Ornamented Types introduction and prospectus
Prospectus.
“The first complete printing and publication of an unique collection of 23 alphabets of wood-engraved ornamented letters in the collection of the St Bride Printing Library, London; with two additional alphabets.
The text is hand set in Scotch Roman (Monotype Series 137) with founders’ display types including Fry’s Canon and William Caslon IV’s Egyptian of 1816, which was specially recast [from original matrices found in Stephenson Blake foundry drawers] for this edition at the Oxford University Press.” — I. M. Imprimit
Title page.
The Introduction is written by James Mosley, Librarian of the St Bride Printing Library and the custodian of Pouchée’s wood-engraved alphabets.
Prospectus text, set in Scotch Roman Series 137.
Invitation to preview event.
2 Comments on “Ornamented Types introduction and prospectus”
This edition is incredible, and the amazing alphabets are just the appetiser. Mosley and Horsfall’s introduction is hands-down the best history of display typefaces I’ve ever read. Tons of information I’ve never seen elsewhere, and much more surely never this well-explained. It’s sad that it’s only available in such a rare and expensive edition, but some libraries have copies. (The Printing Historical Society has also done reprints of specimens by Matthew Sears and William Davison, many of which are similar in design.)
Letterform Archive recently posted a few leaves from its copy of the portfolio in its Online Archive.