Letterfounder

nounStandard termPrinting

A specialized artisan or business that casts metal type for printers.

A historic trade professional who designs, cuts punches, drives matrices, and casts metal type for commercial sale to printing shops. Letterfounders operated foundries that supplied the physical letters, spacing material, and ornaments necessary for letterpress printing.

Heard on the job

We ordered a new font of Caslon from the letterfounder because our old lead is getting battered.

Also heard as

  • typefounder