ca. 1794 or 1799 - 1892. Baltimore, MD. Founded by Samuel Sower (d. 1820; (tenth son of Christopher Sower II, who cast type from 1770-1778) either circa 1794 with William Gwynne (Annenberg is dubious about this) or (more probably) by 1799. In 1806 he acquire the materials of Justus Fox, who had in turn acquired them from the Christopher Sower II foundry. Samuel Sower died 1820; succeeded by son-in-law Richard Spaulding. In 1832 purchased by Fielding Lucas, Jr. (Also, in 1832 hired Edwin Starr (most recently off a stint with Stephen Sturdevant developing a typecasting machine, and prior to that briefly at the Boston Type Foundry) as "superintendent of production. By 1840, Starr had left for "Philadelphia, making molds and other fittings for the Dickinson Type Foundry in Boston.") In 1854 changed to Lucas Bros. (William F. Lucas, Edward C. Lucas, Henry A. Lucas). 1860 firm name to Henry Lucas.
1879 sold to Henry Lafayette Pelouze, owner of the Richmond Type Foundry. Operated as a branch of that foundry until 1883.
1883 purchased by Charles J. Cary and operated independently. Merged into ATF at its formation in 1892. { Annenberg, 115}
Unrelated to the later Baltimore Type & Composition Company / Baltimore Matrix ("Baltotype").
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