Category: Composition

Blue Streak Model 29 & 30

Blue Streak
THE Blue Streak Model 29 Mixer is designed for continuous mixed composition of body matter and display faces.

The material on this page is taken from a brochure published in circa 1960 by the Mergenthaler Linotype Company. The brochure showcased the company’s latest machines and innovations, including the Linofilm System.

The most varied and complex typesetting is simple for the 29, and is set directly from the keyboard.
Food-store ads, technical composition and dictionary work requiring roman, italic, bold, accents and special characters in the same line – the versatile 29 handles such difficult composition efficiently and economically. Read the Full Article . . .

Blue Streak Comet

Blue Streak
Linotype’s exclusive Mat-Glide System smoothly speeds the circulation of matrices, the key to profitable high-speed production. Mat-Glide also assures the smooth action that preserves matrix life as well as the machine itself . . . and assures trouble free operation at maximum speeds.

The material on this page is taken from a brochure published in circa 1960 by the Mergenthaler Linotype Company. The brochure showcased the company’s latest machines and innovations.

The new, two-magazine Blue Streak Comet Linotype is the fast straight matter machine. Read the Full Article . . .

The Semagraph

Semagraph
IN June 1932, Everyday Science and Mechanics reported on a new photoelectronic cell reader called the Semagraph, which was an automatic typesetter operating unit.

Many thanks to George Finn for contributing this article.

Copy (1) prepared on a special typewriter was fed into the machine, guided by sprocket holes each side of the sheet, similar to continuous stationery. Read the Full Article . . .

The Aldentype

Aldentype
IN 1857, a U.S. patent was issued for the design of a typesetting machine invented by Timothy Alden of New York (No. 18,175).

This is the first such machine that actually operated.

The type was arranged in cells around the circumference of a horizontal wheel. As the wheel revolved, several receivers also started to rotate. The desired type was picked up and dropped in proper order in a line. Read the Full Article . . .

Novice Linotype Operators

Novice linotype operator
THIS photo is dated October 1929 and looks like a publicity photograph for a film. The “operator” is very impressively working without any copy, but appears to have been distracted by something to the right of the machine!

Here’s a couple of photographs that have been offered for sale on eBay recently. Both seem to fit neatly under the heading of novice linotype operators.

Do you like to buy print-related items on eBay? Then check out our eBay Listings (US & UK) section on the Forum. Read the Full Article . . .