Comparison of Lays of English Double Cases

The contents of the particular row are shown on the left, and the location of the row in the double case is shown in red on the right. For simplicity, this shows a standard double case with seven rows in the upper (right hand) bay. However, most of the lays are for more modern cases, with a different number of rows in the right hand bay (which can thus affect the distribution of the minor characters). Therefore the particular style of each lay is also shown, eg 6 represents six rows, with the two top rows smaller than the four rows below. (The left hand, lower case, bay construction is the same for every lay). The dates shown are the date that the source of the lay was obtained, or published, but note that in most cases, the lay will have been in use for a considerable time before that date.
The box contents below are for the first (left hand) bay. There are separate pages for the central bay and the right hand bay and also for a summary of the right hand (upper case) variations in construction style.

Date

Row contents

Type lay

u.c.
style

Row position

Top row

1887

&

£

ae

oe

(

j

5

1930s

fl

[

(

;

'

j

London Col. of Printing

7

1936

fl

[

(

;

:

'

6

1959

--

ae

oe

(

k

j

7

1963

!

?

'

'

j

k

6

1968

£

[

ae

oe

'

j

6

1965-9

e

'

k

6+

1970s

--

[

ae

oe

(

j

6

1970s

--

[

ae

oe

(

j

Southern C. of Art

6

1975

'

'

k

j

6

1976

ff

!

?

'

thin

thin

6

1980

/

(

)

--

z

x

Lindley & Maggs

6

Notes re right bay style:

1980

(

)

[

]

z

x

7

7 = all rows same size

1990s

fi

(

;

:

'

,

6

6 = 2 small, 4 large

2001

--

[

ae

oe

(

j

6

6+ = 1 small, 4 large, 2 small

2001

--

[

ae

oe

(

j

6

5 = 1 small, 4 large

2001

--

ae

oe

[

(

j

6

2002

&

(

j

6

2nd row

1887

fl

5

1930s

ff

London Col of Printing

7

1936

ff

6

1959

&

7

1963

(

6

1968

&

6

1965-9

!

6+

1970s

&

6

1970s

&

Southern C.of Art

6

1976

fi

6

1978

hair

6

1980

$

Lindley & Maggs

6

Notes re right bay style:

1980

7

7 = all rows same size

1990s

fl

6

6 = 2 small, 4 large

2001

ffl

6

6+ = 1 small, 4 large, 2 small

2001

ffl

6

5 = 1 small, 4 large

2001

&

6

2002

k

6

3rd row

1887

ffl

b

c

d

e

5

1930s

fi

b

c

d

e

London Col of Printing

7

1936

fi

b

c

d

e

6

1959

ffl

b

c

d

e

7

1963

[

b

c

d

e

6

1968

ffl

b

c

d

e

6

1965-9

j

b

c

d

e

6+

1970s

ffi

b

c

d

e

6

1970s

ffl

b

c

d

e

Southern C. of Art

6

1975

b

c

d

e

6

1976

ffi

b

c

d

e

6

1980

b

c

d

e

Lindley & Maggs

6

Notes re right bay style:

1980

b

c

d

e

7

7 = all rows same size

1990s

ff

b

c

d

e

6

6 = 2 small, 4 large

2001

ffl

b

c

d

e

6

6+ = 1 small, 4 large, 2 small

2001

ffl

b

c

d

e

6

5 = 1 small, 4 large

2001

ffl

b

c

d

e

6

2002

fi

b

c

d

e

6

4th row

1887

k

5

1930s

hair

London Col of Printing

7

1936

&

6

1959

ffi

7

1963

thin

6

1968

ffi

6

1965-9

thin

6+

1970s

ffl

6

1970s

ffi

Southern C. of Art

6

1976

fl

6

1978

&

6

1980

hair

Lindley & Maggs

6

Notes re right bay style:

1980

&

7

7 = all rows same size

1990s

&

6

6 = 2 small, 4 large

2001

ffi

6

6+ = 1 small, 4 large, 2 small

2001

;

6

5 = 1 small, 4 large

2001

ffi

6

2002

ff

6

5th row

1887

hair

l

m

n

h

5

1930s

q

l

m

n

h

London Col of Printing

7

1936

q

l

m

n

h

6

1959

hair

l

m

n

h

7

1963

q

l

m

n

h

6

1968

hair

l

m

n

h

6

1965-9

q

l

m

n

h

6+

1970s

hair

l

m

n

h

6

1970s

thin

l

m

n

h

Southern C. of Art

6

1975

q

l

m

n

h

6

1976

z

l

m

n

h

6

1980

j

l

m

n

h

Lindley & Maggs

6

Notes re right bay style:

1980

j

l

m

n

h

7

7 = all rows same size

1990s

k

l

m

n

h

6

6 = 2 small, 4 large

2001

'

l

m

n

h

6

6+ = 1 small, 4 large, 2 small

2001

hair

l

m

n

h

6

5 = 1 small, 4 large

2001

spce

l

m

n

h

6

2002

fl

l

m

n

h

6

6th row

1887

z

5

1930s

z

London Col of Printing

7

1936

z

6

1959

z

7

1963

x

6

1968

z

6

1965-9

x

6+

1970s

z

6

1970s

z

Southern C. of Art

6

1976

x

6

1978

z

6

1980

k

Lindley & Maggs

6

Notes re right bay style:

1980

k

7

7 = all rows same size

1990s

x

6

6 = 2 small, 4 large

2001

z

6

6+ = 1 small, 4 large, 2 small

2001

z

6

5 = 1 small, 4 large

2001

z

6

2002

z

6

7th (bottom) row

1887

x

v

u

t

thick

5

1930s

x

v

u

t

thick

London Col of Printing

7

1936

x

v

u

t

thick

6

1959

x

v

u

t

thick

7

1963

z

v

u

t

thick

6

1968

x

v

u

t

thick

6

1965-9

z

v

u

t

thick

6+

1970s

x

v

u

t

thick

6

1970s

x

v

u

t

thick

Southern C. of Art

6

1975

x

v

u

t

mid

6

1976

q

v

u

t

thick

6

1980

q

y

u

t

thick

Lindley & Maggs

6

Notes re right bay style:

1980

q

y

u

t

thick

7

7 = all rows same size

1990s

z

v

u

t

thick

6

6 = 2 small, 4 large

2001

x

v

u

t

thick

6

6+ = 1 small, 4 large, 2 small

2001

x

v

u

t

thick

6

5 = 1 small, 4 large

2001

x

v

u

t

thick

6

2002

x

v

u

t

mid

6

This continues as either the central bay or the right hand bay and also as a summary of the right hand (upper case) variations in construction style.

Empty cases ie with the boxes left blank		Type layouts ie with characters assigned to 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 by David Bolton and last updated 20 February 2004.