Compositor

So my last post was all about a printer's type case I found on Gumtree. I thought it was something maybe someone young and hip had imported, then no longer wanted. But then when I e-mailed asking if it was still available, the reply was a bit odd.
"Oh yes, it's available. And I have over a hundred of these anyway."

What? Someone imported all these type cases?

No. It turned out, when we went to buy one, that they are owned by an old compositor. He used to set type for posters and newspapers and whatnot back in the UK. And when the process started to be computerised, and typesetting businesses were burning their tools, or sending them to the tip, he started buying this stuff up. For the love of it. When he moved to Australia he brought it with him. I have no idea how much there was, but at one point he sold 10 tonnes (yes) of type to someone in the USA, and he still has two garages full of Stuff. It's the biggest collection of type in Australia, and possibly in the Southern hemisphere. Right here in Perth. It's amazing. He occasionally sells off entire fonts (he is careful not to break up entire fonts by selling single letters or characters) to letterpress owners all over the world.

But really, the quantity of stuff he has belongs in a TAFE or university.