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Set of initials cast from matrices once owned by Franklin, now in the possession of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Size within border 35′′ x 5td′′.

founding in America until his return from his long residence in France. There he evidently cast con siderable quantities of type and is said to have designed at least one alphabet of his own, the beautiful Script letter shown on page 153.

Livingston says of it, "This fount was probably designed by Franklin himself, for use in printing important documents, which it might have been to the advantage of some one to counterfeit, such as the Passport blank, or his commissions to commanders of privateers (if such a document was printed by him).”

Franklin engaged to a considerable extent in typefounding after his return from France, principally with a view to setting up in business his grandson, Benjamin Franklin Bache. To one purchaser, Francis Childs of New York, he wrote under® date of May 8, 1787, an interesting letter in regard to sorts, as follows:

"You are always complaining of Imperfections in the Founts, which I fuppofe to proceed from your not having right Ideas of that Matter. They were all caft after the best Rules of the Founderies in England, and in the fame Proportions. But as the Stiles of Authors vary, and different Subjects use the different Sorts variously, there never could be a Fount so proportion'd as to run out equally in all Cafes. And if whenever, in any Work, four or five Sorts run fhort, you caft for the Deficiency, in a subsequent Work those Sorts, may be fuper

PRINTING TYPES

BELONGING TO

Benjamin Franklin Bachi's PRINTING OFFICE,
PHILADELPHIA.

Type specimen sheets issued by Benjamin Franklin Bache. Size inside the border 75" x 14".

A Quantity of 19, 16, 13, 11, 9 &7 Lines Pica is always to be difpofed of, at B. F. BACHE's Printing-Office, Market Street; As alfo a number of typographical Cuts and a great Variety of Flowers.

From the Typographic Library and Museum of the American Type Founders Company, Jersey City, N. J.

abundant, and all the reft will appear deficient, so that there will be no End of proceeding in that Manner. Therefore it is, that Printers have ufually to every large Fount what they call a Bomcafe, or Fount Cafe, that is, a Cafe to hold thofe Sorts that are superfluous in one kind of Work and where they may be found when wanting in another. You remark that your now demanding more of fundry Sorts (after being fupply'd with all you formerly thought wanting) is owing partly to your not taking an accurate Lift of the Imperfections at firft: and I am perfuad'd that the prefent Lift you have sent me is far from being accurate, fince it is in Pounds weight, and not in the Number of Letters. This lumping Method of calling for Sorts to fupply fuppof'd Imperfections, 5 lb. of m's 3 lb. of s's, etc. etc. can never be accurate; and in this Inftance of the Petit Romain, you may fee already the Effect of fuch Inaccuracy, viz. to augment instead of diminishing the Imperfections of a Fount; for at first you want'd but 4 or 5 Sorts of the lower Cafe, and now you want 15 or 16, which is a great Part of the Four & twenty, and proves what I have said above that there can be no End of going on in this Way. However to oblige you, tho' it is much more Trouble as the Mold must be adjust'd afresh for every little Parcel, you fhall have the Sorts you want if you send a Lift of them in Numbers. My Grandfon will caft them, as foon as he has taken his Degree and got clear of the College; for then he purposes to apply himfelf clofely to the Business of Letter founding and this is expect❜d in July next. You fhall also have some W's of a better form for the Pica as you defire.