Stephenson Blake Type Foundry

I am doing a bit of research on the SB Type Windsor. Does anyone out there have a SB Specimen book made after 1903 that has Windsor in it? If so, what are the styles they produced? (elongated, light-condenced, etc.) Thanks!

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Check this page on Identifont.

http://www.identifont.com/show?2CA

_Mike

My 1953 SB specimen book lists Windsor 6-72 pt, Windsor Outline 18-72 pt, and Windsor Elongated 10-72 pt.

There is a note that Windsor Outline will register with Windsor so that they can be printed together as two-color type.

Windsor Elongated is actually a condensed version of Windsor, not an extended version.

There is of course the possibility that other versions and/or sizes may have been made prior to 1953, and that by 1953 the ones in my book were the only ones left. I’m sure someone out there will have an earlier SB specimen book and can shed more light on this.

Apart from the 1953 SB specimen book, I have a small spiral-bound ‘A Book of Types from Stephenson Blake’. No date, but the plastic binding and the illustrations of the coats of arms of Queen Elizabeth II (designs approved March 1955) make me think it’s from the early 1960s. It lists Windsor Elongated, 10-72 pt, Windsor 6-72 pt, and Windsor Outline 18-72 pt.

Not sure if this helps but Stephenson Blake’s c.1909 wood type specimen book held at St Bride Library shows Windsor, Windsor Condensed, Windsor Elongated, Windsor Bold, Windsor Bold Condensed and Windsor Bold Elongated. The samples are shown 8 to 30 line in size.

Two possible sources:

1. Oak Knoll put out a history of Stephenson Blake in 2002 that may have some data in it about the typeface.

2. The California Historical Society library has a large collection of type catalogs from early foundries. Contact them at the information below in San Francisco and see if they have a catalog:

The Kemble Collection of the California Historical Society.

The Historical Society Library is at:

California Historical Society
Schubert Hall Library
2099 Pacific Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-567-1848

I have a small comb-bound 1959 SB specimen book that basically has what is shown in the small book that Thomas mentions. The cover of my copy simply says SB TYPES. What is bizarre is that page 65 shows Klang Bold and that sheet is backed-up by page 74 showing Windsor Elongated. Pages weren’t simply physically taken out of this copy, it had actually been re-layedout and printed with sections deliberately missing. No way should page 65 be backed-up by page 74! I would have NEVER noticed this if this querry hadn’t started here.

Rick

The 1928 SB catalogue shows Windsor (6-72pt), Windsor Condensed (6-72pt), Windsor Light (6-72pt), Windsor Light Condensed (6-72pt), Windsor Medium (6-72pt), Windsor Medium Italic (6-48pt) and Windsor Outline (18-72pt).

The same catalogue shows specimens of Windsor Bold, Bold Condensed, Elongated, Medium, Light and Light Condensed available as wood letter too, although there’s no indication of the range of sizes.

What I would do to see Windsor Medium Italic. I never saw Windsor in italic before and I’m very curious.

I have a 1977 Stephenson Blake Types booklet that lists Windsor 10-48 pt. Windsor outline 18-48 pt. and Windsor elongated 18-60 pt. be glad to scan and send if you need it. Just give me your email or cell for a text.
Larry