Ornata

I was wondering if anyone might have some information about this beautiful Font. This is what I do know, it was from Klingspor Foundry in Frankfurt Germany. A twentieth Century font, but I would like to know who designed it, when it was imported to America and anything else someone might know about it. I have tried to research it but couldn’t find much. This is one of the types in my dad’s Hamilton Cabinet Thank you for your help.
Gail

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ORNATA is indeed a face cast by the Klingspor Foundry
in Germany (circa 1943——during WW-2).
The designer is listed as O.H.W. Hadank.
I do not have a full showing of Ornata so I’m unable to confirm the point sizes that were available; when Klingspor
terminated business many of their mats were purchased by the Stempel Foundry of Frankfurt, Germany. *wta

It is indeed a very beautiful ornamented typeface, and is shown on p. 349, under Popular Imports in Mac McGrew’s American Metal Typefaces of the Twentieth Century, Second Edition.

You both have been very helpful, thank you so much! I always know I will find information here that I can’t seem to find on the internet. I appreciate your very prompt responses too.

According to my German Klingspor specimen book (early 50’s?), it was available in 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 20, 24, 28, 36, 48, & 60 punkte (German point size). I’m not sure of the full array of sizes available in America, but a type poster I have from their American office in New Jersey says “8 to 72 point”. Stempel does not show it on their current list of faces available for casting, but they may have the mats. Hope that helps. It is a beautiful face.

Ornata is shown in the 1962 specimen published by Castcraft / Typefounders of Chicago. It is identified there as an imported “Continental Type” face, which in this case I believe indicates that it was actually imported by “Amsterdam Continental Types, Inc.” [1] and resold by Castcraft. See p. 177 in:

http://www.archive.org/stream/NeonTypeDivisionTypefoundersChicago1962pt2...

Regards,
David M.
www.CircuitousRoot.com

[1] not to be confused either with the earlier “Continental Typefounders Assn” (also an importer rather than a foundry) or with Typefoundry Amsterdam.

Here’s a corrected link to the Castcraft specimen:

http://www.archive.org/details/NeonTypeDivisionTypefoundersChicago1962pt...

DMM

It just dawned on me that the sizes listed above are incredible!!! I cannot even fathom cutting this in anything smaller than perhaps 12 or 14 pt. The fineness of the detail in the pattern in each letter would seem to be impossible to maintain in a 6 pt. body.

Rick