Linotype Europa

[Dave Hughes]

I recently found this picture on Flickr - scant details apart from the name "Linotype Europa"

Anyone ever seen one of these beasts in action? It appears to be quite similar to the Elektron, but I can't see any TTS equipment.



Click the link below to open a high-res (2.5MB) picture in a new window:

https://www.metaltype.co.uk/images/forum/europahires.jpg

[Mechanic]

I thought Linotype Europa was a family of typefaces.

Looking at the photo I would guess that the machine is a prototype. Maybe it was superseded by the Elektron. The way it  is equipped, with a Mohr saw and a hydraquadder, it would appear that this particular machine was for display typesetting. The box just below the copy tray appears to be an after thought. I don't see the button box for the electric hydraquadder, or the buttons to change magazines, so maybe they are incorporated here. The other buttons may be to change the mold disk position, knife block and Mohr saw. Cables from this box lead to a box or boxes under the keyboard, which could contain the gear to carry out the above functions.

Like you Dave, I would be interested to hear from someone who actually knows something.

It would not be the first time that Linotype had built a prototype of  machine and not gone ahead with it. In 1949 Mergenthaler built a prototype of their first Linofilm, along the lines of the Intertype Fotosetter. Sales brochures were produced. The machine was exhibited at the Chicago Graphics Exhibition in 1950, but none were ever sold.

You can see a picture of the original Linofilm halfway down the page on

http://www.linotipia.it/lalinotype.htm

[Dave Hughes]

Linotype Times Europa was introduced in 1972, which may provide a hint to the possible date of this machine.

[John Nicholson]

This is not the first time I have heard of the Linotype Europa.
I remember when I was an apprentice mechanic in the late 1960's a chap visiting us at work who had two photos of unusual linotypes. One was the Europa and the other was called the Continenta (that spelling may not be correct).
From what I can remember one of the carried five magazines. We were told they were German machines but thats all I can remember.

John
Linotype Mechanic
Hamilton
New Zealand

[Dave Hughes]

Hi John, welcome to the Metal Type forum, and thanks for your contribution.

The photographs you mention, were they of working machines, or a bit like the one at the top of this thread, brand new and still in the factory?

[Jeff Zilles [jeffo]]

Not only 'Brand New' but perhaps even 'Futuristic'.

The lead photograph for the thread  is a Work of Art - A great deal of time, effort, expertise and expense have been spent on it's production.

It is extensively and meticulously retouched  --  There is no background, the floor is exactly right, the meeting of floor and wall is without skirting or mould, there is not one shadow, reflection or tonal aberration to indicate that the photograph is really a photograph and not the creation of a master illustrationist - very good Dream Stuff.

Definitely publicity department - no candid snapshot stuff here - where's the Television crew ??

jeffo

[Mechanic]

I would agree, with you John, the machine certainly looks German. The approximate date you give would fit in with my idea that it could have been a prototype, that never made it to manufacture.
 
Shortly after we had installed the first Elektron in Canada at the Hamilton Spectator an engineer, who had been part of the Elektron design team, came to Canada to retrofit some updates to the machine. He told me that the Elektron design had been a co-operative effort including the UK and European Linotype companies as well as Mergenthaler in the States. Until that time the overseas companies tended to go their own way.
 
Yes Jeffo, a little airbrushing can work wonders. The photo of the Elektron, also on Flickr, is from the original promotional brochure.

[Dave Hughes]

I agree the picture was most probably produced by a German artist.

I can see one prominent black knob at the right of the machine, there's probably half a dozen more round the back.

I would like to see a more detailed close-up pic of the machine, if one exists.

[Dave Hughes]

I have contacted Ralf Herrmann through the Flickr website, to see if there any more pics, or any more details he can give us.

Hermann is based in Berlin, so I think we hit the nail on the head by surmising that the machine was of German origin.

[Dave Hughes]

Ralph's got back to me very promptly with this info:

The image is from the the German "Linotype-Post", Issue 65, March 1966.
It's announced as a new model, based on "10 a IV".
It doesn't seem to be just a concept.
I attached a high-res version of the image.


Click the link below to see the high-res. picture (the file size is 2.5MB, but it's worth while, you can see every knob and button).

https://www.metaltype.co.uk/images/forum/europahires.jpg

Your browser may shrink the image to fit the window, but this can be undone!

There's slugs on the output galley, it must have been real!!! 

I must say lots of it looks very familiar, but what are all the buttons for above the keyboard?

[John Nicholson]

Hi John, welcome to the Metal Type forum, and thanks for your contribution.

The photographs you mention, were they of working machines, or a bit like the one at the top of this thread, brand new and still in the factory?

Hi Dave,

Sorry but I do not remember the details of the photographs. It was around 40yrs ago and the grey matter is not what it was.

John

[Mechanic]

It's announced as a new model, based on "10 a IV".

Dave, here is a brochure cover of the Linotype"10 a IV".



It was a four magazine mixer.

There's slugs on the output galley, it must have been real!!! 

I'm sure the machine would have worked. The question did they make more than one?

I must say lots of it looks very familiar, but what are all the buttons for above the keyboard?

To me these look like an after thought. I believe the buttons could have been incorporated in a more professional manner.

Your guess, as to the function of the buttons, is as good as mine, but as a bit of fun here are my guesses. It would help if we could read what is written below the buttons

The Europa has a Hydraquadder which requires four buttons.

The handle to turn the mold disk appears to be missing. This could be replaced by one button. Press the button and wait until the correct mold is in position. The knife block has been modified. However the same button could be assigned to match the knife block, to the mold in use.

The clutch handle also appears to be missing, maybe the Europa is using a magnetic drive. This would require three buttons, ready, start and stop.

Magazine selection, four buttons. Fan for magazine removal, one or two buttons. Oh! Another one or two buttons to select the mixing magazine.

The Mohr saw still has the locking screw on the frame, so the measure would have to be changed  manually.

That is a total of fourteen or sixteen buttons.

Anyone else want to try?

[Dave Hughes]

Looking at the two pictures, the Europa would appear to be only very loosley based on the Linotype 10 a IV!

[Mechanic]

Dave, the following is a Babel Fish translation of the brochure cover of the Linotype"10 a IV".

GERMAN
Die Viermagazin-Linotype (Mixer) Modell 10a IV
mit vier automatisch trennenden Ablegern,
die das Mischen der Matrizen aller Magazine gestatten,
die Setzmaschine der höchsten technischen Vollendung


ENGLISH
The four-magazine linotype (mixer) model 10a IV
with four automatically separating folders, (folders = distributor boxes?)
those mixing the stencils of all magazines permit, (stensils = matrices?)
the typesetting machine of the highest technical completion (completion = standard?)

It would appear from, my interperation of the translation, that matrices from any magazine can be mixed in the one line. If this is correct, I'd love to get a look at the distributor and the channel entrances.

[Dave Hughes]

It would appear from, my interperation of the translation, that matrices from any magazine can be mixed in the one line. If this is correct, I'd love to get a look at the distributor and the channel entrances.

Unfortunately we only have the one picture of the machine at the moment, from the front!

I have added an article on the Europa to the main body of the Metal Type website here:
Linotype Europa article