- No date. Specimen of part of the Printing Types cast by Myles Swinney, of Birmingham. Swinney and Hawkins, Printers, Birmingham. (1802?) 8vo. (S.T.)
SIMEON & CHARLES STEPHENSON, 1789.
This short-lived foundry was established in the Savoy prior to 1789, in which year it appears to have been known as Bell and Stephenson’s British Letter Foundry, and to have issued a specimen. In 1793 the style was altered to Simeon Stephenson & Co., and subsequently to Simeon and Charles Stephenson, who removed the foundry to Bream’s Buildings, Chancery Lane. Both the partners were members of the Association of Founders existing at that time.
Of their foundry little is known beyond what may be gathered from their elegant Specimen Book of Types and Ornaments issued in 1796. The title-page of this volume states that their punches were cut by Richard Austin; and the address to the trade[737] (which is dated 1797) refers to the flattering encouragement hitherto received by the proprietors from the public. The specimen exhibits ten pages of large titling letters, fourteen pages of Roman and Italic, from Double Pica to Minion, and the remainder chiefly ornaments. The types, especially in the larger sizes as well as some of the ornaments, are very good. {354}
Despite the merit of its productions the British Foundry was not successful, and in 1797 was put up for auction. Whether it was purchased as a whole by some other founder, or whether it was dispersed, we cannot say. It seems probable, however, that Austin recovered some of the punches cut by him, and used them when starting his own foundry in Worship Street.
SPECIMENS.
- 1789. A Specimen of Printing Types cast at Bell & Stephenson’s British Letter Foundry in the Savoy. London, 1789. 8vo. (Bodleian.)
- 1796. First part of a specimen of Printing Types cast at the Foundry of S. & C. Stephenson, Bream’s Buildings, Chancery Lane. The punches cut by R. Austin. London, 1796. 8vo. (W. B.)
- 1797. Catalogue of the Stock in Trade of S. & C. Stephenson, which will be sold by Auction by Mr. C. Heydinger. 1797. 8vo. (W. B.)
