Well, they’re not hot metal in the usual sense: that term normally applies to slugs cast on Linotype/Monotype/Ludlow machines.

And they have nothing to do with ASCII art. Generally speaking, “cuts” (the illustrations and/or decorative elements you see in these specimen books) were cast from stereotypes (otherwise known as “matrices,” or “mats”), and mounted on wood bases.

Helpful as always. Thanks so much.

Awesome specimen books linkage thanks! Some "Cuts" must be highly collectable(?)

Not knowing anything about all of that I found this article on stereotype printing very informative...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotype_%28printing%29

n.