Designed by Morris Fuller Benton at ATF in 1937 [McGrew] or 1938 [Reichardt]. The Amsterdam Type Foundry version was known as Iris.

Revived by Font Bureau (1989–94), who added an italic and a lowercase, both unavailable in the original. Digital versions are also available from LetterPerfect (as Silhouette, 1990), Letraset (as Iris, 1990), and TreacyFaces (as TF Empire State).