Empty Southward Double Case

This English typecase configuration is the Double Case of Southward: Practical Printing (3rd ed. 1887 and 4th ed. 1892). It was used for italic founts (ie with no small caps), and fancy letter founts that included a lower case. Southward comments that a more useful version of this case had only 6 rows in the upper bay, and the jobbing version had only five rows. The description in his text states that the lower case sections have 53 boxes, and the upper has 49 boxes, but the illustration is as here, with only 50 lower case boxes. In top row, the 3rd box from left is wide, as is the 8th box, and in the bottom row, the 8th and 9th box are not divided into two. The case differs from the later Ordinary Double, and Improved Double Case both of which have 53 lower case boxes. In 1882, Southward's illustration does show the 53 box version, so this particular case may be a figment of, or mistake by, the illustrator. However, there is a Miller & Richard Jobbing Double of 1895 with only 46 lower case boxes.