Mould #54 is a nineteenth century style mould, made for the Swedish artist Richard Arlin, living and working in Stockholm.  Richard cuts his own punches, strikes his matrices, and casts his founts in hand moulds, as well as making his own paper and illustrating his projects with etchings and relief prints. Mould #54 was designed to provide Richard with a convenient tool that would also allow him to cast type in three sizes: 14, 16, and 18 American points.  This is accomplished with two sets of interchangeable body pieces, as well as a set of two point shims that go beneath the 16 point bodies.

   

As the body pieces are altered the mouthpieces (the funnel into which liquid metal alloy is poured) are also shimmed to accommodate the change in type size.  The mouthpiece has a brass apron attached that facilitates pouring metal into the mould with a sharp, quick motion.

   

This mould has a screw adjustable 'stool' which is the abutment against which the matrix fits when casting.  But there are also four 'fixed' stools to be used when casting plain-chant music.  These are ground to precise 4 and 8 point increments.  This allows the music matrix to be positioned with perfect repeatability but at different intervals.

     Grooves were cut in the body pieces to vent the mould, letting air escape during casting.  And as an experiment special 'nuts' were crafted, based upon those used on Giambattista Bodoni's moulds.  They work very well to hold the register tightly.

     Mould #54 is one of the most versatile moulds made to date at the Atelier Press & Letterfoundry, and it is hoped it will facilitate the work of Richard Arlin.

                                                                                                         10-10-14