Type – A Visual History of Typefaces, Volume 1
Taschen Publication Explores Graphic Styles and Typographic Fonts
Aug 13, 2009
Type – A Visual History of Typefaces and Graphic Styles, Volume 1: 1628–1900 is published by Taschen Books. Edited by Cees W. de Jong, and including texts by Jan Tholenaar, the publication traces the history of the printed letter.
Type – A Visual History – the Layout of the Book
The book is edited by Cees W. de Jong and includes texts by Jan Tholenaar, upon whose collection of type specimens this publication is based.
The publication opens with a Preface by Cees W. de Jong in which he discusses the many anonymous designers of fonts. At the start of the 20th Century only a few names were known, such as Claude Garamond, Giambattista Bodoni, and William Caslon. Caslon created a number of roman typefaces including the popular Caslon Old Style as well as non-roman and exotic fonts such as Coptic, Armenian, Etruscan and Hebrew. A facsimile of a Type Specimen Sheet shows these typefaces.
De Jong also introduces Jan Tholenaar's comprehensive collection of type specimens which focuses on examples produced between 1830 and 1930.
The remainder of the publication is split into three sections:
- Introduction – The Ideal Typeface. This chapter investigates the search for the so-called perfect typeface. Cees W. de Jong explores the work of a number of font designers including Claude Garamond, John Baskerville, Giambattista Bodoni, Stanley Morison, creator of Times New Roman and Eric Gill who created the font known as Monotype Gill Sans.
- About the Collection – Collecting Type Specimens. Jan Tholenaar tells readers how he amassed his remarkable selection of type specimens, probably the world's largest private collection. Tholenaar has samples of fonts from all over the world. His only rule is that samples must be set in lead. The collector's narrative makes for compulsive reading as he describes some of the pieces in the collection as well as his personal experiences while searching for those items.
- Illustrations. The third section of the book features a comprehensive selection of illustrations including type specimens, ornaments and decorations. Extracts from printed books, catalogues, and documents are presented in many languages including English, French, Greek, Latin and Hebrew. The publication also includes examples of initial letters, borders, ornaments and decorations. Some were created by engravers, calligraphers and lithographers. Each illustration is accompanied by a brief description.
Taschen Keycard – Gives Access to Online Image Library
Included with the publication is a Keycard that permits access to an online library of 1,000 high-resolution images of typeface examples. The images can be downloaded with unrestricted use.
Cees W. de Jong – Editor
Cees W. de Jong is a design and publishing consultant and author of several publications on art, architecture and graphic design including Jan Tschichold Master Typographer and New Poster Art, co-authored by Stefanie Burger and Jorre Both.
Jan Tholenaar – Contributor
Jan Tholenaar was an avid collector of samples of the printed letter. He established a publishing house for the partially sighted, the Grote Letter Bibliotheek in 1969. Tholenaar lived in Amsterdram where he died in 2009.
Type – A Visual History of Typefaces and Graphic Styles, Volume 1, 1628-1900 is published by Taschen GmbH. It is available in hardback format and priced at £34.99 – ISBN: 978-3-8365-1101-8. The text is written in English, French and German. Volume 2, which examines 20th Century typefaces and graphic styles will be available in January 2010
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