Küco typecasting machines, Darmstadt, Germany
At Darmstadt M. Rainer Gerstenberg is the last commercial typefounder working with Küco typecasting machines. I recently organised a meeting between him and the Imprimerie nationale so that Rainer could explain the technique of the Küco to one of their younger employees. The Imprimerie nationale has several Küco casters in their Atelier du livre d’art, but there is no longer anyone with the necessary specialist konwledge to operate them. They are now beginning to run out of type (e.g. the historical Garamont types), and absolutely need to cast new type.
But there is a problem: the Küco casters at the Imprimerie nationale are gas fired, and so are no longer in conformity with security regulations. So they need to be electrified. I have been looking for descriptions of the electric version of Küco with photos and plans here in Germany but have been unable to find anything. Does anybody have any documentation about the electrified Küco caster?
I would be extremely pleased to receive any information on the subject.
Philipp Rehage
boucle222@voila.fr