Seeking McGrew

Stephen Coles
Stephen Coles Posts: 1,008
edited September 2013 in History of Typography
I’d like to buy a copy of “American Metal Typefaces of the Twentieth Century” by Mac Macgrew, 2nd edition. I see that it’s available online from various sellers for $50+, but perhaps one of you is willing to part with it for less. Will pay promptly + shipping.
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Comments

  • kupfers
    kupfers Posts: 259
    $50 is a total steal for this one! (And you don’t even have to pay crazy shipping prices like us to EU.) Don’t be cheap on the wrong ends.
  • Stephen Coles
    Stephen Coles Posts: 1,008
    edited September 2013
    Thanks for the advice. I just know a lot of type folks have multiple copies of books for various reasons and thought I'd throw this out there in case someone was interested in selling.
  • kupfers
    kupfers Posts: 259
    I have multiple copies too because of multiple studio dilemma. This one is too large to carry around all the time. So order two immediately, one for there, one for BER.
  • Ale Paul
    Ale Paul Posts: 35
    There was a lot of them at Powells in Portland. Check for it online and maybe they are still being listed.
  • Stephen Coles
    Stephen Coles Posts: 1,008
    Hmm, I thought I scoured the type section when I was there on Saturday of the conference and saw none. Website shows none available. Maybe all the TypeConners snagged ’em.
  • Stephen Coles
    Stephen Coles Posts: 1,008
    edited September 2013
    BTW, I just realized Oak Knoll reprinted it in 2009 so those interested can get a new one for $65. Also, Mac’s son Jon McGrew has a page dedicated to his father including a compilation of reviews of his book.
  • William Berkson
    William Berkson Posts: 74
    I have no extra copies, but I do have a soft spot for the book, as my Uncle Ben's last project was helping MacGrew get the specimens for the final version by printing (by letter press) an earlier version himself and circulating it to other private letter press printers.
  • Jeff Kellem
    Jeff Kellem Posts: 65
    I was going to ask how the reprint compared, but decided to order it, anyways, before I saw your note with the additional links. The Oak Knoll 2009 reprint arrived today via Amazon. Don't have a hardcopy to compare against, but it looks okay from a quick glance, other than part of the zero of Century Schoolbook Bold, ATF 24-pt. on page 79 being chopped off.
  • George Thomas
    George Thomas Posts: 649
    @Jeff

    It is not cut off in the hardcover edition (2nd).
  • Mark Simonson
    Mark Simonson Posts: 1,739
    Not cut off in the 1993 softcover second edition either.
  • Jeff Kellem
    Jeff Kellem Posts: 65
    I assume it runs close to the edge of the page. It's just partially chopped on the right side. A minor issue. May not even be all 2009 reprints. Just one sample.
  • Stephen Coles
    Stephen Coles Posts: 1,008
    edited October 2013
    I just came back here to say Indra was right. I got the used copy and have no regrets. The samples are useful, but it’s McGrew’s text that is worth every penny. He has already answered scores of questions and led me down some paths of enlightenment.

    There are still a few on offer in the $50s.
  • kupfers
    kupfers Posts: 259
    Just wait until all that information is crosslinked on a searchable website. :)
  • Stephen Coles
    Stephen Coles Posts: 1,008
    I cannot wait!
  • kupfers
    kupfers Posts: 259
    Alas, you will have to. Getting there through.
  • Deleted Account
    Deleted Account Posts: 739
    McGreweb.
  • James Puckett
    James Puckett Posts: 1,998
    If only we could convince Google Books to scan the libraries of St. Bride and the type museums!
  • Nick Shinn
    Nick Shinn Posts: 2,216
    At 2400 dpi.
  • Deleted Account
    Deleted Account Posts: 739
    And Trajan's column.
  • Max Phillips
    Max Phillips Posts: 474
    I knew there was something bugging me about the Trajan Column: it's not searchable.

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