Title: | Helvetica Breithalbfett (Wide Semi-Bold) |
Date: | 1970s |
Material: | Plastic disc with metal hub |
Dimensions: | Diameter 8 in. (203 mm) |
Company: | Letterphot Gerätebau GmbH |
Location: | Munich, Germany |
The Letterphot was a basic headline typesetter assembled on the column and base of a photo enlarger. A head containing light sources, the font disc and a lens was attached to the column above the base. Characters were projected one at a time down onto a luminescent surface to assemble an image of the entire line. A strip of lithographic film was then placed on the luminescent surface. Each character was projected a second time and aligned with the luminescent image using light that wouldn't expose the film. Finally, the character was projected to expose the film. The film was then developed in a tray that was part of the base (Lechêne 2025; Schmitt 1976, 70; Goldbach 2025). (The descriptions I've found of the process are vague, so corrections or additions are welcome.)
Phototype.Philipp Goldbach. Accessed Apr. 30, 2025.
Phototypesetting.Britannica. Updated May 3, 2025.