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The matrix production process

As far as we could trace, the production process of matrices is not completely described in any (public) document.

A Linotype catalogue mentions that there are 58 steps in the production process. The Linotype Bulletin (1945, volume 27 number 11) mentions that there are fifty-six separate mechanical operations in the production of matrices. A book for students mentions sixty operations without showing them (van den Eshof; 1950). The International Printing Museum, Carson, CA, mentions thirty operations (Mat, 2013). It probably depends on the kind of matrix, as not al matrices have the same details; an example is the bevel cut which is not present in all matrices. There are only a couple of sources which provide visual materials:

The Typorama museum in Switzerland possesses a sheet with 37 steps in the production processes, starting from a brass plate.

The matrices production process in 37 steps. The matrices production process, proof that the matrices are punched.

The Typorama Museum also possesses some photos of the workplace where matrices were produced.

The matrices production process, detail photos.

Some of the machines are probably still around there. The following machine takes in a row of matrices and cuts the combination teeth on them. You set the tooth pattern with the levers. This machine is believed to originate from the Mergenthaler factory in Brooklyn, a triangle on the asset tag would confirm this. This machine ended up at S.O.S. Linotype in Tennessee. Supposedly they thought they might use it someday, but they never did. S.O.S. Linotype closed in 2021 and thanks to Dave Seat (Linotype repairman in the US) it was given to David Macmillan.

A matrices teeth cutting machine. A matrices teeth cutting machine. A matrices teeth cutting machine. A matrices teeth cutting machine. A matrices teeth cutting machine.

The Mergenthaler Linotype Company itself provided some information in their 1961 film 'The Eight Wonder' to celebrate the company's 75th anniversary. The explanation starts at 8:40 and ends around 15:00.

The Eighth Wonder - 1961 from Linotype: The Film on Vimeo.

Intertype-Setzmaschinen GMBH (n.d.) mentions 19 steps and shows some low-quality pictures of the machines used to produce the matrices, but it clearly only summarizes the most important steps.

Photos of the matrices production process. Photos of the matrices production process. Photos of the matrices production process. Photos of the matrices production process. Photos of the matrices production process.

Some other rare photo's taken inside the factory were made by Stan O. Coutantat, and are available at his website. Some of the photos show the matrices production process.

sources

  1. INTERTYPE CORPORATION. (n.d.). “The Intertype. Section 1 assembling mechanism”. Brooklyn, New York.
  2. INTERTYPE GMBH. (n.d.). “Intertype ABC”. Berlin: Germany.
  3. MAT, P. (Jan 2nd, 2013). “Linotype matrices production.” [Online forum] www.briarpress.org/32716 [last visited on June 10, 2021].
  4. MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY. (1945). “The Linotype Bulletin – devoted to the Linotype and its use. Volume XVII, number 11” Virginia Press Association.
  5. MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY. (1961). “The Eight Wonder.” [movie]
  6. MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY. (1966). Useful Matrix Information (5th edition). (Link).
  7. VAN DEN ESHOF, C. A. (1950). “Het meervoudige distribueersysteem van de Intertype.” (The multi-distribution system of the Intertype). Amsterdam: N.V. Lettergieterij Amsterdam.


Photo's by Maarten Renckens, except for the teeth carver. Those are from David M. MacMillan (CircuitousRoot.com), and used with permission under a CreativeCommons-Attribution (CC-BY) license.

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