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I LANSTON TYPE COMPANY I GERALD GIAMPA I
¶ I DESIGNED the cover shown here for the November 1984 edition of the ATF Newsletter. ATF should not be confused with American Type Founders of similar abbreviation. ATF here stands for the 'American Typecasting Fellowship'. The ATF Fellowship is membered by many typographical giants. That however is not the purpose. Many members are ardent enthusiasts and amateurs.
This is a masterpiece of typographical fleurons. This cover was comprised of multiple press runs. Some runs are the same colour but different forms. The paper was hand made by Barcham Green Company Limited in England. If I could have found a more difficult paper to print on I would have used it. The brass loop on the top left was a gift from Jim Rimmer, type designer. My gravure with the wooden handle at the top of the picture was used to cut away portions of the lead printers fleurons. This technique was spoken about in some detail on the previous page
The brass point and pica pole was given to me by Nick Schwabe in 1963. This pole was his constant companion ever since.
The Rouse typesetting stick lying on the right had been purchased new in 1964.
Although it is a steel stick you may notice that there is very little rust from hand moisture. I kept my type stick in its shipping box and oiled it before setting type. No one dared ask to borrow my stick.
So don't ask me, alright!
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¶ SUITES OF FLEURONS is the typographical genre id built my reputation on. Whether or not I chose it or it chose me is a matter of speculation. This particular work is made up of different combinations of printers' fleurons. Book designer Bruce Rogers often worked in the same genre but with a different feeling altogether. Certainly I admire his work. 'Bruce Rogers' work is more playful, often illustrative and sometimes cartoony. Unfortunately my work is warm but serious. My work is disciplined, based on mathematics. I was born with an innate ability for geometric arrangements. Perhaps I was born to design public washroom floors, after all, I have been walked on all my life, and that's not all. Often, when working on ornamental arrangements I am merely a spectator, a very interested spectator . . . I wasted my life with these stupid little things.'
GERALD GIAMPA