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 faith: It stayed wrapped on its pallet and shorty 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 provenience, 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]

Doug,

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