(x) Italic face from around 1930 - Pabst Oldstyle {Metadox}

bowfinpw
13 Apr 2004 — 7:23am

I flipped all the way through the serifed type families in the Jaspert "Encyclopaedia of Type Faces" and didn't spot this face. There were a number of Czech type designers, such as Menhardt, Ruzicka, Kapr and Preissig, but nothing showed a style as distinctive as this.

This raises an issue that has bugged me for a long time. At least in the U.S., other than Jaspert's excellent book, there is very little that shows European typefaces that have not become digital fonts. We see a fair amount about English type, predictably, but almost nothing about Continental European metal typefaces.

Does anyone know of any good references for that subject? Odds are they won't be in English, but type speaks for itself. This may be a question for Luc Devroye.

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filip blazek
13 Apr 2004 — 7:42am

I try to collect printer specimens of old Czech printers. It is a good source of information about type. Sure, there are many not digitalized typefaces. But these specimens are rarely to be find in the antique book stores. And if I find one, it is very expensive. But this typeface isn't listed in my specimens.

You can try http://www.symposionbooks.com, they offer several type specimens of Czech printers. The store could send you the book abroad.

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bowfinpw
13 Apr 2004 — 8:43am

Filip, thanks for the link, but I cannot tell what most of the descriptions mean. I see two books that say 'Type Specimens' but that's all I can understand when the description isn't English (a few are).

Maybe if you have time, we can write by e-mail, and you can explain a few of them to me. Today is not a good time for me though. Thank you.

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metadox
13 Apr 2004 — 12:47pm

This face originated right here in the U.S. of A. -- it looks like Goudy's Pabst Oldstyle Italic.
You can get a very reasonably priced digital version from Vintage Type (http://www.vintagetype.com),
although I doubt it has all the central European characters. Also, the captial "A" is slightly different
(the crest serif slants left in this sample but slants right in the VT version).

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Mark Simonson
13 Apr 2004 — 2:03pm

Damn! I thought it looked familiar.

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bowfinpw
13 Apr 2004 — 4:06pm

Yep, there it is in McGrew's book (p.242) and it's a perfect match! Great eye Metadox!

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metadox
13 Apr 2004 — 9:43pm

Thanks all! =)

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filip blazek
15 Apr 2004 — 12:38pm

Thanks! I found even another digital version of Pabst typeface at Lanston Type.

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Bald Condensed
13 Apr 2004 — 4:42am

Beautiful... but that is one BIG sample, Filip!
I really don't know what it is.

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Miss Tiffany
13 Apr 2004 — 10:15am

Storm's Biblon has a similar feel. Loose curves, almost calligraphic in a way. As if the pen just kept
going or the writer was a little too loose with his hold on the pen. Anyway, what I'm getting at is that
perhaps there is some sort of link. Maybe?