Font Factory

Create an Account

Purchase List (0)

0 items

Manage Purchases

Lanston Type

Font Foundry

Date: 4 September 2010
Fonts in Foundry: 0

Lanston Monotype Machine Company was founded by Tolbert Lanston, inventor of the Monotype machine, in Washington D.C. (USA) in 1887 with J. Maury Dove as the first President.

His machines competed with the Mergenthaler Linotype machine. Both cast type from molten lead alloy on demand, fresh for each job, then recycled it. But whereas the Linotype cast whole lines (or ëslugsí) at a time, the Monotype cast single letters, composing them into a page with an action that is a delight to behold. Since they produce individual pieces of type, Monotype machines can also be used to make type for hand composing.

In contrast with the very successful English Monotype company, the American operation went through mixed fortunes and lost ground to Mergenthaler. The firm was sold several times and American Type Founders Company (an amalgamation of independent foundries dotted around the USA) ended up owning it. Lanston Monotype was then purchased by Gerald Giampa, former president of Giampa Textware Corp, and re-located in Vancouver. Now called Lanston Type Co Ltd it is based in Gunning Cove, Shelburne County, Canada.

Through most of the 20th century then, Lanston looked like the poor relation to its successful English sister company. However, the foundry can now boast that it still manufactures matrices while Monotype does not; and Lanston is still independent while Monotype is not. As for the sometimes confusing names of the American and English firms, it was agreed between the two firms that Monotype would use that name, and Lanston the other.

Lanston Type Co Ltd offer digital type through the Lanston Type Library. This was originally directed by Sol Hess, and centered on Goudyís typefaces. In fact, Frederic Goudy himself worked for 29 years at Lanston Monotype and became Type Director of the Lanston Type Library.

eMail Font Factory for full details of fonts from this foundry: type@fontfactory.com

There are no products to list in this category.

Browse

Information

Currencies