Antique Hamilton Typeset 24 Drawer Industrial Cabinet c.1920
ABOUT
An early 20th century printer's wooden cabinet by Hamilton Mfg Company with 24 segmented wooden drawers on steel rails used to house steel typeset letters. Three drawers have the segments removed. Each drawer has label cutouts and army green "Hamilton" metal pulls. Original brass Hamilton label and two round metal "Wiring" labels, one on the front and one on the side. Stamped "July 22, 1920" under two drawers. The piece is structurally sound and has retained the naturally distressed look of an industrial piece of this kind.
- CREATOR Hamilton Mfg. Co., Two Rivers, Wisconsin.
- DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1920.
- MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Metal, Wood.
- CONDITION Good. Wear consistent with age and use. Refinished with shellac and a paste wax to retain the patina. One label cutout has a small piece missing.
- DIMENSIONS H 44 in. D 23.25 in. W 36.25 in., Drawers: H 1.25 in. D 15.25 in. W 30.75 in.
HISTORY
Hamilton Manufacturing Company was incorporated on January 1, 1889.
The terms "upper case" and "lower case" originate from the layout of old printing presses, where the larger capital letters were stored in a separate compartment on the top ("upper case") while the smaller, more frequently used lowercase letters were kept in a lower compartment ("lower case") that was easier to access; essentially, the placement of the type cases dictated the terminology we use today.
