Schloss-Buchhandlung, Bad Bergzabern
This book store in Bad Bergzabern is named after the local Schloss (palace). The sign maker apparently felt the need to emphasize its medieval origins and chose a blackletter style for this part. And indeed this typeface is older than the roman used for “Buchhandlung” — but not as much as one might assume: Rudolf Koch’s Deutsche Schrift halbfett was first cast in 1913. ITC Souvenir is a revival of a design originally conceived by Morris F. Benton in 1914.
Blackletter purists may find fault with the omission of the once mandatory ‘ch’ ligature, and further point out that traditional typesetting rules didn’t allow for a double “round s” (it used to be “Schloß” with an eszett). This sign includes another, less pettifogging error. Can you spot it?
3 Comments on “Schloss-Buchhandlung, Bad Bergzabern”
The second /u in Buchhandlung is an upside-down /n, and the second /n is an upside-down /u.
I find ITC Souvenir to be appropriate here on many levels. In addition to Souvenir’s being almost as old as the Deutsche Schrift, it was probably inspired by Schelter-Antiqua. Also, any book store near an Schloss in an old town center in quite likely to sell at least a few souvenirs on its shelves.
The final 'un’ letters are swapped and rotated.
Well spotted, Dan & Aaron!
I agree that ITC Souvenir feels very much at home here. It is the change to Deutsche Schrift that looks comical to me — as if the first word is to be pronounced with a deep voice intensified by a spooky hall effect.