Take a Gander at the Archives
Peruse an index of articles and essays added to the premium subscriber archive here.
You’re as Cold as Type
Phototypesetting is an often-neglected bridge between the centuries of metal and the digital age.
Arthur Brisbane’s Cartoon Accompaniment and the Big Red T: Oh, Fudge?
While sorting 1930s newspapers, I spotted mysterious red ink on a single letter—and traced it to an obscure printing technique.
Bogus! When Typesetters Were Paid To Set Copy That Was Thrown Away
For over a century, newspaper typesetters had a remarkable union-protected practice: resetting advertising copy that arrived pre-composed, then immediately melting it down.
Aligning a Rocky Road: The History of Baselines
A baseline seems like the starting point for setting type. In the days of metal type, it took a long time to reach, however.
Dash-Dash It All! Turning Hyphens into Em And En Dashes
What’s the difference among several horizontal lines?
Adding the Archives
Hello, and thanks again for paying for this premium edition of the newsletter! I’ve started posted older articles in the archives here at Buttondown....
A Look into Lorem Ipsum
Lorem ipsum is a bunch of Latin nonsense. Unlike AI hallucinations that have led to non-exsistent terms showing up in academic papers, the scrambled eggs of this text comes from dry-transfer type!
The Truth Is in the Stars
You can tell which edition a date’s paper is through obvious means: the words “evening edition,” “final edition,” and “sports final” may appear in a header. You can also read the tea leaves of symbols at the tops of pages: stars, dots, pluses, squares, and daggers. This article explains the history of editions and how to read them.
Reading the Reprintings: the Printer’s Side
Diving into the history and details of book printing across different editions, with a focus on the first editions. You also learn how to read the printing run and edition markings in books.
Only Connect
This essays considers what authenticity means in a digital age: why does an author’s signature, even produced in an assembly-line fashion, still have value to a reader?
I Don’t Want Just Another Boilerplate Response
Diving into the history and diverse uses of “boilerplate”—from literal metal sheets to recurrent legal text.
Adding a Newsletter to This Announcements List
This newsletter will continue to have a free version with announcements. If you pay to upgrade to premium, you will receive at least one reported or researched article a month, plus access to a back catalog of work that I will be posting over time.
With an Open, er, Closed Heart, I Persist!
A quick review of 2025, and onward and upwards into 2026!
Some Personal News
Hi, folks, sorry to send another newsletter so soon after the previous one, but I have some important personal news. In mid-November, I'm getting my aortic...
I Sound Like a Chicken
Why do I sound like a chicken? Because all day long I say “book, book, book.” Thank you for coming to my comedy show. Reading Things I had a big mental block...
Six Centuries Ships & So Does How Comic Are Made
Hello, there! As usual, it’s been a busy…everything. Summer is surprisingly slower, as the seeds of winter and spring become summer fruits and I prepare for...
June Book Double-Header
Hello! Last month was remarkable as Six Centuries of Type & Printing’s Kickstarter campaign blazed to a finish, doubling my goal for the project on the final...
Last Call on Six Centuries
The Kickstarter campaign for a second edition of Six Centuries of Type & Printing is entering its last seven days. Just a reminder that you have access to a...
Subscriber Discount on New Edition of Six Centuries of Type & Printing
Today, I launched a Kickstarter campaign for a second edition of Six Centuries of Type & Printing. You have access to a special discount for list...
