page 45

Recent Specimens.

Chelter & Giesecke's Mitteilung, vol. iii, No. 3, reaches us somewhat late. In it we find full specimens of several founts and combinations which we have noticed in our continental exchanges. A heavy extra-condensed German is shewn in nine sizes, from 12- to 66-point; a wide « Albert-Dürer Gothic, » series D, nine sizes, in the Flemish style^{1, 1}; a flourished ronde, in seven sizes²; several useful job old-styles, sanserifs, antiques, ionics, and French clarendons, some beautiful original scripts, a « Renaissance-Gothic » —a pretty style, combining the features of ornamented roman with those of the simpler gothics, in six sizes,³ and the « Artistic Grotesque » noted in our last issue, in seven sizes.⁴ There is also a fine flourished Text, with separate ornaments, in five sizes— a grand letter for illuminated work.⁵ The condensed « Shieldface » is shewn in four sizes. We note an improvement in the fourth or « D » fount. In the original « Shieldfaee, » this consisted of a right-hand and foot shade only, and could not be used except in conjunction with the other founts. In the condensed series, the letter is completed by a fine line, and forms a pretty open shaded letter, which can be used in single-color work.⁶ The larger, or 36-point fount, is supplied with splendid end- and centre-pieces in great variety. Border 1404, referred to in our last, is an adjunct to this series, which every job-printer will covet, but which is very costly. In borders, there is the fine « Cartouche » referred to in our last as the « Curtain » —36 sorts. This is freely exhibited in our supplement, and is simple, artistic, and highly effective. Series 71, 41 characters, is composed chiefly of circular medallions, representing the arts. This is also effectively displayed in the supplement. The examples in our supplement of the two grand combinations 73 and 74 are advance specimens, and we have no particulars as to number of characters or weight of founts. A beautiful set of « Rococo » initials is shewn, and the prettiest little minature set of artistic trade vignettes (48 characters) yet produced. Some of these may be seen in our supplement.

Caslon's Circular, No. 46, contains some additional sorts of the « Primrose » borders and corners. We do not regard this series as an artistic success. The running borders are mostly broken and ineffective in appearance. As we have (happily) no Primrose League in this country, we can criticise these devices on purely decorative grounds. The best piece in the series is the large corner, which we shew in the margin. — In a double-page inset, we have twelve very beautiful sets of « emblematic corners, » shewing a delicacy of execution equal to the « Classic » and « Oriental » series by the same house, and decidedly superior in decorative effect. Four sets are « patriotic » four represent « music » and the other four « science and art. » Why are there no centre vignettes? The ellipses in E, F, G, H, would look far better separated from the rest of the design and set upright as centre-pieces. The effect of a female figure inclined at an angle of 45° is not good,—a fact which the compositor evidently recognized, for he has tilted these particular designs—and these only—on one corner. In addition to its artistic beauty, the series has another excellent point—it is cheap. A splendid new small pica, No 23, roman and italic, is shewn. It is the perfection of typographic beauty—as far superior to the « old-face » and « old-style » anachronisms as light to darkness. The figures, however, do not appear to have been cut for the fount. For so broad-faced a letter, they should be on the American plan—two-thirds of an em. They have quite an attenuated and « w.f. » appearance beside the bold and free roman.

Messrs Day & Collins have scored a great success with the « Alba-type. » As an advertisement they show a reduced fac-simile of a four-sheet poster, the lettering in white, which at first sight it is difficult to believe could have been composed combination-fashion. They have now cut a series of founts in white, under the name of « Cameo, » especially to work with the Albatype, and a series called « Eurekatype » increasing and diminishing in size at a regular angle. This letter is exceeding effective. We expect ere long to see all these designs brought out in metal.

From the foundry of Gustave Mayeur, Paris, we have another parcel of specimens of novelties in types and oraments. In the form of eighty-eight visiting cards, arranged in a neat portfolio, we have specimens of 156 different founts, which, being shewn in actual use, are displayed in the best possible manner to attract the printer. Each line is indicated by a reference number, and a key-page gives opposite the number, the name, body, price, and minimum weight of the fount. Four beautifully-printed sheets display specimens in roman and italic of the splendid eighteenth-century French character used by Firmin Didot. It is shewn on bodies of 16-, 14-, 12-, and 10-point, and the founder informs us that in order to secure a perfect gradation, the smaller bodies were photographically reduced from the 16-point. (We suspect that a similar practice is not unknown in other foundries, but we have never seen it asserted.) The character is so unmistakeably French that it is not likely to be much favored by English printers. There is a fine series of condensed « Egyptian, » with lower-case, a page of « Lettres Liturgiques, » with Gothic initials; a very pretty oramented roman series, « Fancy Elzevir »; and a page of head and tail-pieces, from models of the time of Louis xvi. The prices strike us as high, varying from 5f. for a piece about an inch square to 12f. for pieces about 20 x 6 ems. Twenty-one pieces are shewn in the sheet, and the total price is about £9. The blocks are real works of art. Besides the type specimens, we have some neatly-printed cards and circulars issued by the foundry.

Barnhardt Bros. & Spindler have been busy. The « Solar » series (caps only) in six sizes is one of the queerest of American odd faces; but there is something about it that we like. One word-ornament is supplied, which is properly subordinated. « Cabinet, » a rough-cut style, with lower case, three sizes, resembles the « Caprice » of the same house, but is lighter faced. We do not like it—it is too much like a schoolboy's first attempts. « Protean » ornaments (20 characters), are distinguished by the wild and ragged effects now in fashion in America; but if obtained in sufficient quantity, may be used effectively both for running borders and groundwork patterns. « Wave » ornaments (20 sorts) are very good type imitations of brass-rule twisting, and have the advantage of being more easily and solidly composed, without any waste of material.

A number of new American styles, to hand just as we go to press, will be noted next month.