Large 15 Line 2.5" French Clarendon X Condensed Letterpress Wood Type 127pc

US $240

Sutton, Massachusetts, United States
May 28th

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Rare Early Antique 2.5" 15-Line 180-Point French Clarendon Condensed Or X Extra Condensed Letterpress Wood Type, Large Beautiful Set Of 127 Pieces, 1860s To Early 1900s, Serif Display Typeface, Full Uppercase Cap & Numbers Set, Some Punctuation & Special Characters, End Cut, 15 Pica 2 1/2" Font Zoom In Or Click On Pictures And Please Read Our Detailed Item Description Below, This Is One Of Many Awesome Antique Sets Of Wood Type From The Great Collection We Currently Have Listed, Mostly 19th Century, The Earliest Going Back To The Pre-Civil War Period, Some Ultra Rare: Heber Wells, William Hamilton Page (Including First Greenville Mark From 1857-1859), William T. Morgans & H.K. Wilcox, James Edward Hamilton, More, Please View Our Other Auctions Here, Combine Items To Save On Shipping This auction is for a large beautiful antique set of 15-line 2.5" letterpress wood type. There are a total of 127 pieces: a complete uppercase letter set, a complete number set, and some punctuation/special characters. The set is unmarked and we could not identify the manufacturer, but our research leads us to believe the typeface could be classified as a variation of French Clarendon, likely French Clarendon Extra Condensed or one width to either side of it (French Clarendon Condensed or French Clarendon Double Extra Condensed). We could not find an exact match and the typeface seems to be of a heavier, bolder weight when compared to other similar specimens we found. Though a different class/width, the style can be compared to the Morgans & Wilcox French Clarendon Class N found on p. 26 of the 1890 “Condensed Specimen Book of Wood Type Manufactured by Morgans & Wilcox Man’f’g Co.” Likewise, in Rob Roy Kelly’s “American Wood Type” he identified Page as the first to offer French Clarendon in the 1865 issue of “James Conner’s Sons Typographic Messenger, Vol. 1, No. 1” The site devoted to Kelly’s collection goes on to identify some of the versions of the face offered by various makers of the period: Hamilton No. 24; Tubbs French Clarendon No. 2020; and Wells French Clarendon No. 461. It is a serif typeface that we believe dates between the 1860s and the early 1900s based on the other type specimens it was found with (see our other listings to view the entire collection and the original type cabinet in which this set was housed). We welcome any information that might help us to definitively identify the maker. As would be expected, the set overall exhibits wear appropriate with its age with individual pieces varying in condition, and some or all of them having some or all of the following: general wear, chips, scratches, nicks, dents, gouges, edge wear, dirty and/or stained areas, marks, discoloration, vestigial ink, adhered paper remnants on reverse, etc. (see pictures). One of the pieces also has a large missing piece of wood from the side area. We are unsure as to what type of wood the set is made from. The set weighs roughly 3 lb 14 oz. This 127-piece antique set of 15-line 2.5" French Clarendon Extra Condensed letterpress wood type is sure to be a nice addition to your collection. We do our best to properly describe an item, but please take a close look at the dozen pictures to assess condition (mouse over to zoom, click to enlarge). This is one of many great items we currently have listed, including many more awesome sets of rare antique letterpress wood type: Heber Wells (including a 9.5-line Heber Wells French Antique set), William Page & Company, Morgans & Wilcox, Hamilton, more. View our other auctions here. If you have any questions, please contact us prior to bidding. Serious bidders only please. Buyer pays all shipping costs. Combine purchases to save on shipping. If you win more than one item, BEFORE PAYING please let us know that you are done shopping so that we can send you a combined invoice with an updated discounted shipping price (or just give us a bit of time to repackage your items and we’ll send a new invoice). International bidders please note that if USPS First-Class Mail International is being offered as a shipping option for this item, the package cannot be insured (USPS Priority Mail International will be fully insured). We use the United States Postal Service for all of our shipping. Local pickup can be arranged. Bid with confidence. We always do our best to satisfy our customers and work hard to offer excellent service. We encourage you to contact us if you have any problems with our products or services. In the unlikely case your item arrives damaged, please be sure to retain any and all packing material as we may need it to resolve a potential insurance claim. Your feedback is very important to us, and we welcome any comments or suggestions you might have to help us improve our service.