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Recent Specimens.

Very little in the way of new designs has reached us since our last, either from home or abroad. Messrs Miller & Richard have sent us a few sheets of novelties. The fine series of « Antique No. 12 » is now completed up to 5-line. Two more sizes are shown of the pretty « Celtic, » noticed in our November issue. A somewhat similar style, but much lighter and very graceful, is shown in two sizes (pica and long primer) under the title of « Corinthian. » The forms of the letters are not precisely the same in the two sizes, there being a slight variation in some of the lowercase sorts.

Caslon's Circular, No. 49, shows the excellent « Ionic Old-Style » in brevier and nonpareil, making eight sizes of this valuable series. Three exceedingly pretty sets of of ornamental corners are also shown—two sets being hunting subjects, and the third designed for programme or admission ticket of smoke concert. They are artistic in design, and the disposition of light-and-shade is exceedingly effective. There is also (we regret to add), a specimen of the intolerable « Type-writer. » We had hoped that this Yankee atrocity would be confined to the land of its birth.

Messrs V. & J. Figgins have also brought out a pica « Type-writer, » a specimen of which they send us. It is not American, and it is not, like other founts of the same name, cast uniformly to en set. The lining is accurate, but the letters stand very irregularly apart. We do not think that any punches have been specially cut for this fount. It appears to be composed of three regular faces, cast to line: a light condensed antique, for caps, figures, and wide lower-case sorts; a broad light antique, for the narrower lower-case sorts, and a fat roman, for the points.

Mr A. Sauvé has brought out, under the name of « Japanesque, » a bold eccentric letter with lower-case, bearing some resemblance to Miller & Richard's « Mikado. » It is shown in two sizes—2-line and 4-line pica.

Farmer, Little, & Co. show an old-style under the name of « Cadmus. » ) It is a condensed letter, much resembling the Elzevir types; and is made in three sizes, others in preparation.

Barnhart Bros. & Spindler show « Oblique Gothic » in six sizes. It is an extended hairline italic, much resembling the light « Geometries » which a few years ago had a great run in the States.

The Cincinnati Foundry have produced a pretty flourished roman (caps only), in six sizes, entitled « Didot. »

Marder, Luse, & Co. show a series of « Palmetto » ornaments, 10 characters, waved flourished corner-ornaments, suggestive of palmleaves.

The Philadelphia Photo-Electrotype Company show in the pages of a contemporary half-a-dozen good outline trade cuts.

Ludwig & Mayer, Frankfurt a-M., show in six sizes a very effective style, combining the qualities of ronde and heavy italic, entitled « Halbfette Circular. »