Printing Type Collection

The type holdings within the Printing Collection at Museum Victoria have historical relevance as, primarily, relics of the Victorian Government Printing Office, which began in 1850. Although during the 1960s and 1970s some minor founts and odd letters of wood type were donated by others, and over time, during various shifts of the collection, these have become a now indistinguishable part of the whole.

There are three basic holdings in the collection, namely wood type, foundry type, and monotype. The majority of foundry type and monotype are in their found situations, being in cabinets that have come to the Museum straight from the working Composing room. The wood type had been dispersed, but has been re-sorted and identified and mostly retained in older type cases; these cases bear markings and old labels that are fairly typical of composing room storage and identification. None of the wood founts are in their original cases.

The larger wood founts have been stored in modern trays for space reasons. Actual age of the founts preserved is undetermined, but some wood type is much worn and dates from the 19th century. The type collection compliments the collection of printing presses.