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History
Plain
Semi-
Ornamental
Ornamental
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Introduction
All
of my research projects began with personal curiousity which
could not be satisfied because there was no body of information
on the subject. The wood type research began with questions
about wood type that I had purchased from local printers to
be used by students. Students wanted to know how and when
it was made and the names for different styles. I told them
that on my next trip to New York City I would find the answers
to their questions. I went to Special Collections at Columbia
University as they had one of the largest collections of type
specimen books. I found wood type specimen books but no information
regarding who made it or how and when it was manufactured.
I spoke with Dr. Ronald Baughman, the Director. He told me
there were no books, and perhaps I should write one. That
was the beginning of the project.
Beginning
during 1957, I began making a portfolio of the wood type in
my collection. I checked Leslie Paper Company for an appropriate
paper that was cheap. They had a large amount of 17x22 100
pound, wove finish, Hammermill paper in the bone pile which
they made available to me at a greatly reduced price.
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The
research was done with Henry E. Huntington Library in Pasadena,
the New York Public Library and the Newerry Library in Chicago.
During the summer months, I went into the photo lab and made
all my visual materials. In between, I was pecking away on
the typewriter putting together a manuscript. Periodically,
I would cut the manuscript into sections to insert new or
rewritten materials or move sections around into a more logical
order. Then I would retype the manuscript It was a lengthly
and painful process. However, no matter how time consuming,
I found the research process especially rewarding for me.
I
sold the wood type to Dr. Bernard Karpel, librarian at the
Museum of Modern Art during the late 1960s because I did not
have proper storage conditions or security, He in turn sold
it to the University of Texas where it now is a Study Collection
available to scholars at the university library. My personal
library was sold in 1975. I believe most of my books ended
up in the library at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.
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