Whence Bearded?

Posted by Matt on 18 December 2008 | 0 Comments

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Something I am often asked of late is "why Bearded?" And for good reason. The origin is somewhat arcane. Yes, I do have a beard on my face, but this is not the source of the name.

To answer this question well, we must turn to the anatomy of metal type. And for that, we will consult Mister James W. Polk, and his 1926 guide to letterpress printing, The Practice of Printing. In it, he includes the diagram (below) of a piece of metal type. Many people may be familiar with the idea of the face of the type (typeface, anyone?). This is the flat surface of the type which is inked, and prints, and ultimately gives us the printed letters that we see.

But what's directly under the face? Why the beard, of course! The beard is not seen by the end user of the printed material, but its presence is felt. It supported the face, behind the scenes, and worked as a useful part of the whole to unselfishly deliver the final product. Obscure, I'll admit – but a pretty snazzy metaphor, huh?