I’m attempting to compose myself, after having just received a very large font of hopelessly rare 30pt Koch Kursiv (aka Eve Italic) won for what had been a reasonable final bid on ebay.
Upon paying, the seller thanked me and we had a brief exchange regarding careful and secure wrapping and packaging of such a rare font of type. It seemed to be that the seller understood the simultaneous durable and fragile nature of type and assured me all due care would be taken.
Ahh but was not to be. The packaged arrive and sounded like dice rolling in a box. What is wrong with people??
What had appeared to be a near pristine font was now hopelessly damaged for what appears to be a fundamental ignorance. I am sick at heart and angered to the bone.
So, as I re-font this type to proof for total damage, I offer these words of wisdom after having worked with and handled type for over 20 years, and had far too many shipments destroyed, not by the carrier, but the shipper themselves.
As reference for fonting:
- DO NOT ship type in cases. DO NOT accept type shipped in cases. It must be properly fonted. if not, it WILL arrived damaged.
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I recommend, if you have the means, to pull proper proofs, both as seller, or as recipient. You will immediately know what damaged characters should be pulled, rather than laid, and this will save trouble when actually using the type, or as proof that the type is in good, or poor condition.
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Font the type and tie it up with page cord, just as type would have shipped from the foundry. Any other way is neglectful, and sure to explode in shipment. Lines should not exceed 36 picas (6 inches). The foundries got it right. Do not reinvent the wheel.
Type fonted up to a standard 36 pica (6 inch) measure. Tie a knot in one end of the cord, start at the bottom left and pull around tight - a few good turns. With the loose end, pull a loop and you are ready to wrap. -
Do not font in gatherings larger than you can comfortably handle in one lift. There’s a reason type shipped in manageable lots, like caps, lower case and figures. While this allowed sales advantage, it also assure that each font was manageable in scale.
AS reference for packing to ship:
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Place foam, or several layers of soft paper such as toilet tissue on the face before wrapping. This will assure that if there is any vibration in shipping, that the printing surface is not burnished and rounded, but cushioned. Type is simultaneously tough and fragile.
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Wrap each partial font securely. Use a smooth and heavy paper. This is a critical step.
Slide onto kraft paper and add a few layers of paper towel for padding. Make the first fold neat and tight, then carefully roll the whole font end over end. Tape and wrap ready for boxing up/ -
When packaging for shipment, DO NOT use air-filled anything to fill the space in the outer box. The first moment the box is thrown or dropped, those worthless air-filled pillows will pop, and the end will be near. Note the secure box, and wood excelsior used by Stempel to secure fonts against movement. If you can shake the box you have packed, and feel any movement, you can be assured of damage upon receipt.
Please, PLEASE follow these simple guidelines … foundry type continues to become more rare. The type I just received is an almost total loss. Heavily kerned, every Cap "T" is broken. The font is now worthless due to abject carelessness.
If you are buying type from any seller, please send the links I provide above to educate them in the proper handling of your type. If you are a seller, please take my recommendation to heart. The extra time it takes will be worth the headache of the claim that will be made, and your money lost if you do not.