Originally released as a shaded caps-only typeface by Stephenson
Blake in 1902 [Reichardt] or 1911 [Letraset].
Added to the Letragraphica range before 1979. [Modern
Publicity] A condensed style was added by Alan Meeks and
Philip Kelly at the Letraset Design Studio in 1988. [Daines]
There are various digitizations. URW’s (1993) comes with
initials and a shadeless version with small caps. The base style
became ubiquitous due to being bundled
with Office and other Microsoft products. The alternates for ‘A
H K M N R S’ of the Letraset version were only preserved in the
Condensed (ITC, Linotype). Algerian
Mesa More…
Originally released as a shaded caps-only typeface by Stephenson Blake in 1902 [Reichardt] or 1911 [Letraset].
Added to the Letragraphica range before 1979. [Modern Publicity] A condensed style was added by Alan Meeks and Philip Kelly at the Letraset Design Studio in 1988. [Daines]
There are various digitizations. URW’s (1993) comes with initials and a shadeless version with small caps. The base style became ubiquitous due to being bundled with Office and other Microsoft products. The alternates for ‘A H K M N R S’ of the Letraset version were only preserved in the Condensed (ITC, Linotype). Algerian Mesa (FontMesa, 2005) is a reinterpretation with a new matching lowercase and a set of alternate caps and comes both with and without shade. See also Tavern.
