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Glite Dictionary
typefounding

typefounding

9.8
Making metal letters used in old printing presses
  • noun
  • /ˈtaɪpˌfaʊndɪŋ/
  • Archaic
: tipografía
  • The workshop specializes in the art of typefounding, creating high-quality metal type for collectors and print enthusiasts.

Examples

  • There is considerable interest in preserving the history of printing and typefounding.

    Academic text (2005)

  • The most famous pioneering effort to apply modern methods to typefounding was made by Linn Boyd Benton, a now much-respected name in typemaking.

    Academic text (2005)

  • The Bible of the typefounding industry, after 300 years, is still Mechanik Exercises on the Whole Art of Printing by Joseph Moxon.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Many graphic designers appreciate the craftsmanship involved in typefounding traditional letterforms.

  • During the 19th century, typefounding became a crucial industry for producing printed materials efficiently.

Synonyms

typecasting
vstypefounding
  • Archaic
1 9.8

Making individual metal letters for use in old letterpress printing

refers to the broader trade of making metal letters for printing presses

Surface Forms

typefounding singular
typefoundings plural

Morphology

typefounding = type + founding (semi-transparent) = type + found + ing

The compound structure 'type' + 'founding' is clear, but 'founding' more commonly means 'establishing' and the metal-casting sense is specialized, so learners may be misled.

Etymology

Typefounding combines type ('model' or 'letter') and founding, which comes from a word for 'to pour' melted metal, as in a foundry where people cast letters. So typefounding is the craft of making metal letters for printing presses.