GLOSSARY OF TERMS RELATING TO TYPE

The numbers in parentheses refer to preceding pages in the text, where further information about the different subjects may be found.

Agate—A small size of type, about 5½-point. ([14])

Ascending Letters—The tall letters of the lower-case alphabet. ([7])

Antimony—One of the ingredients of type-metal; a silver-white, hard crystalline metallic substance, used in chemistry and medicine, as well as in industrial arts. ([26])

Bastard Types—Those with faces larger or smaller than is commonly made on a type-body. ([15])

Beard—The beveled space below the face of a type. ([15])

Body—The piece of metal upon which the face is cast. ([7], [8], [13])

Body Size—The size of a type considered from top to bottom of the letter. ([13])

Body Type—The kinds of type, mostly roman faces, used for plain composition in paragraphs or pages of one face; text letter.

Borders—Characters cast in type, which may be adjustable in many ways, as for marginal lines, panels, and other decorative uses. ([15])

Bourgeois—An old size of type, about 9-point.

Brass Type—For stamping book covers, etc. Ordinary type-metal cannot endure the heat which must be applied for stamping gold leaf, or printing on hard, rough surfaces. Brass types are more expensive as well as more durable.

Brevier—An old size of type nearly equal to 8-point. ([15])

Canon—An old size of type approximately 48-point. ([15])

Cap.—Abbreviation for capital letter; s.c. or sm.cap., small capital.

Copper-faced Type—New type coated by electric action, depositing a thin film of copper, to make it more durable.

Copper Thin Spaces—Extra thin spaces for justifying lines. ([19])

Corner Quads—Blanks cast in this shape ▛ matching 6-point and 12-point quads; placed outside the corners of pages with mitered brass rules to keep the joints in place.

Counter—The blank space within the lines of a letter or other character. ([8])

Descending Letters—Those which have part of the face below the regular alignment, g, p, y. ([8])

Diamond—A small size of type, equal to about 4½-point. ([15])

Display Type—A general term meaning the kinds of type made for advertising, title pages, and other composition in which different sizes and faces are used; in distinction from body type.

Em—The square of a type body. En, half the width of the square. ([19])

Extended, Expanded—An extra wide face of type.

Face—That part of a type or printing surface which leaves its impression upon the sheet. ([8])

Feet—The bottom of the type body. ([8])

Font—A complete assortment of type of one size and face. ([9])

Furniture—A general term applied to pieces of soft metal, steel, or wood, used to fill the large blank spaces in a printing form; made in different sizes based upon a 12-point (pica) unit.

Great Primer—An old size of type nearly equal to 18-point. ([15])

Hair Spaces—Very thin spaces. ([19])

Height-to-paper—The length of a type from top to bottom, including feet and face. This is not measured by points, but by thousandths of an inch. See Type-high. ([7], [13])

High Spaces and Quads—Used in type composition when the page is to be molded for electrotyping. ([20])

High-to-line—When the face of a type is above the regular alignment of the other letters in the line; when below the alignment it is low-to-line. ([17])

Hollow Quads—Large blanks are sometimes cast with hollow parts to make them lighter and to economize metal. See Quotations.

Italic—The style of letters that slope forward, in distinction from upright, or roman, letters. ([10])

Jet—The waste metal at the bottom of a type when it is first cast, being the metal which cools in the aperture of the mold. ([22])

Job Font—A small assortment of type. ([11])

Job Type—The kinds used for miscellaneous work, usually in small fonts, in distinction from book type, body letter, etc.

Kerned Types—Those which have a small part of the face projecting over the body. ([18])

Laying Type—Putting a font of type into cases.

Leaders—Dots or short dashes placed at intervals in open lines to guide the eye, as in indexes, price-lists, etc. They are cast like quads for sizes of type most used. Leaders are also made of brass.

Letter—Sometimes this word is used to mean type. Letter-press printing, that done with type. Letter foundry, a type foundry.

Lining Type—The exact alignment at top or bottom of the face on a type-body. ([16-18])

Linotype—A machine for casting type in solid lines. ([23])

Long Primer—An old size of type nearly equal to 10-point. ([15])

Low-to-paper—Said of a type when it does not come up to the height of its mates; opposite of high-to-paper. ([7])

Low Spaces and Quads—Those used for ordinary composition, about seven-eighths of the length of the type. ([20])

Lower-case—The small letters of the alphabet. ([9])

Matrix—The shallow mold in which the face of a type is cast. ([21])

Minion—An old size of type, about 7-point. ([15])

Monotype—A machine for casting and composing type. ([25])

Mortised Type—When some part of the body is cut away, either in the interior or on the sides, to allow the insertion of another letter, or to fit closer to an adjoining type. ([18])

Music Type—An assortment of characters cast in type for printing music scores.

Nick—The notch on the side of a type. ([8]) In fonts made for use on the Unitype composing machine each character has nicks in different position and combination from every other character, to fit its special channel, in order to control the various characters in the operation of the machine. Thus the nicks in a line of Unitype matter show great irregularity.

Nonpareil—Old name for size of type equal to 6-point; half pica ([15])

Off Its Feet—Type must stand squarely upright in order to give a good impression; when it leans one way or the other it is off its feet.

Paragon—An old size of type, about 20-point ([15])

Patent Space—A type space thicker than three-to-em and less than the en-quad. ([19])

Pearl—An old size of type, about 5-point. ([15])

Pi—Types of different kinds mixed up in confusion.

Pica—Old name, but still commonly used, for a size of type equal to 12-point. ([15]) A common unit of measurement in typography.

Piece Fractions—Fractions made up of two or more types; the numerator and denominator cast separately, usually on bodies half the size of the whole numbers or the type with which they are used. Sometimes called split fractions.

Pin-mark—The little mark sometimes seen on the side of foundry-made type. ([8])

Point System—The standard system of type bodies, based on the point as a unit; in America the point is .0138 of an inch. Calculations are simplified ordinarily by assuming the point as 1⁄72 of an inch. ([13])

Poster Type—Large sizes for billboard printing, mostly made of wood. ([27])

Punch—In typefounding, an original die of a letter or character cut on the end of a steel bar, used to make a matrix. ([21])

Quads—Metal blanks used for large spaces in composing type. ([19])

Quotations—Large hollow quads; similar to metal furniture.

Rubber Type—Cast with a vulcanized-rubber face mounted on short metal bodies; not used in ordinary typographic printing, but classed with rubber hand stamps.

Script—A general name for that class of type designed to imitate handwriting. ([18])

Sectional Type—A style of type now in disuse, in which each letter was made in two parts, the upper half being separate from the lower. Any letter or character cast in two or more parts.

Serif—The short cross-line or tick at the end of the main strokes in roman letters. ([8])

Set—The width of a type. ([13])

Shoulder—The blank space on the top of a type not covered by the letter; specifically, the space above and below the letter, the space on the side being designated by typefounders as side-bearings. ([8])

Small Caps—A secondary set of capitals made for fonts intended for book work. They are slightly larger than the small (lower-case) letters, but smaller than the regular capitals. See the side-headings in this glossary. ([9], [10], [12])

Small Pica—An old size of type nearly equal to 11-point. ([15])

Spaces—Thin metal blanks used to separate words in a line. ([19])

Sort—Any particular letter or character of a font, in distinction from the complete assortment. “Out of sorts,” when some needed letters of a font are missing.

Sort Order—A request for some particular character of a font.

Two-line Letter—A large letter covering two lines of the adjoining text, used for initials at the beginning of paragraphs. Two-line figures, used for displaying price-figures in advertisements, etc.

Type-high—Of the standard height of type; said of an electrotype or engraving that is the right height to accompany type. ([7])

Type Metal—A composition of lead, tin, and antimony. ([26])

Typography—The process of printing with forms composed of movable types and small relief blocks.

Weight Font—A complete assortment of type measured by its weight instead of by the number of each letter. ([12])

Weight of Type—Four square inches of type, composed solid, weigh approximately one pound. Thus, to find the weight of any given amount of type composition, find the number of square inches and divide by four.

One pound of type (about 4 square inches) contains the following number of ems (solid) of the different sizes:

18-point 64 ems
12-point 144 ems
11-point 170 ems
10-point 207 ems
9-point 256 ems
8-point 324 ems
7-point 423 ems
6-point 576 ems

TYPOGRAPHIC TECHNICAL SERIES
FOR APPRENTICES

The following list of publications, comprising the Typographic Technical Series for Apprentices, has been prepared under the supervision of the Committee on Education of the United Typothetae of America for use in trade classes, in course of printing instruction, and by individuals.

Each publication has been compiled by a competent author or group of authors, and carefully edited, the purpose being to provide the printers of the United States—employers, journeymen, and apprentices—with a comprehensive series of handy and inexpensive compendiums of reliable, up-to-date information upon the various branches and specialties of the printing craft, all arranged in orderly fashion for progressive study.

The publications of the series are of uniform size, 5 × 8 inches. Their general make-up, in typography, illustrations, etc., has been, as far as practicable, kept in harmony throughout. A brief synopsis of the particular contents and other chief features of each volume will be found under each title in the following list.

Each topic is treated in a concise manner, the aim being to embody in each publication as completely as possible all the rudimentary information and essential facts necessary to an understanding of the subject. Care has been taken to make all statements accurate and clear, with the purpose of bringing essential information within the understanding of beginners in the different fields of study. Wherever practicable, simple and well-defined drawings and illustrations have been used to assist in giving additional clearness to the text.

In order that the pamphlets may be of the greatest possible help for use in trade-school classes and for self-instruction, each title is accompanied by a list of Review Questions covering essential items of the subject matter. A short Glossary of technical terms belonging to the subject or department treated is also added to many of the books.

These are the Official Text-books of the United Typothetae of America.

Address all orders and inquiries to Committee on Education, United Typothetae of America, Chicago, Illinois, U. S. A.

PART I—Types, Tools, Machines, and Materials

1. Type: a Primer of InformationBy A. A. Stewart

Relating to the mechanical features of printing types; their sizes, font schemes, etc., with a brief description of their manufacture. 44 pp.; illustrated; 74 review questions; glossary.

2. Compositors’ Tools and MaterialsBy A. A. Stewart

A primer of information about composing sticks, galleys, leads, brass rules, cutting and mitering machines, etc. 47 pp.; illustrated; 50 review questions; glossary.

3. Type Cases, Composing Room FurnitureBy A. A. Stewart

A primer of information about type cases, work stands, cabinets, case racks, galley racks, standing galleys, etc. 43 pp.; illustrated; 33 review questions; glossary.

4. Imposing Tables and Lock-up AppliancesBy A. A. Stewart

Describing the tools and materials used in locking up forms for the press, including some modern utilities for special purposes. 59 pp.; illustrated; 70 review questions; glossary.

5. Proof PressesBy A. A. Stewart

A primer of information about the customary methods and machines for taking printers’ proofs. 40 pp.; illustrated; 41 review questions; glossary.

6. Platen Printing PressesBy Daniel Baker

A primer of information regarding the history and mechanical construction of platen printing presses, from the original hand press to the modern job press, to which is added a chapter on automatic presses of small size. 51 pp.; illustrated; 49 review questions; glossary.

7. Cylinder Printing PressesBy Herbert L. Baker

Being a study of the mechanism and operation of the principal types of cylinder printing machines. 64 pp.; illustrated; 47 review questions; glossary.

8. Mechanical Feeders and FoldersBy William E. Spurrier

The history and operation of modern feeding and folding machines; with hints on their care and adjustments. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.

9. Power for Machinery in Printing HousesBy Carl F. Scott

A treatise on the methods of applying power to printing presses and allied machinery with particular reference to electric drive. 53 pp.; illustrated; 69 review questions; glossary.

10. Paper Cutting MachinesBy Niel Gray, Jr.

A primer of information about paper and card trimmers, hand-lever cutters, power cutters, and other automatic machines for cutting paper. 70 pp.; illustrated; 115 review questions; glossary.

11. Printers’ RollersBy A. A. Stewart

A primer of information about the composition, manufacture, and care of inking rollers. 46 pp.; illustrated; 61 review questions; glossary.

12. Printing InksBy Philip Ruxton

Their composition, properties and manufacture (reprinted by permission from Circular No. 53, United States Bureau of Standards); together with some helpful suggestions about the everyday use of printing inks by Philip Ruxton. 80 pp.; 100 review questions; glossary.

13. How Paper is MadeBy William Bond Wheelwright

A primer of information about the materials and processes of manufacturing paper for printing and writing. 68 pp.; illustrated; 62 review questions; glossary.

14. Relief EngravingsBy Joseph P. Donovan

Brief history and non-technical description of modern methods of engraving; woodcut, zinc plate, halftone; kind of copy for reproduction; things to remember when ordering engravings. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.

15. Electrotyping and StereotypingBy Harris B. Hatch and A. A. Stewart

A primer of information about the processes of electrotyping and stereotyping. 94 pp.; illustrated; 129 review questions; glossaries.

PART II—Hand and Machine Composition

16. TypesettingBy A. A. Stewart

A handbook for beginners, giving information about justifying, spacing, correcting, and other matters relating to typesetting. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.

17. Printers’ ProofsBy A. A. Stewart

The methods by which they are made, marked, and corrected, with observations on proofreading. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.

18. First Steps in Job CompositionBy Camille DeVéze

Suggestions for the apprentice compositor in setting his first jobs, especially about the important little things which go to make good display in typography. 63 pp.; examples; 55 review questions; glossary.

19. General Job Composition

How the job compositor handles business stationery, programs and miscellaneous work. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.

20. Book CompositionBy J. W. Bothwell

Chapters from DeVinne’s “Modern Methods of Book Composition,” revised and arranged for this series of text-books by J. W. Bothwell of The DeVinne Press, New York. Part I: Composition of pages. Part II: Imposition of pages. 229 pp.; illustrated; 525 review questions; glossary.

21. Tabular CompositionBy Robert Seaver

A study of the elementary forms of table composition, with examples of more difficult composition. 36 pp.; examples; 45 review questions.

22. Applied ArithmeticBy E. E. Sheldon

Elementary arithmetic applied to problems of the printing trade, calculation of materials, paper weights and sizes, with standard tables and rules for computation, each subject amplified with examples and exercises. 159 pp.

23. Typecasting and Composing MachinesA. W. Finlay, Editor
Section I—The LinotypeBy L. A. Hornstein
Section II—The MonotypeBy Joseph Hays
Section III—The IntertypeBy Henry W. Cozzens
Section IV—Other Typecasting and Typesetting MachinesBy Frank H. Smith

A brief history of typesetting machines, with descriptions of their mechanical principles and operations. Illustrated; reviewquestions; glossary.

PART III—Imposition and Stonework

24. Locking Forms for the Job PressBy Frank S. Henry

Things the apprentice should know about locking up small forms, and about general work on the stone. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.

25. Preparing Forms for the Cylinder PressBy Frank S. Henry

Pamphlet and catalog imposition; margins; fold marks, etc. Methods of handling type forms and electrotype forms. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.

PART IV—Presswork

26. Making Ready on Platen PressesBy T. G. McGrew

The essential parts of a press and their functions; distinctive features of commonly used machines. Preparing the tympan, regulating the impression, underlaying and overlaying, setting gauges, and other details explained. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.

27. Cylinder PressworkBy T. G. McGrew

Preparing the press; adjustment of bed and cylinder, form rollers, ink fountain, grippers and delivery systems. Underlaying and overlaying; modern overlay methods. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.

28. Pressroom Hints and HelpsBy Charles L. Dunton

Describing some practical methods of pressroom work, with directions and useful information relating to a variety of printing-press problems. 87 pp.; 176 review questions.

29. Reproductive Processes of the Graphic ArtsBy A. W. Elson

A primer of information about the distinctive features of the relief, the intaglio, and the planographic processes of printing. 84 pp.; illustrated; 100 review questions; glossary.

PART V—Pamphlet and Book Binding

30. Pamphlet BindingBy Bancroft L. Goodwin

A primer of information about the various operations employed in binding pamphlets and other work in the bindery. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.

31. Book BindingBy John J. Pleger

Practical information about the usual operations in binding books; folding; gathering, collating, sewing, forwarding, finishing. Case making and cased-in books. Hand work and machine work. Job and blank-book binding. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.

PART VI—Correct Literary Composition

32. Word Study and English GrammarBy F. W. Hamilton

A primer of information about words, their relations, and their uses. 68 pp.; 84 review questions; glossary.

33. PunctuationBy F. W. Hamilton

A primer of information about the marks of punctuation and their use, both grammatically and typographically. 56 pp.; 59 review questions; glossary.

34. CapitalsBy F. W. Hamilton

A primer of information about capitalization, with some practical typographic hints as to the use of capitals. 48 pp.; 92 review questions; glossary.

35. Division of WordsBy F. W. Hamilton

Rules for the division of words at the ends of lines, with remarks on spelling, syllabication and pronunciation. 42 pp.; 70 review questions.

36. Compound WordsBy F. W. Hamilton

A study of the principles of compounding, the components of compounds, and the use of the hyphen. 34 pp.; 62 review questions.

37. Abbreviations and SignsBy F. W. Hamilton

A primer of information about abbreviations and signs, with classified lists of those in most common use. 58 pp.; 32 review questions.

38. The Uses of ItalicBy F. W. Hamilton

A primer of information about the history and uses of italic letters. 31 pp.; 37 review questions.

39. ProofreadingBy Arnold Levitas

The technical phases of the proofreader’s work; reading, marking, revising, etc.; methods of handling proofs and copy. Illustrated by examples. 59 pp.; 69 review questions; glossary.

40. Preparation of Printers’ CopyBy F. W. Hamilton

Suggestions for authors, editors, and all who are engaged in preparing copy for the composing room. 36 pp.; 67 review questions.

41. Printers’ Manual of Style

A reference compilation of approved rules, usages, and suggestions relating to uniformity in punctuation, capitalization, abbreviations, numerals, and kindred features of composition.

42. The Printer’s DictionaryBy A. A. Stewart

A handbook of definitions and miscellaneous information about various processes of printing, alphabetically arranged. Technical terms explained. Illustrated.

PART VII—Design, Color, and Lettering

43. Applied Design for PrintersBy Harry L. Gage

A handbook of the principles of arrangement, with brief comment on the periods of design which have most influenced printing. Treats of harmony, balance, proportion, and rhythm; motion; symmetry and variety; ornament, esthetic and symbolic. 37 illustrations; 46 review questions; glossary; bibliography.

44. Elements of Typographic DesignBy Harry L. Gage

Applications of the principles of decorative design. Building material of typography: paper, types, ink, decorations and illustrations. Handling of shapes. Design of complete book, treating each part. Design of commercial forms and single units. Illustrations; review questions, glossary; bibliography.

45. Rudiments of Color in PrintingBy Harry L. Gage

Use of color: for decoration of black and white, for broad poster effect, in combinations of two, three, or more printings with process engravings. Scientific nature of color, physical and chemical. Terms in which color may be discussed: hue, value, intensity. Diagrams in color, scales and combinations. Color theory of process engraving. Experiments with color. Illustrations in full color, and on various papers. Review questions; glossary; bibliography.

46. Lettering in TypographyBy Harry L. Gage

Printer’s use of lettering: adaptability and decorative effect. Development of historic writing and lettering and its influence on type design. Classification of general forms in lettering. Application of design to lettering. Drawing for reproduction. Fully illustrated; review questions; glossary; bibliography.

47. Typographic Design in AdvertisingBy Harry L. Gage

The printer’s function in advertising. Precepts upon which advertising is based. Printer’s analysis of his copy. Emphasis, legibility, attention, color. Method of studying advertising typography. Illustrations; review questions; glossary; bibliography.

48. Making Dummies and LayoutsBy Harry L. Gage

A layout: the architectural plan. A dummy: the imitation of a proposed final effect. Use of dummy in sales work. Use of layout. Function of layout man. Binding schemes for dummies. Dummy envelopes. Illustrations; review questions; glossary; bibliography.

PART VIII—History of Printing

49. Books Before TypographyBy F. W. Hamilton

A primer of information about the invention of the alphabet and the history of bookmaking up to the invention of movable types. 62 pp.; illustrated; 64 review questions.

50. The Invention of TypographyBy F. W. Hamilton

A brief sketch of the invention of printing and how it came about. 64 pp.; 62 review questions.

51. History of Printing—Part IBy F. W. Hamilton

A primer of information about the beginnings of printing, the development of the book, the development of printers’ materials, and the work of the great pioneers. 63 pp.; 55 review questions.

52. History of Printing—Part IIBy F. W. Hamilton

A brief sketch of the economic conditions of the printing industry from 1450 to 1789, including government regulations, censorship, internal conditions and industrial relations. 94 pp.; 128 review questions.

53. Printing in EnglandBy F. W. Hamilton

A short history of printing in England from Caxton to the present time. 89 pp.; 65 review questions.

54. Printing in AmericaBy F. W. Hamilton

A brief sketch of the development of the newspaper, and some notes on publishers who have especially contributed to printing. 98 pp.; 84 review questions.

55. Type and Presses in AmericaBy F. W. Hamilton

A brief historical sketch of the development of type casting and press building in the United States. 52 pp.; 61 review questions.

PART IX—Cost Finding and Accounting

56. Elements of Cost in PrintingBy Henry P. Porter

The Standard Cost-Finding Forms and their uses. What they should show. How to utilize the information they give. Review questions. Glossary.

57. Use of a Cost SystemBy Henry P. Porter

The Standard Cost-Finding Forms and their uses. What they should show. How to utilize the information they give. Review questions. Glossary.

58. The Printer as a MerchantBy Henry P. Porter

The selection and purchase of materials and supplies for printing. The relation of the cost of raw material and the selling price of the finished product. Review questions. Glossary.

59. Fundamental Principles of EstimatingBy Henry P. Porter

The estimator and his work; forms to use; general rules for estimating. Review questions. Glossary.

60. Estimating and SellingBy Henry P. Porter

An insight into the methods used in making estimates, and their relation to selling. Review questions. Glossary.

61. Accounting for PrintersBy Henry P. Porter

A brief outline of an accounting system for printers; necessary books and accessory records. Review questions. Glossary.

PART X—Miscellaneous

62. Health, Sanitation, and SafetyBy Henry P. Porter

Hygiene in the printing trade; a study of conditions old and new; practical suggestions for improvement; protective appliances and rules for safety.

63. Topical IndexBy F. W. Hamilton

A book of reference covering the topics treated in the Typographic Technical Series, alphabetically arranged.

64. Courses of StudyBy F. W. Hamilton

A guidebook for teachers, with outlines and suggestions for classroom and shop work.