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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 1

Recent Specimens

page 91

Recent Specimens.

From Sir Charles Reed & Sons (through their agents, Messrs Baber & Rawlings), we have a specimen of twelve «Artistic Ornaments.» They are well named, as both in design and execution they are among the best we have met. They have supplied a common omission in series of this kind, as centre-pieces for top, bottom, and sides have not been forgotten. We think it a slight oversight that the side brackets, 10 and 11, do not correspond. All the other pieces are in pairs. Compared with other series of the same character, the price is low. The vignette at the beginning of this paragraph is one of the series. A light and graceful ornamental letter, with lower-case, is also shown, under the title of « Arabesque. »

We have to thank Messrs Miller & Richard for the latest edition of their handy 8vo. specimen-book. The book is very complete, shewing their beautiful Greeks, music in staff and sol-fa notation, &c. Last March we noted their new «Lace» border; we now find two more of a similar character, but different designs, on smaller body. There are only two characters to each-the running-piece and the corner. A neat and useful series of word ornaments, from pica up to four-line, is shown, and numerous new electro ornaments. In ornamental styles, we have a full series of «Relievo»—altogether unlike the American designs of that name. The new style represents a slightly ornamented sanserif carved in oak, the lights and shadows and grain of the wood being well brought out. Each fount is supplied with appropriate word ornaments, representing very pretty carvings. «Ornamented No. 23» is a flourished roman with heavy serifs; « Atlantic, » a heavy letter with lower-case, the ends of the lines rounded; « Sanserif No. 3 » is a plain, useful letter, with lower-case, relieved from stiffness by the h, m, n, &c, descending slightly below the line. In plain styles, there are some clean-cut sanserifs, a new series of «Egyptian,» and one of « Egyptian Expanded »—all solid and useful styles.

From Caslon we have No. 44 of the ever-welcome Circular. It contains specimens of the « angle quads »—six different angles—mentioned in our last. With these any office is « set up, » so far as the spacing of oblique lines is concerned. They are all on pica body. Five sizes—from brevier upwards—are shewn of a new style called « Enchorial Expanded. » This letter will become popular, good expanded faces being scarce.—From the same house we have also a large roll of specimens including another admirable expanded face, with lower-case, entitled « Atlas. » This fills a very similar place to S. B. & Co's « Wide Latin, » but is more ornamental, the sides of the letters being concave. « Primitive, » is a rudely-cut letter (of American origin if we mistake not) the lower-case roman and the caps in mediæval style. It will be in demand for old-style work. « Ornamented No. 36, » shewn in three sizes, is the popular « Concave, » with the face opened, shaded and inlaid—producing a light and effective ornamental style. The neat « Ivy » border noted in our July number is shewn as a two-color pattern, and very pretty it looks in green and gold. We have also full specimens of the « Primrose » series,—a border which in England possesses a political significance. The large corner is very pretty, and the pica pieces are simple and neat; but the two-line pica characters, though beautiful in detail, are ill adapted for a running border, producing a clumsy effect. These pieces are shewn for working in three colors. Lastly, we have the animal drawings by Harrison Weir, mentioned, but not shewn, in Circular No. 43. The subjects are five—a group of poultry, a sheep, a hog, a bull, and a cow, each in three sizes, and in Weir's admirable style.—The same house sends us, neatly bound in cloth, a quarto specimen book, containing specimens of about 650 founts of cast brass types for bookbinders, besides borders, ornaments, and crosses. The manufacture of these types has never before been attempted on so complete and systematic a scale, and the binder has now as wide a choice of sizes and styles as the most fastidious typographer.

The Johnson Foundry is not what it used to be under Mr Thomas MacKellar; and the Advertiser has perceptibly deteriorated since he gave up the editorial charge. The new number is printed on a stouter paper than its predecessors, but much less pleasant to the touch. The contents call for scant notice. There are more sizes of the Caxton black (from German punches, we suspect); more sizes of the horrible « Grolier, »; an attenuated series of «Lining Antique,» and another of expanded old-style. The younger foundries are getting all ahead in the race.

From J. John Söhne, Hamburg, we have a parcel of type specimens, including many well-known German and American designs. Besides these, we note half-a-dozen neat mortised vignettes for letterheads; a well-cut series of «Missal,» and a «Grecian» combination of 78 pieces. Many of the characters are familiar enough; but the others (44-49 and 59-78), and a corresponding series (19-37, &c.), form exceedingly neat and tasteful borders, and have the advantage of being cast to correspond with brass rule.

From the Flinsch Foundry, Frankfurt-am-Main, we have a parcel of fine type-specimens. We note some new and pretty scripts, a graceful «Mediæval» script; a neat ornamented roman in four sizes (1523-1526); a fine series of flourished German Text (« Antike Kanzlei »); and three series of «Altgothische» initials, bold and artistic, which would come out with splendid effect in color-work. There are some « antique » borders—a rule, decorated at intervals with a silhouette leaf or flower—a very effective style; a sheet of good corners; two sheets of little tail-pieces—the best we have met —there are about a hundred and forty, and each one is a study; a sheet of larger and equally artistic head-and-tail-pieces; a sheet of electro card borders, and a four electro menu borders. In combinations we have the «Rennaissance» border of 55 characters—something in the style of the « Holbein »; a grand new border for colors, unnamed, containing 98 sorts (1814-1962); another of ten characters (2002-2011); a carved frame border of eleven sorts (2224-2214); and a charming 12-point heraldic border on solid ground, containing nine sorts. We have also several sheets devoted to the display of these combinations, beautifully worked out in color.