[UK] Gyles

1. Summary

London. Circa 1864 - at least 1956. Probably multiple firms. At times one of them was DBA the "Anglo-American Type Foundry."

This seems to have been at least originally a family business. At some point (perhaps in the 1880s) it seems likely that it split into at least two family businesses. Both 1864 and 1865 were claimed as dates of founding by successor firms. At least one firm bearing the name "Gyles" is attested through at least 1956. It seems never to have been a large firm (or firms), and is not mentioned by Talbot Baines Reed's A History of the Old English Letter Foundries . Specimen books are known from the 1890s. The firm of E. & F. Gyles entered the market for type for duplicating machines by 1909.

2. Chronology

1864 or 1865. Founded. The date of 1864 was claimed in advertisements by E. & F. Gyles which appeared in 1910 and later. The date of 1865 may have been claimed in a specimen by by J. Gyles & Sons in 1900.

1872-1885. Founders' London (p. 13) lists John Gyles & Sons, in Bowling Green Lane from 1872 to 1885.

1879, 1880. J. Gyles and Sons, Type-Founders attested by the London, Provincial and Colonial Press News. Two instances of this occur in volumes which have been digitized by Google from unspecified libraries but not yet been made available for viewing. The most extensive snippet from these (for 1880) reads: "J. Gyles and Sons, Type-Founders, 35 Bowling-green-lane, London, E. C., beg to call the attention of Printers to their Book and Old Style Founts, Leads, Quotations, and Quads on the lowest prices for Cash. - Price List and Specimen ..."

1885-1896. Founders' London (p. 13) lists Edward Gyles & Sons, in Bowling Green Lane from 1885 to 1896. Note that this conflicts with John & Ebenezer Gyles, in St. John Street in 1889 (see below).

1889. Founders' London (p. 29) lists John & Ebenezer Gyles, in St. John Street in 1889. Note that this conflicts/overlaps with Edward Gyles & Sons in Bowling Green Lane 1885-1896 (see above).

1892. E. & F. Gyles, Specimen Book [of Types]. ( See this in the "Specimen Books" section, below. )

1892. E. Gyles & Sons. Specimen Book of Printing Types, Etc.. ( See this in the "Specimen Books" section, below. )

1893-1904. Founders' London (p. 29) lists John Gyles & Sons, in St. Johns Street from 1893 to 1904. One might presume that this was the continuation of John & Ebenezer Gyles at this address.

1892. F. & E. Gyles [sic], Specimen Book. ( See this in the "Specimen Books" section, below. )

1897. E. & F. Gyles, Supplement and Specimens of Display Types. ( See this in the "Specimen Books" section, below. )

1900. A book (presumably a specimen book) was published by "J. Gyles & Sons, (established 1865) Ornamental Typefounders" ( See this in the "Specimen Books" section, below. )

1901. E. & F. Gyles, Specimen Book of Types. ( See this in the "Specimen Books" section, below. )

1901. E. & F. Gyles, The 20th Century Specimen Book of Types, Borders and Ornaments. ( See this in the "Specimen Books" section, below. )

1908-1939. Founders' London (p. 29) lists John Gyles & Sons, at different address in St. Johns Street from 1908 to 1939. Note that this conflicts/overlaps with E. & F. Gyles in Newcastle Row 1931-1956 (see below).

By 1909 through at least 1922. E. & F. Gyles, "Anglo-American Type Foundry," 4 & 5 Crawford Passage, Farringdon Road, London, E. C. Advertisements in the trade journal Typewriter Topics for type for duplicating machines. These identify the firm as "Established 1864." These and other ads for type for duplicating machines probably predate this (though they did not appear in Vols. 6 & 7 in 1907) and continue through at least 1922. (See the Advertising and Trade References section, below.)

1912. A trade note appeared in Typewriter Topics explaining the E. & F. Gyles business in types in imitation of typewriter types for rotary and flatbed duplicating machines. They also claimed these types for "Russian" (Cyrillic), and in 1916 showed Cyrillic imitation typewriter type in their ads. (See the Advertising and Trade References section, below.)

1913 E. & F. Gyles, Popular Types & Borders. ( See this in the "Specimen Books" section, below. )

1919. "E. & F. Gyles, 4 and 5, Crawford Passage, Farrington Rd., London, E. C., England" are listed in the "Office Equipment Guide" section of the trade journal Typewriter Topics, Vol. 41, No. 3 (March, 1919), p. 281. These listings continue through at least 1922 (with gaps). (See the Advertising and Trade References section, below.)

1920. E. & F. Gyles responded (affirmatively, I think) to a query about the production of type for Esperanto. (See the Advertising and Trade References section, below.)

1931-1956 Founders' London (p. 25) lists 1931-1956. E. & F. Gyles Ltd., in Newcastle Row. Note that this conflicts/overlaps with John Gyles & Sons in St. Johns Street 1908-1939 (see above).

193? E. & F. Gyles, Specimen Sheet of Brass and Zinc Rule. ( See this in the "Specimen Books" section, below. )

It is interesting to note that none of the addresses noted in Founders' London include the address at Crawford Passage, Farringdon Road, E. C., London that is most often cited in the E. & F. Gyles advertisements and directory listings in Typewriter Topics in the 1910s. However, according to Google Maps you could walk from Newcastle Row to Crawford Passage (Farringdon Road) in four minutes; both are in the Clerkenwell district once known for its fine machinery trade (watchmaking).

[date?] In a posting to the LETPRESS list on 2013-05-07, Bob Richardson said, after examining an unspecified E. & F. Gyles specimen in the St. Bride Library, that they had "two or three different London addresses, including Ray Street. When they moved there from smaller premises they gave the reason that they'd had a large increase in business."

3. Specimens, Etc.

At present, these are known only through bibliographic references. All of them are rare. Only a few have been digitized, and none of these have yet been released for view.

4. Advertising and Trade References

4.1. E. & F. Gyles, 1909

The following advertisement appeared in the "WANTS" section of the trade journal Typewriter Topics in each number of Volume 12 (1909-05 to 1909-08) and Volume 13 (1909-09 to 1909-12). This was a New York based journal with a strong presence in England.

By way of explanation: The Patents and Design Act (UK) of 1907 required that UK patents be actively worked in the United Kingdom. If an item protected by a UK patent was manufactured chiefly abroad and merely imported into the UK, its UK patent could be revoked. (In the May 25, 1911 American Machinist (p. 963), for example, a brief article appears which indicates that by 1911 there had been 76 instances when this non-working was alleged to have happened, of which 21 resulted in the revoking of the UK patent.)

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(Volumes 12 and 13 of Typewriter Topics have been digitized by Google from the New York Public Library copy. They are available as single-page images via The Hathi Trust (Hathi ID: nyp.33433035151301). They are not yet (2013-05) available via Google.)

4.2. E. & F. Gyles, 1910 (and following)

The following three items appeared in the trade journal Typewriter Topics , Vol. 16, No. 1 (Sept. 1910), pp. 20, 84, and 95, respectively.

The first item is their directory listing in the "Office Equipment Guide." It is curious insofar as it lists them as makers of steel type for typewriters; their advertisements are for cast typemetal type. The second is an ordinary advertisement, in this case for metal type (typemetal, not steel) for use with duplicating presses (most of these are now no longer remembered). The third is a classified ad. These are broadly similar to directory listings and advertisements that the firm ran through at least 1922. Note, however, that "Farrington" as it appears in the first item is a misprint for "Farringdon."

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(The three items above come from an issue that has been digitized by Google from the New York Public Library copy. It is available as single-page images via The Hathi Trust (Hathi ID: nyp.33433035151327). It is not yet (2013-05) available via Google. Clicking on each of the snippets above will bring up a PDF version of the entire page. )

4.3. E. & F. Gyles, 1911

The advertisement below appeared in Typewriter Topics, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Jan. 1911), p. 91.

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(This issue has been digitized by Google from the New York Public Library copy. It is available as single-page images via The Hathi Trust (Hathi ID: nyp.33433035151327). It is not yet (2013-05) available via Google.)

The advertisement below appeared in Typewriter Topics, Vol. 17, No. 3 (Mar. 1911), p. 246. This advertisement also appeared in Vol. 18 (1911-05 to 1911-08) and Vol. 19 (1911-09 to 1911-12). It lists by name the machines for which they made type: "Writer Press," "Polygraph," "Printer-Blick," "Millotype," and "Wood Multiple." The Multigraph is not yet mentioned.

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(This issue has been digitized by Google from the New York Public Library copy. It is available as single-page images via The Hathi Trust (Hathi ID: nyp.33433035151327). It is not yet (2013-05) available via Google.)

4.4. E. & F. Gyles, 1912

This interesting trade note appeared in Typewriter Topics, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Jan. 1912), p. 28.

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(This issue has been digitized by Google from the New York Public Library copy. It is available as single-page images via The Hathi Trust (Hathi ID: nyp.33433035151343). It is not yet (2013-05) available via Google.)

The production of imitation typewritten letters, coupled with addressing machine database and printing technologies such as the Addressograph (relief printing), Elliott (stencil duplicating), and others was an important part of direct mail advertising in this period. With these technologies one could manage a large customer database and provide the simulacrum of personal attention in mass direct mailings from the comfort of one's own office. Nothing is new.

This advertisement appeared in Typewriter Topics, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Jan. 1912), p. 87. It appeared again in Vol. 20, No. 3 (Mar. 1912): 213.

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(This issue has been digitized by Google from the New York Public Library copy. It is available as single-page images via The Hathi Trust (Hathi ID: nyp.33433035151343). It is not yet (2013-05) available via Google.)

This advertisement appeared in Typewriter Topics, Vol. 22, No. 3 (Nov. 1912), p. 198. It appeared again in Vol. 20, No. 3 (Mar. 1912): 213.

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(This issue has been digitized by Google from the New York Public Library copy. It is available as single-page images via The Hathi Trust (Hathi ID: nyp.33433035151343). It is not yet (2013-05) available via Google.)

4.5. E. & F. Gyles, 1915

At some point between 1912 and 1915, E. & F. Gyles stopped advertising in Typewriter Topics (The volumes for 1913 and 1914 have not yet been digitized and are unavailable to me, so I don't know exactly when.) They resumed advertising here in 1915. At first they only appeared in the "Office Equipment Guide" directory listing, without actually taking out any advertising space. The following is from Vol. 29, No. 1 (Jan. 1915): 8.

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(Volumes 29 through 31 have been digitized by Google from the New York Public Library copy (where they were bound together). It is available as single-page images via The Hathi Trust (Hathi ID: nyp.33433035151343) and as a complete volume from Google. I have also split it into individual numbers in the Typewriter Topics Notebook .)

Actual ads reappeared in the July number (Vol. 30, No. 3):

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This ad continued in use through at least Vol. 32, No. 1 (Jan. 1916): 68.

A brief notice that the firm had renewed advertising appeared in the August number (Vol. 31, No. 4); it also identified the typeface used in the ads as "12 point Remington Universal." It is further interesting in that it lists the principle of E. & F. Gyles at this time as E. F. Gyles, his brother (F. Gyles?) having left the firm "some months ago."

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4.6. E. & F. Gyles, 1916

In Vol. 34, No. 1 (Sept. 1916), a new ad appeared (p. 73) in a Cyrillic typewriter-imitation face. (In their Jan. 1912 trade note, they mention making imitation typewriter type "in most of the European languages, including Russian.") This same ad also appeared in the November number.

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(This issue has been digitized by Google from the New York Public Library copy. It is available as single-page images via The Hathi Trust (Hathi ID: nyp.33433035151384). It is not yet (2013-05) available via Google.)

4.7. E. & F. Gyles, 1920

In a 1920 number of The British Esperantist, the firm of E. & F. Gyles responded to a query about the production of type for Esperanto (I believe that they replied in the affirmative, although the currently known data are inconclusive.) This journal has been scanned by Google from an unspecified library, but is not yet viewable. Here is a view of Google's idea of a bibliographic record for this:

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The actual "snippet" available reads: "... printers wishing to print Esperanto matter as to wher the necessary accented type (ĉ, ĝ, ĥ, ĵ, ŝ, ŭ) can be obtained. Complaint is made that some foundries possessing the type refuse to sell it except to clients on their books, or under impossible conditions. We have,therefore, made enquiries of the chief London foundries, and summarize their replies below. Information as to foundries in other towns would be appreciated. ..."

Unfortunately, the snippet ends after having listed only "J. C. Barker and Co.'s Successors, 17, Berkley Street."

4.8. E. & F. Gyles, 1922

E. & F. Gyles disappear from the pages of Typewriter Topics in 1917, 1918, 1919, and 1920. 1921 has not yet been digitized and is unavailable to me. However, in January 1922 (Vol. 50, No. 1) they reappear, with both a trade note and a new ad.

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(This issue has been digitized by Google from the New York Public Library copy. It is available as single-page images via The Hathi Trust (Hathi ID: nyp.33433035151442). It is not yet (2013-05) available via Google.)

5. Typefaces

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6. Pinmarks

This image of a pinmark on an E. & F. Gyles 30 point type (for the unidentified face shown above is by Dennis Bryans. (Please note that this image is copyright 2013 by Dennis Bryans. It is used here with permission. Please do not use it without his permission.)

7. Bibliography

(See also the Specimens, Etc. and the Advertising and Trade References sections, above.)

Moseley, James, Justin Howes, and Nigel Roche. Founder's London A-Z. (London: The [European] Friends of the St. Bride's Printing Library, 1998.)

This is an unusual work. Officially, it is a showing of ITC Caslon. But really it is a gazetteer or walking tour of typefounding locations in London (whether or not they still exist) prepared using the extensive resources of the St. Bride Library. It says little about each location, but in many cases the information it presents it the only published information about a particular location. It has an introductory essay, "A Typographical Pilgrimmage," by James Moseley, and its research is credited to Justin Howes and Nigel Roche.

This was printed in a very small edition, but St. Bride's has made it available online at: http://stbride.org/friends/publications/gazette.pdf

Note also that (as of 2011 at least) someone has put a copy on that singularly irritating file-sharing service, scribd. Regrettably, this (not the St. Bride's instance) is the one which comes up most often in Google. You want to get the legitimate version from St. Bride's.