Snapshots from Toronto, July 2006 (page 6/7)

Harmonica 3

A somewhat extreme closeup

Singer Sewing Machine Treadle

The word “Singer” in iron, part of an antique sewing machine.

Hot Metal Type

Lines of type, made by a Linotype machine, and ready to be used in printing. The text is actually a list of people’s names, if you were wondering. The lines going vertically in each line are the result of “space bands” used to even out the widths of the lines. Note, too, that to make the lines properly spaced apart one might insert thin strips of [...]leading for the act of spacing out the lines. [more...]

Type case

There are two separate cases, or drawers, that make up a Western font. The one kept nearest the person setting type is the lower one, and hence (really) contains lower case letters; the one that’s not shown here, higher and further back, is the upper case, and has the capital, or upper case, letters. The slot on each letter lets you feel with your [...]cold metal type—for printing any more! [more...]

Composing Stick

Set it to the width of the line (the measure), pick letters from the type case one by one to make words, put little bits of metal between the words for spaces, and soon you’ll have several complete lines, which you then transfer to the chase to be clamped together for printing. [more...]

Linotype Machine

This out-of-focus Linotype machine was working when it was last used, but that’s actually a few years ago now. [more...]

CN Tower 3

Toronto’s CN Tower, taken from the bridge over the railway at Spadina. You can also see the railway tracks. In front [more...]

Ceramic giraffe

Clyde thought it was cute.

Ceramic giraffe 2

It’s making eyes at me with those long long eyelashes. Do giraffes usually have blue eyes?

Blue Room

A studio we were thinking of renting.

Blue Room 2

A studio we were thinking of renting.

Blue Room 3

A studio we were thinking of renting.