Type Tuesday - Hamiltons Specimens of Wood Type Faces

The Hamilton Manufacturing Company, of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, offered a variety of wood types, including ornaments, silhouettes, perpetual calendars and borders, in the 17th edition of their Specimens of Wood Type. 

Wood type was a popular alternative to metal type because large letters - perfectly suited for broadsides and large format advertising - could be more reliably and cheaply produced than metal type. 

The Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum in Two Rivers, Wisconsin houses the Hamilton Manufacturing Company's collection of 1.5 million pieces of wood type and is dedicated to the preservation, study, production and printing of wood type. 

Jaime Henderson,
Archivist