Fancy Initials - Identification
I’ve recently acquired about 8 faces from the print shop of a friend who is giving up letterpress because of ill health. Most of these are pre-point-size and some (but not all) are pinmarked. I’m particularly interested in fixing a date for each of these designs, and a foundry for the anonymous example (which seems to be on a 36 point body). Putting a name to each of the faces is my first priority. Can anyone help?
Old Faces.jpg
Bob,
Assuming thats you!
2nd set of initials were a Model Press fount known as City Initials.
The other two don’t know, will come back to you on the Figgins.
Jeremy.
Your “Monogram set - pinmarked “Chicago” is actually the capitals for a face named Stationers Text No. 5, shown in my 1907 Barnhart Bros. & Spindler catalog. BB&S was located in Chicago, IL and their pinmarks generally read BB&S Chicago. When you indicated that the pinmark read “Chicago” I immediately went to a catalog for the Chicago Type Foundry, but could not find it there.
Hi Again,
The Figgins face is Tuscan Ornamented No.7 in my 1887 Figgins catalogue. Indeed a rare survivor.
City Type Foundry, nothing on them in the Library I’m afraid.
Jeremy.
Getting back to Stationers Text No.5. I have also found it in my 1898 BB&S catalog simply named Stationers Text and listing its patent date as September 24, 1895.
I have one font of type from City Type Foundry, London and it is a pirated copy of Solar, also and old BB&S typeface. I tried to do some research on CTF at one time and did not find much.
The third specimen is the ornamental initials for Centennial Script designed and cut by Herman Ihlenburg in 1876 for MacKellar, Smiths and Jordan. It would appear City Type Foundry pirated this one as well!
Thanks to all who replied and came up with answers to all of my questions. Much appreciated. Briar Press really is a “fount” of knowledge (or should that be “knowledge of founts?”!)