This entry is for two similar reworkings of a compressed style
from a typeface series that originated at Leipzig punchcutting
company Wagner & Schmidt, both distinguished by straight diagonals
in ‘kvwxy AKMNVWXY 4’. For the original with curved diagonals, see
Inserat-Grotesk schmal / Aurora-Grotesk VIII. For a
related, less condensed style, see
Anzeigen-Grotesk / Neue Aurora IX.
1. Inserat-Grotesk (aka Grotesque
réclame) by Haas is shown in
specimens from ca. 1965 and
ca. 1968. Curved leg in ‘R’, deeper cuts in diagonal joins
(‘AMN’ etc.) than in Neue Aurora VIII. Jaspert shows
this face as Narrow Grotesque with an implausible
“Haas c. 1865” date.
2. Neue Aurora VIII schmalhalbfett by Weber was first cast
in 1964. [DIN index card (but shown already in 1963)] Diagonal leg
in ‘R’. Weber didn’t always use the “Neue” suffix, referring to the
reworking as Aurora Condensed [1963
specimen] or Aurora VIII schmal [Mengel 1966].
Carried by Johannes More…
This entry is for two similar reworkings of a compressed style from a typeface series that originated at Leipzig punchcutting company Wagner & Schmidt, both distinguished by straight diagonals in ‘kvwxy AKMNVWXY 4’. For the original with curved diagonals, see Inserat-Grotesk schmal / Aurora-Grotesk VIII. For a related, less condensed style, see Anzeigen-Grotesk / Neue Aurora IX.
1. Inserat-Grotesk (aka Grotesque réclame) by Haas is shown in specimens from ca. 1965 and ca. 1968. Curved leg in ‘R’, deeper cuts in diagonal joins (‘AMN’ etc.) than in Neue Aurora VIII. Jaspert shows this face as Narrow Grotesque with an implausible “Haas c. 1865” date.
2. Neue Aurora VIII schmalhalbfett by Weber was first cast in 1964. [DIN index card (but shown already in 1963)] Diagonal leg in ‘R’. Weber didn’t always use the “Neue” suffix, referring to the reworking as Aurora Condensed [1963 specimen] or Aurora VIII schmal [Mengel 1966]. Carried by Johannes Wagner as Edel-Grotesk engschmalfett, first cast in 1927 [DIN index card, the date must refer to the original version with curved forms].
Phototype adaptations of Weber’s version are shown in Berthold’s E1 (1974, Neue Aurora-Grotesk schmalhalbfett) and a c. 1970s Typeshop catalog (Aurora Neu schmalhalbfett). PLINC had the version with curved leg in ‘R’ as Aurora Bold Cond and the one with diagonal leg as Aurora Condensed. [One Line, 1971] Another photo adaptation blurs the distinction between the original with curved diagonals and the revision by including both forms. [Phil’s Photo, 1981]
OPTI Aurora Condensed (Castcraft, 1990–1991) is a digitization with the ‘R’ of the Haas version. It includes the curved forms of the original as alternates.
