Double Cases

Double case is here taken to describe a case divided into three bays, two to hold the lower case and one to hold the upper case of a full fount. One of the traditional differences in style of these cases is the box top left in the central bay (i.e. above the i box). One style has a single box, as listed below, and the other has a divided box, listed under Job Cases, and generally of U.S. rather than English origin. Note that the overall dimensions are different, English cases being about 32½x14½ inches whereas U.S. ones, for example, are 32¼x16¾ inches. A few other three bay cases are listed separately, although fairly similar to a Double case.

Double cases are made in three basic patterns of right hand "upper" case rows:

Seven rows for upper Six rows for upper Five rows for upper U.S. five rows upper

In addition, there are some cases with three, four, nine, or sixteen rows for upper. Also, upper row sizes vary, thus row pattern 7 = 7 rows all the same size, 2:4 = top two rows with smaller boxes then 4 with larger boxes, 1:3:1 = top row small, middle 3 large, bottom row small.

All these styles are listed separately below, in chronological order (although the dates shown are not necessarily the first, or last, use of a particular case). Clicking on a case link will take you to the relevant page about that layout, but note that the case diagrams there are laid out using html tables rather than a graphic image, and different browsers and different releases of a given browser may display the table slightly differently. Consequently the box sizes, etc., may not quite match the physical case. The page usually also links to another page showing the layout of the type in the case.

Sixteen rows for "Upper"	No. of boxes in left section	No. of boxes in centre section	No. of boxes in right section	Upper row pattern
Greek Double Case No.1 (Caslon 1925)	40	32	128	16
Greek Double Case No.2 (Caslon 1925)	37	33	128	16
Seven rows for "Upper"
Double Case (M&R 1873)	25	29	49	7
Ordinary Double Case (Southward 1882)	24	29	49	7
Shanks' Music Lower Case (Southward 1882)	40	37	56	7
As the above Shanks case has 3 sections, it is possibly better considered a Double rather than a Lower case
Double Case (Southward 1887)	23	27	49	7
Gem Music Lower Case (Southward 1898)	29	27	49	105
As the above Gem case has 3 sections, it is possibly better considered a Double rather than a Lower case
Combined Upper and Lower Case (New Norcia 2013)	24	29	98	7
Six rows for "Upper"
Improved Double Case (Caslon 1897)	24	29	42	2:4
Reversed Improved Double Case (Alembic Press 2009)	42	24	29	2:4
Improved Double No.3 case (Ullmer 1902)	21	29	42	2:4
Talbot Double Case (Talbot late 1960s)	24	29	42	1:3:2
Five rows for "Upper"
Improved Jobbing Double Case (Printers Register 1875)	24	29	35	1:4
Jobbing Double Case (M&R 1895)	21	25	35	4:1
Jobbing Double Case (M&R 1920s)	21	25	35	1:3:1
New Double Case (Caslon 1925)*	35	37	16	2:3
*This case has the upper bay on the left
Improved Double Case (Whetton 1946)	24	29	35	1:3:1
Four rows for "Upper"
Double Double Case (M&R 1897)	81		81	4
Registered Double No.1 case (Ullmer 1902)	81		81	4
Three rows for "Upper"
Double Double Case (Caslon 1925)	75		75	3
And see Job Cases for the other style of double case.

All empty cases ie with the boxes left blank	Typecase Identification		All type layouts ie with characters in the boxes
Full Index of layouts	Glossary of terms used	Sources of the layouts	Introduction
Quantities in a fount of type		Quantities in a case of type
Notes about Job and Double Cases	Notes about Upper cases	Notes about Lower cases	Alembic home page

This page was written in 2014 by David Bolton and last updated 18 January 2015

Seven rows for upper	Six rows for upper	Five rows for upper	U.S. five rows upper

In addition, there are some cases with three, four, nine, or sixteen rows for upper. Also, upper row sizes vary, thus row pattern 7 = 7 rows all the same size, 2:4 = top two rows with smaller boxes then 4 with larger boxes, 1:3:1 = top row small, middle 3 large, bottom row small.