Type … on metal or on film – print ad, Cooper & Beatty, Carl Dair, 1953

Until the mid-20th century, the word ‘type’ was almost synonymous with metal. However, after the Second World War, commercial typesetting technology advanced, making it possible to set type directly onto film. Early phototypesetting machines were often little more than modified hot-metal typesetters and, as this advertisement suggests, required just as much skill to operate as Linotype or Monotype machines. It would take more than 35 years before typesetting could be handled by relatively untrained operators.

While early phototypesetting initially fell short of metal type in image quality, its advantages were undeniable. Large-scale letterpress printing was gradually being replaced by lithography, and film was already a key part of the process for creating printing plates for large litho presses. By eliminating the need to convert metal type proofs to film, phototypesetting streamlined production, reducing both time and complexity.

Before printed photographs became commercially viable, illustrations like the one Dair used in this ad were widely popular. Their simple basic shapes were easy to create, and reproduce, and they complemented most typefaces seamlessly. – Rod McDonald

Artifact Text

Type … on metal or on film …
We have both. Both require skill to achieve effectiveness. We have that too!
Cooper & Beatty, Limited
Type Craftsmanship at 196 Adelaide St. West, Toronto, Canada