaschinenfabrik (MSF) in Germany and L&M, Linotype & Machinery in the UK, Maarten Renckens on his linotype.wiki mentions a subsidy in Canada, and one in Italy, Linotype S.p.A., marketing their machines by the name Italtype. Plus the non-licensed Russian and Chinese companies.

I only know what Basil Kahan is writing about how these companies were started, and he focuses on the early history. The companies operated very differently:

L&M built not only Linotypes, but also printing presses and other equipment. They also made the weird decision to go for a different drive depth on the matrices, although the type height and pica system in the UK is the same as in the US. The result (reason?) being that you can't use American mats on a uK Linotype. But you could use German mats on a US machine (keyboard layout aside), although they have different type heights.

Mergenthaler Setzmaschinenfabrik, after the war Linotype GmbH did not built their own machines but had an OEM in the Berliner Maschinenbau AG vorm. L. Schwarzkopff. Afaik they built all German Linotypes from the very first to the very last. The two numberplates from the Hamburg Museum even state Linotype GmbH as merely the distributor.

What one can easily see is that these companies marketed distinctly different lines of Models, albeit the very early models all look the same to me. (You are of course familiar with Dave McMillans account on the false use of the name Simplex for US Model 1 Linotypes https://www.circuitousroot.com/artifice/letters/press/compline/technology/models/linotype-us/simplex/index.html)

Glockner writes that L&M and MSF were more franchises than subsidies, independently funded companies that purchased a licence for the Linotype and paid royalties, and, based on their licence, developed their own model range. Often models were modified without giving them new numbers, and in Germany model numbers were not introduced until the 1930s. Already the model 1 was soon modified, German Linotypes have double channels for "e" and "n". A mechanism alternates the channels between keypresses, and half of the matrices of "e" or "n" have a different tooth combination. Btw. even Intertypes for the German market had this feature. Typorama says that from 1912 on MSF did completelz their own contructions.

Later, model numbers are completely different between US and German models. Distinctly different were for instance the different quadders. While Intertype from early on had a good mechanical solution, Mergenthaler US apparently could not come up with a good solution, and the (aftermarket) Star Parts Star Quadder became the go-to solution. Linotype Germany in contrast developed their own quadders, a elektromechanical "Autocentric" and later a hydraulic "Hydrocentric". But when refurbishing German Linotypes the Star Quadders were also used, maybe not by Linotype itself, but some independent mechanics.

Additionally complicating the situation, MSF repeatedly had programs to refurbish Linotypes into new models with new features. I Hamburg, e.g., we have a model 5c/R, which is a (German) model 5 refurbished into a model 5c, a 2-maganzin mixer.

Then again, how this all fits with the Electron and the claim, that Linotype US successfully made Germany and UK put their own developments on hold to sell more Electrons (https://metaltype.co.uk/wpress/german-new-line-linotypes/) - I don't know. I don't think the timeline holds.

Harris Intertype apparently had a different strategy. They kept their catalogue small. At our Swedish museum we have a 1936 and a 1960s Intertype, the first produced in Brooklyn, the other in the UK, both with very similar construction details.

[Mechanic]

Before the Second World War all Linotypes in Australia came from the USA. Following the Second World War Australia entered a trade agreement with Great Britain. Then any new Linotypes purchased had to be purchased from Linotype and Machinery (L&M) or pay something like 30% import duty. Newspapers in Australia pointed out they could not function with the mixed matrix depth. L&M agreed that machines and matrices for Australia would match machines manufactured in the USA. The magazines would not have the escapement as part of the magazine and molds and matrices would be punched to the American depth.

When the Elektron Linotype started to be manufactured by L&M the escapement was separate from the magazine for all L&M customers.

[Franz]

@Mechanic

- that's very interesting.

But I am confused about on which machines the escapement was part of. The Elektron I knew, and I thought this was true for all Elektrons. I always thought that this was the first - and only - Linotype ever having this feature.

[Mechanic]

Sorry @Franz
I made an error when I relied on my memory, which these days is not that reliable.  The Elektron was the first machine to dispense with the assembler elevator. All machines shipped to Australia and possibly New Zealand had the escapement attached to the frame and not the magazine the same as Elektron manufactured in the USA.

[Franz]

Thank you @Mechanic

I asked in Switzerland and their - presumably German manufactured Elektron is the same.

Fascinating topic.