A Source for early font and type styles ?

Peter Stines

Sergeant
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Location
Gulf Coast of Texas
Does anyone know of a good source, book or otherwise that covers font or type styles ? I'd like see something that shows the different types, proper names, history and useage. A good timeline would be handy with number styles. Sure we see the old newspapers from our period. That helps. But how many times have we seen a watch, a gun, sword that was engraved
"Presented to...." A good source can tell us if its fake/forgery or genuine ? (The lettering style is not from 1860 more like 1900) Or give us an idea of WHEN the engraving was done. And it would be dandy to have said source for stationary and newsletters. (A period wedding invite.) Not fakes. Maybe your group would want to present an engraved gift to your CO ? I'll see what I can find and post it.
 
Does anyone know of a good source, book or otherwise that covers font or type styles ? I'd like see something that shows the different types, proper names, history and useage. A good timeline would be handy with number styles. Sure we see the old newspapers from our period. That helps. But how many times have we seen a watch, a gun, sword that was engraved
"Presented to...." A good source can tell us if its fake/forgery or genuine ? (The lettering style is not from 1860 more like 1900) Or give us an idea of WHEN the engraving was done. And it would be dandy to have said source for stationary and newsletters. (A period wedding invite.) Not fakes. Maybe your group would want to present an engraved gift to your CO ? I'll see what I can find and post it.

Might this help?
 
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Dover Books has several collections of historic typefaces in their catalogue. They are available online through the Dover Books website. In my work as a commercial artist/illustrator I mined my copies repeatedly. There is nothing like a period hand cut typeface to set the tone of an image.

A good way to create a period look is to scan the typeface & print off copies the point size you need. You can then cutout the individual letters & paste them up to achieve a hand set look.

The Dover books are all about $10.00 apiece, so are very affordable. I just received four artist’s anatomy books for a g-daughter who is taking a college figure drawing class. Of all things, it is via distance learning, some old school anatomy books have been a godsend. They are classics & never go out of style. Dover has reprints of books that also contain some interesting typefaces.
 
Vote Here:
Dover Books has several collections of historic typefaces in their catalogue. They are available online through the Dover Books website. In my work as a commercial artist/illustrator I mined my copies repeatedly. There is nothing like a period hand cut typeface to set the tone of an image.

A good way to create a period look is to scan the typeface & print off copies the point size you need. You can then cutout the individual letters & paste them up to achieve a hand set look.

The Dover books are all about $10.00 apiece, so are very affordable. I just received four artist’s anatomy books for a g-daughter who is taking a college figure drawing class. Of all things, it is via distance learning, some old school anatomy books have been a godsend. They are classics & never go out of style. Dover has reprints of books that also contain some interesting typefaces.
I like the coloring books done by the late Peter Copeland and published by Dover. His series on American Indians is nicely done. Tom Tierny did quite a few on middle ages, medieval and Elizabethan fashions that are handy. Hesitate to say if his are 100% accurate. And they have kid books on Lincoln, Harriet Tubman & Underground Railroad, and more. I'll check out the font and lettering tomes and see what transpires.
 
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