1946 - ? Chicago. David L. Kreiter, B.J. Acquired Neon in 1959; moved it to Chicago and ran it as a named division. Acquired Missouri-Central.
At one point (attested in their 1983 specimen, for example), they were selling a collection of "Antique and Ornate Faces" resembling greatly the collection of Los Angeles Type Founders (ex- Typefounders, Inc. (of Phoenix)). The provenance of this offering is unclear. It is thought by some that they were simply reselling LATF-cast type. (In the material I acquired from Barco Type Founders, who acquired LATF, there exists a sheet with eight photocopies of the Castcraft "Antique Types ... What about 'em" disclaimer, pasted up as if to be further photocopied in bulk; this suggests a Castcraft-LATF/Barco relationship.) However, it is also possible that they had matrices for some of these faces made, and cast them themselves. Of the "Antique and Ornate" faces offered, Howland Open and Salem are Monotype faces that Castcraft might have cast themselves. "Anna" is a face unattested elsewhere, and unknown in the wild.
Some Castcraft matrices, perhaps including any "antique and ornate" mats, if indeed they existed, may have gone to Les Fuller's Twin Quills Press. (Most of them were later acquired from Fuller by Rich Hopkins' Hill & Dale Private Press and Typefoundry.)
Castcraft's other display mats were acquired by the late John Hern (thence to Skyline Type Foundry; Sky confirms that none of the "antique and ornate" matrices were present in this collection). Küco casters and foundry matrices acquired by Gregory J. Walters Gregory J. Walters in 2008. Greg confirms that none of the "antique and ornate" matrices were in this collection.
Typefounders of Chicago also sold type imported by Amsterdam Continental Types, Inc.
Typefounders of Chicago Catalog
Catalog / (Chicago: Typefounders of Chicago, [no date]) It must date from after Sept. 18, 1948 (the date their telephone exchange changed from 3L+4N (SACramento 6530) to 2L+5N (SAcramento 2-6530), but before 1962 (as the Neon Type Division catalog from 1962, reprinted below, uses full numeric dialling). Also lists type imported by Continental Amsterdam (pp. 30-32). Also sorts and line service (p. 33-40).
The object drawin in red in the upper left corner of the cover of this catalog is a matrix carrier and matrix holder assembly for a Thompson Typecaster.
Thanks are due to Jenny Addison, Prop. Lock and Key Press for making this available.
Neon Type Division, 1962
Type Specimens by Neon Type Division, Typefounders of Chicago (Chicago: Typefounders of Chicago, 1962) Uploaded in two parts
Thanks are due to Jenny Addison, Prop. Lock and Key Press for making this available.
Castcraft / Neon Type Division, 1983
[TO DO: SCAN] Kreiter, David L. Type Specimens by Neon Type Division, Typefounders of Chicago [Castcraft]. (Chicago: 1983). This includes a section of "antique" revival faces. The second icon above links to a PDF of just that three-page section.
Anna - in "Antique and Ornate Faces" (1983); provenance unknown.
Howland Open - in "Antique and Ornate Faces" (1983), but is a Monotype face.
Norway? (See reference on p. 3 of 1962 Neon division catalog)
Salem - in "Antique and Ornate Faces" (1983), but is a Monotype face.
[TO DO: Link faces in 1983 antique revival to 20th c. antique revival survey page.]
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