num_pages: 360
description: This book offers a novel overview of typeface design exploring the most beautiful and remarkable examples of font catalogs from the history of publishing with a special emphasis on the period from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century when color catalogs were at their height. Taken from a Dutch collection this exuberant selection traverses the evolution of the printed letter in all its various incarnations via exquisitely designed catalogs displaying not only type specimens in roman italic bold semi-bold narrow and broad but also characters borders ornaments initial letters and decorations as well as often spectacular examples of the use of the letters. The Victorian fonts sumptuous and sometimes unbelievably outrageous are accorded a prominent place in this book. In addition to lead letters examples from lithography and letters by window-dressers inscription carvers and calligraphers are also displayed and described. Featuring works by type designers including: William Caslon Fritz Helmuth Ehmcke Peter Behrens Rudolf Koch Eric Gill Jan van Krimpen Paul Renner Jan Tschichold A. M. Cassandre Aldo Novarese Adrian FrutigerIn order to include a vast amount of material we have divided this text into two volumes. The first volume displays pre 20th Century type specimens and the second covers the period from 1900 to the middle of the century. In the first volume editor Cees de Jong and collector Jan Tholenaar write about single specimens and types; in the second Alston Purvis outlines the history of types.
language: English
title: Type: A Visual History of Typefaces and Graphic Styles
publisher: Taschen