Compositors Collection

Typesetting by hand, Morning Post newspaper, London
A roomful of male compositors in London, typesetting the pages of the Morning Post newspaper by hand

Printer's workshop showing setting of type in background and puller and hand printing with finished pages ready for
5668953 Printer's workshop showing setting of type in background and puller and hand printing with finished pages ready for binding; (add.info)

Printing office. On left compositors are at work setting up text using letters from 'case' in front of them
531519 Printing office. On left compositors are at work setting up text using letters from 'case' in front of them

New York Evening Post Press Room (gelatin silver photo)
NYH249111 New York Evening Post Press Room (gelatin silver photo) by Hall, G.P. & Son (1876-1914); Collection of the New-York Historical Society, USA; eNew York Historical Society; George P

Women working at the Victoria Press 1861
Women and girls working as compositors under the supervision of a man at the Victoria Press printing office in Great Coram Street, London

New York Evening Post Type-Setting Room (gelatin silver photo)
NYH249108 New York Evening Post Type-Setting Room (gelatin silver photo) by Hall, G.P. & Son (1876-1914); Collection of the New-York Historical Society, USA; eNew York Historical Society; George P

Printing (colour litho)
2795460 Printing (colour litho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Printing. Double page illustration contained in one of the series of Les Recreations Instructives)

National Childrens Home, London
Boys learning how to set type in in the compositors room at the London branch of the National Childrens Home (NCH)

Inside a printing house (chromolitho)
964340 Inside a printing house (chromolitho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Inside a printing house (interieur d imprimerie), a miniature from Chants Royaux

The Daily Mail (photo)
583011 The Daily Mail (photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Daily Mail. From the Tatler)

The offices of the Figaro, 26 rue Drouot, Paris, 1874 (engraving)
CHT430420 The offices of the Figaro, 26 rue Drouot, Paris, 1874 (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Ancient View of a Dutch Printing-Office (engraving)
2793454 Ancient View of a Dutch Printing-Office (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Ancient View of a Dutch Printing-Office)

Frames, Cases, etc (engraving)
2793453 Frames, Cases, etc (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Frames, Cases, etc. Illustration for The Penny Magazine, 30 November 1833)

Typesetters working at the Publishers Printing Co. New York (silver gelatin print)
MNY381221 Typesetters working at the Publishers Printing Co. New York (silver gelatin print) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); 19.2x25.4 cm; Museum of the City of New York

Printing office (Victoria Press) in Great Coram Street, for the employment of women as compositors (engraving)
583453 Printing office (Victoria Press) in Great Coram Street, for the employment of women as compositors (engraving) by English School

Taurus, A literary Bull (engraving)
5997841 Taurus, A literary Bull (engraving) by Cruikshank, George (1792-1878); Private Collection; (add.info.: Taurus, A literary Bull)

New Mechanical Inventions for the Printing Press (engraving)
1594585 New Mechanical Inventions for the Printing Press (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: New Mechanical Inventions for the Printing Press)

Printing-Office (The Victoria Press) in Great Coram-Street, for the Employment of Women as Compositors (engraving)
1612997 Printing-Office (The Victoria Press) in Great Coram-Street, for the Employment of Women as Compositors (engraving) by English School

Dance of Death (litho)
961148 Dance of Death (litho) by French School, (15th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Choice examples of early printing and engraving, facsimles from rare and curious books)

Monotype keyboard operator at a printing works
Monotype Keyboards at the Lund Humphries Printing Works. The operators readily surmount the problems posed by complicated mathmatical formulae or even composition in Arabic or Hebrew

Women Compositors
Women compositors, employed by the Society for the Employment of Women Date: 1888

The Publishing Officers and Editors Quarters of News of the Camp, c
XJF448281 The Publishing Officers and Editors Quarters of " News of the Camp", c.1880-81 (b/w photo) by English Photographer

Printing office. On left compositors are at work setting up text using letters from case in front of them. Centre back type is being inked ready to be printed on to paper in flatbed screwjack press

Eighteenth century printing workshop. On the left the compositors are selecting type from cases. In the right foreground a man is inking type locked in a chase ready for the next sheet to be printed

Printing press, 16th century
Printing press. Historical artwork of men working in a 16th century printing press. The printers are in the foreground whilst, behind them

Compositors / Diderot
Compositors at work

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Compositors: Masters of the Written Word In the era before digital technology revolutionized the printing industry, they were the unsung heroes behind every meticulously typeset page. These skilled craftsmen painstakingly arranged individual metal typefaces by hand, breathing life into words and giving them a tangible presence on paper. One such scene unfolds at the Morning Post newspaper in London, where dedicated compositors toil away in a symphony of clinking metal and focused concentration. The rhythmic clickety-clack echoes through the room as they meticulously assemble each letter with unwavering precision. Across the Atlantic Ocean, inside the New York Evening Post Press Room, gelatin silver photos capture another glimpse into this world. Women working at Victoria Press in 1861 break gender barriers as they contribute their expertise to this traditionally male-dominated field. Their determination shines through their eyes as they skillfully manipulate typefaces with grace and finesse. The New York Evening Post Type-Setting Room reveals yet another facet of this art form. Gelatin silver photos showcase an organized chaos that thrives within these walls – stacks of newspapers waiting to be printed while compositors work diligently amidst piles of letters and symbols. As technology advances, so does printing techniques like color lithography come into play. Vibrant hues burst forth from chromolitho prints depicting bustling scenes inside a printing house - a testament to how far this ancient craft has evolved over time. Beyond newspapers lie other realms where compositors leave their indelible mark. At National Children's Home in London, young minds are nurtured through beautifully typeset books that ignite imagination and foster learning. An enchanting snapshot takes us inside The Daily Mail offices - its buzzing atmosphere filled with energy as compositors race against deadlines to ensure timely delivery of news across nations. Traveling back in time to 1874 Paris, an engraving transports us to The Offices of Figaro on 26 rue Drouot.