Logotypes: Difference between revisions

From Whiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
 
(3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 7: Line 7:


some logotypes
some logotypes
== Henry Johnson and John Walter ==
=== An Address to the Public by J. Walter on the Improved Art of Printing (1789) ===
could the specimens of the typecases at Houghton be those sent to Ben Franklin? see page 14
makes a set of cases for the king in hope of royal patronage, corresponds with the King's librarian about it, at first he is enthusiastic and encouraging, later becomes cold
Walter publishes all the letters regarding this debacle [not always flattering to him!]
cost him 100 pounds to make the luxury cases, is peeved king doesn't want them, sends them to the British Museum -- but they reject them also: "I am ordered to inform you , that the Fount cannot be placed in any ofthe Rooms of the Library, as you defire ; nor do the TRUSTEES foresee the particular advantage it is likely to be to this Inſtitution." (52)
Walter finds "the character of that society greatly diminished" for it (53)
"The wing of a beetle, which the ordi
nary effects of chance might have altered
from its natural conſtruction-the broken
branch of a tree , which the petrifying
power of certain minerals had converted
into a callous ſubſtance-the paw of a tyger-
the belly of a crocodile-the ſkin of a
lion-and the bones of an infect, ſeeming
to be of more value in that Repofitory,
than the Skeleton of a new attempt, which
adds expedition and neatneſs to the Art
of Printing, and which has now incontrovertibly
proved all that it promiſed." (53)
"Among the early patronizers of my Plan ,
appeared his Grace the DUKE OF RICHMOND ;
he ſaw it in its infant ſtate, was fatisfied
ofthe probable improvement, and defirous
to have a Fount for his own private ufe." (56)
goes to Caslon to have the types set -- but Caslon says no, settle your debts with me first!
series of letters from Caslon demanding his money
==


== Tobitt combination types ==
== Tobitt combination types ==
Line 30: Line 70:


but making matrices was too expensive so set idea aside
but making matrices was too expensive so set idea aside
learned about Stanhope logotypes, was scared away from idea bc Stanhope had failed -- but then faith reawakend "for every practical compositor could see that the theoretical suggestions of the English Nobleman were not exactly those which he would have made, had the subject been equally familiar to his ''hands'' as to his ''head''" (2)
only uses combinations of most commonly recurring syllables
doesn't change existing type cases, new boxes placed adjacent to existing letters
"Its advantages are manifestly compound: first in reducing (eventually) the cost of type, by weight; second, the speed of the workman is increased; third, liability to error is diminished; fourth, matter is less liable to derangement; and is more easily rectified when such accidents do happen.” (4)


== Beniowski ==  
== Beniowski ==  
Line 159: Line 207:
* 1k for air rollers and ball manufactory
* 1k for air rollers and ball manufactory
* 10k for presswork department
* 10k for presswork department
ends with calculation of how many books printed, how many newspapers, and how much it cost the public in costs of composition
ends by quoting a newspaper saying they can't get the papers composed fast enough to get the news out in the morning, even working all night
"Yes ! These are the times for arming man , woman,
and child with Type, Logotype , and Authoriton.-
are the times for Double, Treble and Multiple Composing.
Air Rollers and the Printing Machine.-
This is the time for OMNIPOTENCE to the RIGHTFUL
CONTROLLER of CONTROLLERS- THE
BRITISH PRESS." (80)
in quote from Morning Herald: "A revolution will thus be established in printing analogous
to that effected in weaving by the application of the
power-loom, enabling men, women, and children , with but
little previous instruction, to become skilful compositors." (90)
from Morning Chronicle, says logotypes are the most important of his inventions; "The long and
necessary training of a compositor may be dispensed with , and
children and females may be employed in an occupation which
by the proposedplan is deprived of much of its fatigue and unhealthiness" (91)
ends with calculation of how many books printed, how many newspapers, and how much it cost the public in costs of composition
ends by quoting a newspaper saying they can't get the papers composed fast enough to get the news out in the morning, even working all night
"Yes ! These are the times for arming man , woman,
and child with Type, Logotype , and Authoriton.-
are the times for Double, Treble and Multiple Composing.
Air Rollers and the Printing Machine.-
This is the time for OMNIPOTENCE to the RIGHTFUL
CONTROLLER of CONTROLLERS- THE
BRITISH PRESS." (80)
in quote from Morning Herald: "A revolution will thus be established in printing analogous
to that effected in weaving by the application of the
power-loom, enabling men, women, and children , with but
little previous instruction, to become skilful compositors." (90)
from Morning Chronicle, says logotypes are the most important of his inventions; "The long and
necessary training of a compositor may be dispensed with , and
children and females may be employed in an occupation which
by the proposedplan is deprived of much of its fatigue and unhealthiness" (91)

Latest revision as of 09:08, 18 June 2025

Stanhope typecases

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Oxf_Hist_Soc/oDcNAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=stanhope+%22enfield%27s+speaker%22&pg=PA408&printsec=frontcover

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Collectanea_Third_Series/7WkJAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=earl+stanhope+type+cases&pg=PA409&printsec=frontcover

some logotypes

Henry Johnson and John Walter

An Address to the Public by J. Walter on the Improved Art of Printing (1789)

could the specimens of the typecases at Houghton be those sent to Ben Franklin? see page 14

makes a set of cases for the king in hope of royal patronage, corresponds with the King's librarian about it, at first he is enthusiastic and encouraging, later becomes cold

Walter publishes all the letters regarding this debacle [not always flattering to him!]

cost him 100 pounds to make the luxury cases, is peeved king doesn't want them, sends them to the British Museum -- but they reject them also: "I am ordered to inform you , that the Fount cannot be placed in any ofthe Rooms of the Library, as you defire ; nor do the TRUSTEES foresee the particular advantage it is likely to be to this Inſtitution." (52)

Walter finds "the character of that society greatly diminished" for it (53)

"The wing of a beetle, which the ordi nary effects of chance might have altered from its natural conſtruction-the broken branch of a tree , which the petrifying power of certain minerals had converted into a callous ſubſtance-the paw of a tyger- the belly of a crocodile-the ſkin of a lion-and the bones of an infect, ſeeming to be of more value in that Repofitory, than the Skeleton of a new attempt, which adds expedition and neatneſs to the Art of Printing, and which has now incontrovertibly proved all that it promiſed." (53)

"Among the early patronizers of my Plan , appeared his Grace the DUKE OF RICHMOND ; he ſaw it in its infant ſtate, was fatisfied ofthe probable improvement, and defirous to have a Fount for his own private ufe." (56)

goes to Caslon to have the types set -- but Caslon says no, settle your debts with me first!

series of letters from Caslon demanding his money

==

Tobitt combination types

books printed with Tobitt combination types, most published by Charles Scribner:

Tobitt put specimens of his logotypes on display at the 1853 New York Exhibition: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t3st7gq59&seq=204&q1=tobitt

The History and Advantages of Combination Type (1861)

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924084304223&seq=311&q1=tobitt

learned stenography before composing; saw that prefixes etc (which are shortened to symbols in shorthand) could be combined

but making matrices was too expensive so set idea aside

learned about Stanhope logotypes, was scared away from idea bc Stanhope had failed -- but then faith reawakend "for every practical compositor could see that the theoretical suggestions of the English Nobleman were not exactly those which he would have made, had the subject been equally familiar to his hands as to his head" (2)

only uses combinations of most commonly recurring syllables

doesn't change existing type cases, new boxes placed adjacent to existing letters

"Its advantages are manifestly compound: first in reducing (eventually) the cost of type, by weight; second, the speed of the workman is increased; third, liability to error is diminished; fourth, matter is less liable to derangement; and is more easily rectified when such accidents do happen.” (4)

Beniowski

had published in 1841 Phrenotypics, or a new method of studying and committing to memory languages, sciences, and arts

  • https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Major_Beniowski_s_Phrenotypics_or_a_New/9hiDmAEACAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1
  • called it the "phreno-typing" or "brain-printing" method
  • much improvement in amount of knowledge but not in the amount of time taken to absorb it
  • “If there be any improvement in this respect, it is almost imperceptible, and entirely unbecoming the company of the steam-engine, the rail-road, or the Nassau balloon: it is a pigmy among such giants as the electro-type, the Daguerreo-type, or the telegraph. The steam-engine has shortened immensely the work-hours of the ‘’mechanical’’ laborer; but she has done very little in the way of lessening the number of work-hours of the ‘’intellectual’’ one: she brings, it is true, whole wagons of teachers to the most humble homes; but these teachers keep the boys at school as long as ever.” (5-6)
  • "The individual student who wishes to furnish his brain with a steamo-stereotyped Bible, a steamo-stereotyped Euclid, a steamo-stereotyped Homer, or any other steamo-stereotyped knowledge has to pay for it in miles of his life the same price as he would have paid centuries ago for the conveyance of a similar weight to his brain from a written Bible, a written Euclid, a written Homer, or any other written repository Hence we do not happen to see men leave schools colleges or universities ." (6)
  • mnemonics can work
  • "We sincerely believe we have improved it to a degree such as to authorise us to baptise it with the name of The PHRENOTYPING or BRAIN PRINTING Method on account of its direct and rapid working upon the sheets of the brain." (7)
  • "Phrenotypics or our improved system of mnemonics afford us certain tools and levers through the medium of which we are enabled to engrave upon the brain in a given time more boldly and more deeply a number of notions infinitely surpassing that which unassisted by similar instruments we could possibly undertake to trace upou the slippery sheets of the mind even but faintly and indistinctly." (7)
  • knowledge as a series of registers and tables, "nothing but a heap of registers" (24)


https://www.google.com/books/edition/Parliamentary_Papers/aqQSAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=beniowski+logotypes&pg=PA98&printsec=frontcover

wants to democratize printing, enable more newspapers; if we can "reduce the whole art to absolute simplicity, bring it within the reach of the humblest means and thus afford a superabundance of new facilities, in the all- important Concern of Concerns - THE PRESS." (3)

begins by going through all the problems that can be introduced in printing

number of characters used in English is about 500; everyone knows them but they become confused when reversed on type

learning to recognize characters on type is absolute "drudgery", a "hateful occupation" (5)

proofreading adds a step, always find errors, and correcting errors in type can introduce problems in setting of the text (7)

thus printed texts are always riddled with errors, almost indecipherable (8)

author must pay expense of skilled labor of typesetting and printing (12)

"ALL THESE DELAYS, TROUBLES, ANXIETIES , HUMILIATIONS, AND DANGERS, ARE OCCASIONED, SOLELY AND EXCLUSIVELY, BY THE PRESENT DIFFICULTIES OF THE TYPOGRAPHIC ART, DEMANDING FROM THE AUTHOR, THE ADVANCE OF A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL, BEFORE HE CAN REAP ANY BENEFIT FROM HIS LABOUR." (13)

acquiring writing tools is easy enough, but not easy for author to print his own works (15)

"he is immediately beset by innumerable difficulties resulting from the general ignorance of reading and handling illegible types , as I have stated above . I do not undertake to say how many youthful poor aspiring Shakspeares, Newtons, or Scotts , have been, and are being stifled in the dark by the preliminary agencies above alluded to ; but I hope, every one will agree with me, that authors , puzzled , ensnared, and entangled in the present typographic trammels, have very little chance of making their way in the world, on fair ground-on pure personal merit." (15)

"ALL THESE DELAYS , TROUBLES , ANXIETIES, HUMILIATIONS, AND DANGERS, ARE OCCASIONED , SOLELY AND EXCLUSIVELY, BY THE PRESENT DIFFICULTIES OF THE TYPOGRAPHIC ART, DEMANDING FROM THE AUTHOR, THE ADVANCE OF A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL, BEFORE HE CAN REAP ANY BENEFIT FROM HIS LABOUR. But can it be done otherwise ? Yes -- by mending the first step -- BY COMMON SENSIFYING THE TYPES." (17)

first, put legible version of the character on the foot of the type, for compositor to read (17); call these THE LEGIBLES

proceed top down like we are used to, not reverse

distributing type is made simpler by even having LEGIBLES on the side of type

[Beniowski adds all caps emphasis throughout; see eg page 20]

treat the improved pieces of type as children treat wooden alphabet blocks, to be used to learn typographic art without skill needed to read upside down and backward

"The schools of the rising generation availing themselves of this mode of learning, in the quickest and most agreeable manner their reading and spelling, will at the same time , without any trouble, and, almost unconsciously, become perfectly familiar with the typographic art, and quite capable of dispensing with reversee, upside - down, privileged printing establishments . Cherishing such future hopes, we rest in the mean time contented with the extraordinary facilities IMMEDIATELY afforded by the improved types , enabling at once the present adult population to set up writings in metal, without the hitherto unavoidable necessity of having recourse to professional compositors ." (22)

next problem: typographic cases. they are confusing, don't follow the alphabet, must be learned (23)

logotype cases would have to be even bigger, which would only add difficulties

invents the AUTHORITON, a chest of drawers with grooved boards sticking out, each a little further than the one above it (27)

"The working surface of a complete Authoriton, containing all the sorts in use , italics included , is about 250 square inches, which is about one- sixth of the surface of the present cases ; hence composing is greatly accelerated" (28)

use tweezers instead of fingers to pick up type (30)

"Authors will find convenient room for their Authoritons as easily as for their pens, ink -boxes, and candlesticks . Schoolmasters may put before every pupil such a typebox without incurring the necessity of increasing the dimensions of their tables ." (30)

logotypes -- many times tried and failed

"We do compose 6,000 types per hour, and we distribute as many. This is about FOUR times quicker work than any compositor has ever done. It is SIX times quicker than the generality of professional compositors can do ;-it is about TEN times quicker than apprentices of several years exercise can do ; —and our apprenticeship never amounts to more than a few weeks." (33)

old hands are resistant to change -- but "an acquaintance with my logotypes will enable every one of those millions , man, woman and child, to leave old hands far behind." (35)

printing machine that is circular and an air roller, improvement on the old rollers, which had to be handmade in distant parts; the new roller can be manufactured en masse

using old type as reading fodder for the blind

wants 100k in capital

  • 30k for typefoundry and electrotypy
  • 1k for Authoriton Department
  • 2k for propaganda department
  • 15k for composing department (most compositors get 30s a week; he would pay 5s to 20s, averaging 15s, because they didn't have to apprentice and are essentially unskilled -- and they can produce 4x as much work)
  • 1k for air rollers and ball manufactory
  • 10k for presswork department

ends with calculation of how many books printed, how many newspapers, and how much it cost the public in costs of composition

ends by quoting a newspaper saying they can't get the papers composed fast enough to get the news out in the morning, even working all night

"Yes ! These are the times for arming man , woman, and child with Type, Logotype , and Authoriton.- are the times for Double, Treble and Multiple Composing. Air Rollers and the Printing Machine.- This is the time for OMNIPOTENCE to the RIGHTFUL CONTROLLER of CONTROLLERS- THE BRITISH PRESS." (80)

in quote from Morning Herald: "A revolution will thus be established in printing analogous to that effected in weaving by the application of the power-loom, enabling men, women, and children , with but little previous instruction, to become skilful compositors." (90)

from Morning Chronicle, says logotypes are the most important of his inventions; "The long and necessary training of a compositor may be dispensed with , and children and females may be employed in an occupation which by the proposedplan is deprived of much of its fatigue and unhealthiness" (91)

ends with calculation of how many books printed, how many newspapers, and how much it cost the public in costs of composition

ends by quoting a newspaper saying they can't get the papers composed fast enough to get the news out in the morning, even working all night

"Yes ! These are the times for arming man , woman, and child with Type, Logotype , and Authoriton.- are the times for Double, Treble and Multiple Composing. Air Rollers and the Printing Machine.- This is the time for OMNIPOTENCE to the RIGHTFUL CONTROLLER of CONTROLLERS- THE BRITISH PRESS." (80)

in quote from Morning Herald: "A revolution will thus be established in printing analogous to that effected in weaving by the application of the power-loom, enabling men, women, and children , with but little previous instruction, to become skilful compositors." (90)

from Morning Chronicle, says logotypes are the most important of his inventions; "The long and necessary training of a compositor may be dispensed with , and children and females may be employed in an occupation which by the proposedplan is deprived of much of its fatigue and unhealthiness" (91)

Retrieved from "http://whitneyannetrettien.com/whiki/index.php?title=Logotypes&oldid=4906"