The metal movable types from the Tércio Ferdinando Gaudêncio collection: contributions to the studies of material culture of urban crafts at the Museu Paulista

• Grant number: 23/17671-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - History - History of Brazil
• Principal Investigator: Solange Ferraz de Lima
• Grantee: Fabio Mariano Cruz Pereira
• Host Institution: Museu Paulista (MP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

There are numerous studies on the creation and usage of typographic characters and ornaments; however, the metallic pieces on which these characters and ornaments are engraved have been relatively underexplored. With the aim of proposing a methodology for the cataloging of movable types from the perspective of material culture, this post-doctoral research proposal intends to identify, describe, and categorize physical characteristics present in the metal movable types from the Tércio Ferdinando Gaudêncio collection. This collection is comprised of types and typographic machinery discarded by the last active letterpress workshops in São Paulo. The methodology will be based on documentary research and will involve, as a primary data collection technique, the analysis of physical artifacts. The research aims to answer the following question: What are the main physical characteristics of the movable types in the collection that result from the processes employed in their production? The objective is to investigate the hypothesis that certain character or ornament designs, conceived in foreign countries, had their molds copied and marketed by South American foundries, utilizing different production processes. The main contribution to the Museu Paulista is a better understanding of the origin of the types in the collection, which is still in the process of cataloging. This research will provide data related to the history of labor and urban crafts. Among the final outcomes are the development of an exhibition about the collection, a seminar on the history of typography in São Paulo, the publication of an article in a scientific journal, and the production of a catalog featuring samples from the collection.