Harry Rab collection of Singer/Friden Phototypesetting history

Collection

Identifier: CSC-0050

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of photographs, company product literature, lenses, film strip fonts, and flash lamps, among other pieces of equipment related to the Friden phototypesetting machines Justotext 70 and Photo Display 70, both released in 1970. Box 1 contains an autobiographical essay by Rab detailing his career, photographs of Friden phototypesetting machines, color slides of Rochester Institute of Technology School of Printing facilities in the 1970s, and product literature; box 2 holds an oversize photograph of the ATF research facilities in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in the mid-1960s, tearsheets from Friden company newsletters that feature Rab, and two photographic printouts from phototypesetting machines. Boxes 3-6 hold film strip fonts, a variety of lenses, a lens turret, motor, and other pieces of technology related to Friden phototypesetting machines.

Dates

Creation: circa 1965-1970

Biographical / Historical

Harry Rab was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1922. After earning BS (1944) and MS (1946) degrees in mechanical engineering from Newark College of Engineering, Rab joined American Type Founders Company and worked on the design and development of the Little Giant and Chief printing presses, as well as a phototypesetting machine. From 1967 to 1974 Rab worked for the Friden division of Singer Company in Rochester, New York, on the development of its phototypesetting machines. From 1974 through his retirement in 1991 Rab taught in the School of Printing at Rochester Institute of Technology.