Empty McNeill Double Case

The typecase configuration is that in Caslon: Printing Materials (1925) and is shown with their Scottish cases. Despite its name, it follows the English pattern of lower case in respect of the , w boxes and the divided boxes in the first column on the left, eg Improved Double. However, the box above the i box is a divided one, in the Scottish pattern, eg the Scottish Improved case. Note also that the upper case bay comprises five rows of seven boxes, with three of the rows having larger boxes, which is the California style, eg California Job. The U.S. style of double (ie job) case always has a divided box above the i box. The McNeill and California cases appear identical, and in a separate Caslon (undated) leaflet: Composing Room Equipment, the case is indeed called a McNeill or California Double, and was supplied either 14½ (English) or 16½ (U.S.) inches deep. It may also be significant that this is one of the few cases shown in the Caslon Specimen that has a Caslon label stuck onto the top edge, implying that this case may be an actual import from elsewhere (the U.S.?). At this time, neither Miller & Richard nor Stephenson Blake show such a case, and the Caslon case is numbered 33a, ie after the plain blank case 33, and before the Scotch Upper 34, indicating it has been a recent addition to their range.

In contrast, the Ordinary Double case has seven upper case rows, all of the same size, which was the original pattern for the upper case. The Improved Double case was introduced with six rows of seven boxes, again with three rows being a larger size. But these cases are all the English pattern, with a single box (for spacing) above the i box.

Other empty cases ie with the boxes left blank		Other type layouts ie with characters assigned to boxes
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Notes about Job and Double Cases	Notes about Upper cases	Notes about Lower cases	Alembic home page

This page was written in 1997 by David Bolton and last updated 15 March 2015.