Clarendon - A Type Speciman

45 RPM

CLARENDON

TYPE SPECIMEN

Pub., Advance Time: 0:08

428-87

A L L I S O N V. L E A C H ( 2 0 1 1)

CCA

Graduate Design San

A Francisco, C

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if we “ Wouldn't it be nice were older,

then we wouldn't have to wait so long.

History The name Clarendon is often used as a general term for all bracketed slab serif typefaces – a style that appeared at the start of the Industrialization Revolution of Britain around 1820. Innovations in printing technology at this time, such as the Steam Press, spawned a new wave of advertising that was marked by attention-grabbing display letterforms on nearly every billboard, pamphlet and poster.

For the first time, typography design was independent from the influence of the book.

Interestingly, the earliest Clarendon typeface was not solid; “Two-line pica in shade” by Vincent Figgins in 1815 was an outlined form. Some historians believe that the Clarendon model was used in Roman architectural relief in

the eighteenth century, and was preserved in copperplate engravings in shaded outlines in the nineteenth century.

It was not until 1844 that a solid Clarendon version was made: “Ionic” Calson.

In October of 1845, the Fann Street Foundry registered the name “Clarendon” under the new Ornamental Designs Act of 1842. Its design was a slightly condensed display typeface that functioned as the first related bold – it harmonized with the roman types it was set with in both design and alignment. Serifs were thinned with the x height at medium length to allow for legibility at smaller sizes. Because of its immediate popularity, however, Besley’s Clarendon was widely copied. When the three-year copyright expired, other type foundries caught on, producing “Piracies and Imitations,” as Besley complained.

Use As the first related bold, Clarendon was especially relevant in the mid-1800s – a period of increased printed material which necessitated more structured texts. A bold typeface that stood out from the main text would allow the reader to pick out the most important pieces of information in normal linear reading. Prior to its

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u invention, italics were primarily used to emphasize more important parts of text.

In the first half of the nineteenth century, Clarendon models were employed in newspaper printing. These were ideal printing typefaces because they reduced problems of illegibility that resulted from ink trapping.

During World War I, Clarendon was widely used in proclamations by the German government. In the American Old West, Clarendon commonly appeared in wanted posters. The United States National Park Service embraced Clarendon in the design of its traffic signs, although the typeface has been phased out over the last half century. American designers also popularized Clarendon in the mid-twentieth century, particularly Bradbury Thompson and Lou Dorfsman.

Evolution

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In 1951, a new “Clarendon” was created by Herman Eidenbenz for the Stempel foundry and published by Linotype. For many people today, this is the epitome of the Clarendon style. Newer interpretations of the Clarendon model include “Belizio” by the Font Bureau in 1987, and “Sentinel” by Hoefler & Frere-Jones in 2009.

uldn't it be nice to live together,

in the kind of world where we belong?

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Clarendon Roman abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 £&@?!/+(.,:;)

2

Clarendon Light abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 £&@?!/+(.,:;)

3

Clarendon Bold abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 £&@?!/+(.,:;)

If I fell in love

would you prom and help me cause I’ve been

Bold 19pt

and I found that

than just hol

If I GAVE MY H

I must from the v

that you would love

IF I TRUS Light 27pt

oh pl don’t run

IF I LOVE

oh pl

don’t hurt my cause I couldn’t and I woul our new love

So I hope you would love Bold 25pt

and that sh when she learn

love with you

Roman 15pt

mise to be true e understand n in love before

t love was more

lding hands.

HEART TO you

be sure very start

e me more than her.

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lease and hide.

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lease

pride like her t stand the pain ld be sad if e was in vain.

you see that I to love you

he will cry ns we are two.

Light 9/11pt

Roman 31pt

so much

can hea 96pt

and I can

your sighs 60pt

72pt

see so much

108pt 84pt

Style name: Roman Designer: Robert Besley Foundry: Fann Street Date: 1845

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24pt 18pt

12pt

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your eyes, there

48pt

Clarendon

Roman 12pt

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Light 8pt

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