File:Lowman & Hanford Co employees working at Monotype type-casting machines, Seattle, circa 1908 (MOHAI 8770).jpg

The Lowman & Hanford Stationery and Printing Company was formed by business and civic leaders James D. Lowman (1856-1947) and Clarence Hanford (1857-1920) in 1882. The firm advertised as booksellers, stationers, printers, and binders but also sold typewriters, sewing machines, pianos, and organs. The company existed in one form or another until the 1960s. This photograph of two men each working at a Monotype type-casting machine was taken about 1908, likely at the Lowman & Hanford Printing and Binding building (now the Washington Park Building) on Washington Street, along Railroad Avenue (now Alaskan Way). The Monotype system is system for printing by hot-metal typesetting from a keyboard. It is divided into two machines, the Monotype keyboard and the Monotype caster, which communicate by perforated paper tape. The Monotype caster casts individual letters, which are assembled into lines in a fashion similar to classical movable type.

Caption on mount: Monotype Keyboards Caption information source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotype_System

• Subjects (LCTGM): Printers--Washington (State)--Seattle; Stationery trade--Washington (State)--Seattle; Typesetting--Washington (State)--Seattle; Typesetting machines