1951-08-24 - 2012-06-26. Co-founder, with Julia Ferrari, of Golgonooza Letter Foundry & Press. Punchcutter by hand in steel. His study of hand punchcutting began circa 1984 [Carr 1996]. Studied at the Imprimerie Nationale (Paris) with Nelly Gable.
Designed the digital lettering faces:
In his article "Cutting Parmenides" in Matrix 22 ( [Carr 2002]), Carr indicates that serious work on this project began in 1998 (p. 119), that the punch-cutting proper took "a little less than two years" (p. 125), and that the first font of type ready for use was delivered to Peter Koch in February 2002. I'm using that last date, even though it includes time after punchcutting and matrix making which was spent learning the Küstermann type caster.
See also the Notebook on Typographical Punchcutting in Steel by Hand: A Survey of the Literature.
[Carr 1996] Carr, Dan. "Making a Visible Spirit: Cutting the Regulus Punches by Hand." Matrix: A Review for Printers and Bibliophiles. No. 16 (1996).
This was reprinted in: Berry, John D. and John Randle, eds. Type & Typography: Highlights from Matrix, the review for printers and bibliophiles. West New York, New Jersey: Mark Batty Publisher LLC, 2003. 70-79.
This article is Carr's explanation of why he chose to cut punches by hand in steel. A few tips and remarks on methods aside, it is not a technical description of punchcutting.
[Carr 2000] Carr, Dan. "Typographic Sculpture: The Survival of Punchcutting at the Imprimerie Nationale." Matrix: A Review for Printers and Bibliophiles. No. 20 (2000).
This is a deeply researched account of the historie of punchcutting at the Imprimerie Nationale from its origins through the early 1990s. It is one of the few sources for biographical information on the punchcutters Christian Paput and Nelly Gable.
[Carr 2002] Carr, Dan. "Cutting Parmenides." Matrix: A Review for Printers and Bibliophiles. No. 22 (Winter 2002).
[Bringhurst et al. 2004] Carr, Dan. "Parmenides, Craft, and Being: Designing and Cutting an Archaic Greek Typeface." in Bringhurst, Robert and Peter Rudledge Koch, et. al. Carving the Elements: A Companion to the Fragments of Parmenides. Berkely, CA: Editions Koch, 2004. ISBN: 0974971405 / 9780974971407.
This contains quite a few insights into the practical details of punchcutting - especially the choice and use of particular gravers.
[Jackson & Rothkopf 2006] Koch, Peter Rutledge. "The Pre-Socratic Project and Remarks on the Philosophical Side of Fine Printing." Jackson, Robert H. and Carol Z. Rothkopf, eds. Book Talk: Essays on Books, Booksellers, Collecting and Special Collections. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press, 2006.
Koch on his role in and view of the project which led to the cutting of Parmenides. Parmenides.
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