Wednesday 5 December 2012

Design History 'Bridge to the 20th Century' Links Part 3…

More Visual reference taken from MOSI (The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester) 

Quote taken from The Linotype & Machinery Co. Ltd Collections Handout.

'Machine That Sets Type Conquers The World'

'The linotype machine spread throughout the world, often following the paths of British Colonialism. Linotype manufacturers almost worshipped the machine and its ability to spread the printed word. At the outbreak of the First World War, it was estimated that there were 30,000 linotype machines in operation across the world. Julius Muller, who wrote a history of the linotype machine, argued:' 

"Let these thirty thousand Linotypes but fall into tune, and there shall arise a chorus, that will, indeed, sweep War from the world forever."








Design History 'Bridge to the 20th Century' Links Part 2…

More Visual reference from MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester) and from The Rylands Library this link on Vimeo of a Letterpress demonstration by Graham Moss from the Incline Press operating a Britannia Press, explaining both the technique and the process of the equipment and the historical information of the press from a locally generated source. http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/From-Manuscript-to-Print/Technology-of-the-Book/Video-of-printing-in-action/




Design History - 'Bridge to the Twentieth Century'… Example Links 1...

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/ [The University of Manchester - John Rylands Library online Archive for Manuscript and Print]

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/Pioneers-of-Print/

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/Pioneers-of-Print/William-Caxton/

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/Spread-of-Print-through-Europe/Manchester/

http://www.mosi.org.uk/explore-mosi/explore-mosi-themes/communications/printing.aspx [Fleet Street of the North]

http://www.waitangi.com/colenso/colenso1.html [The First Printed Book in New Zealand 1835]

http://christchurchartgallery.org.nz/exhibitions/pressed-letters-fine-printing-in-new-zealand-since/ [NZ Perspective]

The above links set the background story to the beginnings, of European Typography and Letterpress development from the 15th Century, moving the power away from the Church in Europe, onwards through the Industrial Revolution of the UK and again Manchester. The spread around the Globe of the British Empire, ensuring the greater awareness of the Linotype Printing Press and the Power of Communication to the Colonies in the 19th Century, and all this from a Manchester based Company (later American led when the company diversified)

I have also included links from an NZ perspective, as this also has a Religious slant to the early development of printing in the country.

The pics shown were taken back in 2008 at MOSI in Manchester, during a Letterpress demonstration. The Press shown is called a Colombian.