Logotypes

Types consisting of two or more letters, and forming either complete words or merely syllables, &c. They are intended to save the trouble of the compositor, for instead of lifting the word and in three letters, if cast as a logotype, he picks it up as one. Earl Stanhope, among other innovations, proposed to introduce eight new logotypes, believing that their regular and frequent occurrence would expedite the process of composition in a very considerable degree, for in twenty pages of “Enfield’s Speaker” the logotypes would save to the compositor no less than 3,073 lifts, viz.:—

th 771
in 441
an 413
re 385
se 291
to 279
of 264
on 229

Johnson’s Typographia states that this system was actually tried at the Times office, hut it was soon abandoned, as it was found that the hands could get through more work by the old process than by the proposed improvement. The scheme was soon almost forgotten, but in 1859 the subject of logotypes again received attention. In that year Messrs. J. V. Collignon & Louis George tool out Letters Patent for “improvements in Typography.” in their specification, after observing that if all the letters were connected two and two, the operation of composing “would be shortened one-half, and by one-third and even three-fourths with elements composed of three or four letters;” and that the formation of logotypes had hitherto been attended with great cost for punches and matrices, besides the risk of loss from one letter being battered, the patentees say, “Consequently we have sought an application for our improved system by other means than thai of casting, and have succeeded in discovering a ready and efficient method of uniting several letters together. Hence, all the difficulties in the way being overcome, our I breviotypy may be applied to all kinds of printing, which is to composition what mechanical power is to printing. According to our invention, we cold-solder letters together placed in juxtaposition, and which consists in coating a letter throughout its surface with any metallic solder to cause it to adhere to another letter, and so to form a whole. By this means a defective letter may be unsoldered and replaced by a good one, or those used that remain. This soldering preferably consists of—

Mercury 75
Bismuth 10
Fine pewter 10
Regulus of Antimony 5
100.”

Mr. George obtained, two years later, provisional protection only for “Improvements in the method of soldering together two or more printing-type letters, to facilitate the work of the compositor, and the arrangement of type-cases for the same.” The letters are soldered with the following composition, used cold:—

Mercury ⅔
Fine Tin ⅓

The two must be mixed well together. “The solder is put on a plate of lead, and the broad side of the type is rubbed thereon, and the composition is afterwards done as usual, the solder becoming quite rigid at or about the expiration of half-an-hour.” The combined letters stated to have been found of most value are—

In the same year (1861), Mr. A. B. Bailey obtained provisional protection for “An improved system of combination of types, and an improved case for containing the same.” The boxes in the case shown in the drawings are so arranged that all the combinations commencing with the same letters are in the same column. The columns may be either vertical, horizontal, or diagonal.

The latest logographic system with which we are acquainted is that of Mr. W. II. Wilkinson, of Massachusetts, which was patented in 1868. It was tried in one of the largest printing-offices in London for the composition of a weekly periodical, and is, to some extent, in operation at the present time. The invention relates to the combined use of types consisting of words or parts of words, together with the ordinary letter or single character types, Words, roots, and parts of words, such as constitute a very large proportion of ordinary matter, are made up into types cast whole, or formed of letter-types united; these word-types are tabulated and arranged in cases in the order of their relative importance or frequency of recurrence. “A set or series of cases or boxes is arranged partially around a central point occupied by the compositor, and divided into compartments for containing the types, which are arrayed in tables so that their relative positions may be easily discerned by the eye; the said tables are placed strictly in the order of their relative values as calculated from the average number of words usually contributed by each table in the matter of composition, and each table is arranged in relation to the central point where the compositor stands, in such a position as to be accessible to his right hand in proportion to its comparative value.”

The ordinary letter-types, numerals, and other similar types, occupy the compartments of the cases at the left hand of the compositor, the rest of the space being occupied by the logotypes. The tables themselves are arranged with reference to their being learned step by step and used as auxiliary to the letter-types, until the compositor acquires the use of enough words to constitute the larger proportion of his work; these word-types then become the main feature in the system, the letter-types being only used as auxiliary.—See “An Address to the Public,” by John Walter, showing the great improvement he has made in the art of printing by Logographic Arrangements; stating also the various difficulties and opposition he has encountered during its progress to the present state of perfection. London: 1789, 8vo., pp. xiii. 88. Also, “Tobitt Combiuation Type, their History, Advantages, and Application,” by John II. Tobitt. New York: 1852, 8vo. “Miscellanies in Prose and Verse, intended as a Specimen of the Types at the Logographic Printing-office.” London: J. Walter, 1785, 8vo., pp. xxiii. 225. “Logography.” London: 1783, 8vo—See also “The Times.”

The first edition did not have an entry for “The Times.”

Logotypes

Types consisting of two or more letters, and forming either complete words or merely syllables, &c. They are intended to save the trouble of the compositor, for instead of lifting the word and in three letters, if cast as a logotype, he picks it up as one. Earl Stanhope, among other innovations, proposed to introduce eight new logotypes, believing that their regular and frequent occurrence would expedite the process of composition in a very considerable degree, for in twenty pages of “Enfield’s Speaker” the logotypes would save to the compositor no less than 3,073 lifts, viz:—

th 771
in 441
an 413
re 385
se 291
to 279
of 264
on 229

Johnson’s Typographia states that this system was actually tried at the Times office, but it was soon abandoned, as it was found that the hands could get through more work by the old process than by the proposed improvement. The scheme was soon almost forgotten, but in 1859 the subject of logotypes again received attention. In that year Messrs. J. V. Collignon & Louis George took out Letters Patent for “Improvement in Typography.” In their specification, after observing that if all the letters were connected two and two, the operation of composing “would be shortened one-half, and by one-third and even three-fourths with elements composed of three or four letters;” and that the formation of logotypes had hitherto been attended with great cost for punches and matrices, besides the risk of loss from one letter being battered the patentees say, “Consequently we have sought an application for our improved system by other means than that of casting, and have succeeded in discovering a ready and efficient method of uniting several letters together. Hence, all the difficulties in the way being overcome, our breviotypy may be applied to all kinds of printing, which is to composition what mechanical power is to printing. According to our invention, we cold-solder letters together placed in juxtaposition, and which consists in coating a letter throughout its surface with any metallic solder to cause it to adhere to another letter, and so to form a whole. By this means a defective letter may be unsoldered and replaced by a good one, or those used that remain. This soldering preferably consists of—

Mercury 75
Bismuth 10
Fine pewter 10
Regulus of Antimony 5
100.”

Mercury ⅔
Fine Tin ⅓

The two must be mixed well together. “The solder is put on a plate of lead, and the broad side of the type is rubbed thereon; the composition is afterwards done as usual, the solder becoming quite rigid at or about the expiration of half-an-hour.” The combined letters stated to have been found of most value are—

In the same year (1861) Mr. A. B. Bailey obtained provisional protection for “An improved system of combination of types, and an improved case for containing the same.” The boxes in the case shown in the drawings are so arranged that all the combinations commencing with the same letters are in the same column. The columns may be either vertical, horizontal, or diagonal.

The latest logographic system with which we are acquainted is that of Mr. W. H. Wilkinson, of Massachusetts, which was patented in 1868. It was tried in one of the largest printing-oiffices in London for the composition of a weekly periodical, and is, to some extent, in operation at the present time. The invention relates to the combined use of types consisting of words or parts of words, together with the ordinary letter or single character type. Words, roots, and parts of words, such as constitute a very large proportion of ordinary matter, are made up into types cast whole, or formed of letter-types united; these word-types are tabulated and arranged in cases in the order of their relative importance or frequency of recurrence. “A set or series of cases or boxes is arranged partially around a central point occupied by the compositor, and divided into compartments for containing the types, which are arrayed in tables so that the relative positions may be easily discerned by the eye; the said tables are placed strictly in the order of their relative values as calculated from the average number of words usually contributed by each table in the matter of composition, and each table is arranged in relation to the central point where the compositor stands, in such a position as to be accessible to his right hand in proportion to its comparative value.”

The ordinary letter-types, numerals, and similar types, occupy the compartments of the cases at the left hand of the compositor, the rest of the space being occupied by the logotypes. The tables themselves are arranged with reference to their being learned step by step and used as auxiliary to the letter-types until the compositor acquires the use of enough words to constitute the larger proportion of his work; these word-types then become the main feature in the system, the letter-types being only used as auxiliary. It would doubtless be advantageous if letter-founders cast a u with the q, as those letters always come together.—See “An Address to the Public,” by John Walter, showing the great improvement he has made in the art of printing by Logographic Arrangements; stating also the various difficulties and opposition he has encountered during its progress to the present state of perfection. London: 1789, 8vo., pp. xiii. 88. Also, “Tobitt Combination Types. their History, Advantages, and Application,” by John H. Tobitt. New York: 1852, 8vo. “Miscellanies in Prose and Verse, intended as a Specimen of the Types at the Log ographic Printing-office.” London: J. Walter, 1785, 8vo., pp. xxiii. 225. “Logography.” London: 1783, 8vo.

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