typecase

Typecase refers to the case or cabinet used to store movable type for printing presses. Historically, typecases were essential components of the printing process, especially during the era of letterpress printing. They were typically shallow wooden drawers divided into compartments. Each compartment held a specific character, numeral, or punctuation mark, usually cast in metal. The arrangement of these compartments varied, but a common layout was the "double case" system. This consisted of an upper case and a lower case. The upper case held less frequently used letters, capitals, and special characters, while the lower case contained the more common lowercase letters, numbers, and punctuation.

Printers would select individual pieces of type from their respective compartments in the typecase and arrange them, letter by letter, word by word, and line by line, into a forme to create the text for a page. This painstaking process was known as typesetting or composition. The design and size of the typecase were dictated by the font size and the volume of type required. Different typefaces and sizes would necessitate different typecases. While modern printing largely relies on digital methods, antique typecases and the practice of hand typesetting are still preserved by hobbyists, artisans, and in historical printing demonstrations. They serve as a tangible link to the origins of mass communication and the evolution of typography.