metaaltype

Metaaltype, or metal type, refers to individual pieces of movable type cast from metal used in traditional letterpress printing. Each piece represents a single glyph in a specific typeface and size and is arranged with other sorts to form lines of text. Metal type was the standard material for printing from the 15th century until the mid-20th century, when phototypesetting and digital typography supplanted it.

Materials and manufacture: The usual alloy was a lead-tin-antimony mix chosen for hardness and durability. Type was produced by casting from a matrix using a hand or machine caster. A matrix for every character, plus spaces and accents, defined the form of the glyph. Composed lines were arranged in a composing stick or cases and locked into place in a galley.

History and usage: Metal type was developed in Europe after Gutenberg and became the backbone of press printing for centuries. Linotype and Monotype, hot-metal typesetting systems introduced in the late 19th century, automated much of the casting process, producing lines (Linotype slug) or individual characters (Monotype). The rise of digital typesetting in the late 20th century led to a sharp decline in metal type production.

Legacy and revival: Today metal type survives in museums, archives, and small-scale letterpress studios. The metal sorts are valued by collectors for font variety and tactile quality. Many typefaces once available in metal have been revived as digital fonts, and some foundries continue to cast metal types for artistic printing.