Linotype magazines?
I met a guy recently who has some Linotype matrix magazines for sale, and I’m wondering what a reasonable price would be for these? They are clean and well cared for and were in use until three years ago. Typefaces include some mid-century gothics, as well as Bodoni, Baskerville and Caslon. Sizes range from 8 - 18 points. I would be very grateful for any help you can offer.
Thank you,
Craig Malmrose
Hi Craig,
I recently attended “Linotype University” in Denmark, Iowa, and asked Larry Raid (the ‘dean’) about your question. His answer through email:
“To answer your email message about the price of Linotype mats, which are For Sale, that is very hard to do.
When I get a Linotype, all of the mats go with the machine.
To purchase a font of mats from a dealer, they are priced as to the demand for that particular font. They can go from just above scrap ($1.25 per pound) up to $500.00 for the one font.
A font of mats, like I have come up with, while at a show this year, ALL OF THE CAPITAL Ts came up missing. I will have to pay $1.00 per mat to get six of those mats, plus shipping. Usually, there are up to 19 mats in a magazine.
With 91 channels in a magazine and up to 19 per channel, that is 1929 mats. I can not afford $1929.00 for a font of mats.
Brand NEW mats from a mat producer will charge up to $25.00 per mat or more, depending up on mat.
All three of the fonts you mention are highly desired fonts. One of those fonts of from a mat dealer, will ask for $100.00 per font for that one size plus shipping.
BUT, you would be able to use that font for millions of castings, and it (the font) will work perfectly.”
I hope this helps. I wish I’d spent more time at your print shop while an undergrad at ECU, but I’m getting quite an education in letterpress printing out here at the U of Iowa Center for the Book!
Jessica White
Wow! What a bizarre rambling “answer” from Larry. Fast-and-loose with the numbers too. 19x91=1,729 not 1,929 and all 91 channels do NOT have the maximum 19 mats. Some have less than a handful (Z, for instance). Not being a Linotype or Intertype person, but having been around them often enough, I would guess that there are less than 1,000 mats in a magazine.
Yes, the particular face/size has a lot to do with its desirability and therefore its value or price, but another determining factor is the overall shape of the mats themselves. Good clean mats are one matter, and worn-out hairline-cracked mats are entirely another. Some have been used-to-death and are way beyond their prime.
I’ll let someone with more expertise and experience in buying linecdasting mats step in here to answer this question. I do know that the price of brass has escalated greatly recently and a lot of this stuff has been scrapped because of that.
Pay as little as possible. I’d start offering $50.00/magazine full of mats. If that doesn’t work, go a little higher. Sooner or later you and the seller will come to agreement.
Good idea to see that all channels have mats and if possible run them out to check the mats; don’t want chewed up ears etc.
I recently sold some mats at a scrap yard and was paid only 46 cents a pound. Magazines with less than 1000 mats in them are usually three-quarter splits or half-splits. Most fonts are 1200 plus. I have a C-4 Intertype with arount 120 magazines of type. Are they still worth anything or just scrap.